NÁJERA

LOCATION

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NÁJERA

• Nájera is situated in the North-West of La Rioja, 22 kms from Logroño, the capital.

• It has about 8.000 inhabitants.• The river Najerilla divides the town in two

parts: the old part and the new part.• It is well-known all over Spain for its

furniture industry.• The villages around produce some of the

best wines in the world.4

•Najera was the capital of the kingdom of Navarra in the early Middle Ages

•Nájera is on the way to Santiago and the town offers pilgrims many services like hospitals and shelters

• At Easter, the furniture industries of Najera exhibit their products and people from all over Spain come to visit.

The festivals of San Juan are held from June 23rd to June 30th. Fireworks announce the beginning of the festivals. Free lunches are given every day and we have live orchestras playing in the square at night time.

The highlight is “las vueltas”, when hundreds of people walk along the streets spinning around while people throw water on them from windows and balconies.

If you want to know about the history of Nájera, do not miss the Chronicles (a play performed by the citizens of Nájera), which takes place every summer in the open air just outside the monastery..

If you want to know about the history of Nájera, do not miss the Chronicles (a play performed by the citizens of Nájera), which takes place every summer in the open air just outside the monastery..

SANTA MARíA LA REALThe monastery of Santa María la Real is one of the essential monuments on the French way to Santiago de Compostela. King Garcia of Nájera ordered its construction in the year 1032.

The church is Romenesque style, like most churches in our area. Some kings are buried here.

ALCÁZAR:• El Alcazar are the remains

of an old palace.

MUSEUM:• The museum of Nájera • exhibits archaeologic remains.• This building used to be

a prison in former times.

SAN MILLÁN DE LA COGOLLA

• There are two monasteries in San Millán, a village 20 kms from Nájera: Yuso and Suso, this one up in the mountains and a smaller one.

• Yuso is the cradle of the Spanish language. The first texts written in Spanish were found here.

• The monk Gonzalo de Berceo lived in the area and wrote the first poems in Castillan. The poems are kept in Yuso.

• Both monasteries were declared Patrimony of Humanity in 1997.

Monasteryof Suso

Monastery ofYuso

RIOJA WINE• La Rioja is well-known all over the world for

its wine. • There are vineyards all over, and most

villages live mainly on their production of grapes and wine.

• The harvest takes place in October and the whole family work together.

THE RIVER NAJERILLA

Nájera in winter

Our summersare really hot.But winters arecold and we often get snow.

THE TOWN HALL

FACILITIES

HEALTH CENTRE

SPORTS CENTRE

Pelota court

Pelota is a typical sport in La Rioja. Most towns and villages have a court.

schools