From the black legend of Las Hurdes as a cultural activity to nature tourism

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Viewpoint of the Hill in Las Hurdes in Cáceres

The recent trip to Las Hurdes It has allowed me to recall the reason for my first escape to this region of Estremadura many years ago, the curiosity to know a place whose history has been marked by a black legend.

A legend of geographic isolation and poverty to unsuspected limits that still remains in the memory of the Hurdans and many of those who travel to The Hurdes in a tourist getaway to this area of ​​the province of Cáceres.

In May 1933, one of the most controversial events of this happened black legend of Las Hurdes, the filming of the documentary «Land without Bread» by the filmmakerLuis Buñuel.

Black legend of Las Hurdes

If you have no news of it, or have not had occasion to see it, it is a 25-minute documentary that the great Spanish director shot in order to become a document denouncing the situation of that region.

The hardness of the images, of the reality it showed, enhanced by the dramatic locution of Paco Rabal In a later sound version, he made the documentary has been reviled to this day by most Hurdanos.

It was considered that this alleged complaint documentary falsified reality, especially when it is known that many scenes were «theatricalized«.

You can have your own opinion by viewing the video of the documentary included in this article.

In addition the rawness of the documentary caused the arrival of «morbid tourists»Who wanted to check firsthand if The Hurdes they were as poor and "abandoned by the hand of God" as it reflected Buñuel

Black slate architecture in Riomalo de Arriba in Las Hurdes

Was that my case on my first visit?

The truth is that before Buñuelin June 1920 himself King Alfonso XIII I had visited Las Hurdes on a first historical trip.

There he arrived alarmed by the illustrious warning Doctor Marañón about the serious health problems, particularly of goiter and cretinism, that many of the residents of Las Hurdes had.

At that time the French Hispanic Mauricio Legendre He made numerous trips to conduct geographic studies on the Hurdes and their settlers.

These trips began in 1913 when he accompanied the writer and philosopher Miguel de Unamunoby then Rector of the University of Salamanca, on a first trip to know this region also attracted by the fame of backwardness and misery of it.

Los Machos Bridge in Las Hurdes in the province of Cáceres

But how far The black legend of Las Hurdes is true?

One of the most interesting moments of my recent tourist trip has been the experience lived with the traditionalSerano by the stake promoted by the company Hurdanian flavors.

This is a talk with Hurdanians, older people who have been protagonists of the life in the Hurdes, during which you can deepen the historical reality of this region of Extremadura.

Or also in the numerous mystery legends that are shared in the Seranos of souls, and that from this other side have made Las Hurdes the focus of one of the programs of Iker Jimenez.

This cultural activity began by sharing the fire of a fireplace and seeing together the historic and controversial documentary of Buñuel.

Landscapes of Las Hurdes in the province of Cáceres

After finishing it, the key point of the debate was whether it reflected the reality lived at that time of the early twentieth century ... and the Hurdanos, who were then children, said yes, that effectively reminded them of the circumstances of their childhood.

At the end of this activity that lasts about three hours, with dinner included, the conclusion of those who participated in it was clear: The Hurdes It has lived until recently the negative consequences of geographic isolation.

But that poverty and difficulties suffered by the Hurdanians have largely been similar to that of the inhabitants of other isolated rural mountain areas in our Spanish geography.

Nature tourism in Las Hurdes

At present, however, this "isolation" favors tourism that seeks precisely to find places "not contaminated by urbanism", that is, "authentic" rural corners that are increasingly difficult to discover.

Meandro El Melero in Las Hurdes in the province of Cáceres

Behind the trip made to Las Hurdes We have been able to verify that this region is an ideal place for nature tourism, but where you can also see cultural corners.

And also good examples of blackboard blackboard architecture, like the farmhouse of Olives where does it arrive Buñuel after accessing Las Hurdes from the nearby Salamanca town of The swimming pool.

Of course, through winding mountain roads, but in very good condition.

And where you will find schools and health facilities, and where you can enjoy a very good gastronomy.

In sum, an area of ​​Spain where to make a very attractive tourism for many of us, far from the large and very busy tourist circuits of our geography.

Black slate architecture in Aceitunilla in Las Hurdes

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