Discover Zufre: Church, Fortress Tower and Reservoir

Zufre is protected as an Asset of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural) in the category “Historic Site”. Together with a total of 29 municipalities in the Sierra de Huelva, the town forms part of the Parque Natural Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche.

Culture and History

The Iglesia Parroquial de la Purísima Concepción in Zufre is a Gothic-Renaissance church from the 16th century. The complex of the Iglesia Parroquial de la Purísima Concepción was completed in 1545. The high reliefs are attributed to the sculptor Bernardino de Ortega, while the panels are attributed to the painter Juan de Zamora. The church tower was designed by Pedro de Silva after the Lisbon earthquake and completed in 1758.

The church therefore reflects several distinct historical points in time: its origins in the 16th century were followed by the completion of the complex in 1545, while the tower was added at a later date after the Lisbon earthquake. The furnishings include high reliefs and panels attributed respectively to Bernardino de Ortega and Juan de Zamora.

The Torre de la Harina is a surviving remnant of an Almohad fortress from the 12th and 13th centuries. It features rammed-earth construction reinforced at the corners with more durable materials. The Plaza de Toros was built between 1879 and 1885 by a company of 30 shareholders.

In the case of the Torre de la Harina, alongside its affiliation with an Almohad fortress, the construction method is also of particular importance. The surviving fortress remnant combines rammed earth with more durable corner reinforcements. The Plaza de Toros complements these historical testimonies with a building from the late 19th century and the recorded number of 30 shareholders.

Nature and Townscape

The Embalse de Zufre serves a recreational purpose. Sporting activities such as fishing are practised there. The Paseo de Los Alcaldes is a landscaped main square with a children’s area and viewpoint. From this viewpoint, visitors can look out over the surrounding landscape and the reservoir.

At the Embalse de Zufre, the reservoir’s recreational function is combined with the sporting activity of fishing practised there. The Paseo de Los Alcaldes adds its own distinctive feature to the town: landscaping, a children’s area and a viewpoint form part of this main square, whose views extend across the surrounding landscape and the reservoir.

Walking through Zufre, winding, paved lanes lead past small houses. The houses are whitewashed, roofed with red tiles and decorated with flowers.

The townscape is shaped by the course of the lanes and the recurring features of the houses: whitewashed façades, red roofs and floral decorations accompany the route through the paved, winding streets.

Other Places

Other destinations that you can access on this destination page include Calañas, Chucena, Jabuguillo, Huelva, Villalba Del Alcor, Ayamonte, Veredas and Cala.

Romerías to the Ermita de Nuestra Sra. del Puerto

The Ermita de Nuestra Sra. del Puerto is associated with two Romerías that are currently observed. On the last Sunday in August, the image is brought into the town. On the second Sunday in September, it is returned to the hermitage.

The two dates mark different directions of the same religious custom. On the last Sunday in August, the image travels from the Ermita into the town. On the second Sunday in September, the route leads back to the hermitage. The Romerías are therefore clearly assigned to late summer and connected with the Ermita de Nuestra Sra. del Puerto.

To the higher-level travel overview: Huelva.