HOY reconstructs the journey of Alfonso XIII through the region of Extremadura in 1922 and connects it with the present. The monarch spent his second night in Nuñomoral
The second stage of Alfonso XIII’s trip to Las Hurdes, the first that ran entirely through Extremadura, began in Casar de Palomero, from where the monarch and his entourage left after hearing mass at eight in the morning in the parish church, officiated by the Bishop of Coria, Pedro Segura Sáenz. At the door of the temple the horses were waiting for them to enter the mountainous landscape of the region of Cáceres. Read the full stage here.
The monarch and his retinue went to Azabal, and after passing this town one of the most remembered photographs of the trip was taken. Given the suffocating heat that he was -and that accompanied him during the four days of his trip to Hurdano-, the king decided to take a bath in the Los Angeles River, and he did so naked. Dr. Gregorio Marañón also refreshed himself. At one point in that bathroom, Alfonso XIII called the photographer, Campúa Jr. «Come, little bird» -you tell the chronicles that he told him-. You are going to take a picture of me that your father has never taken of me.” And the monarch posed for him naked next to Dr. Marañón, who was not so daring and kept his long underpants. The plaque with that photo was not supposed to go public, but after a few years it did.
From there, the royal delegation continued to Pinofranqueado, where the great-grandfather of the current monarch visited the schools, the hermitage of Christ and the parish church, before having a drink at the house of Juan Martín Pérez, municipal secretary. After that stop, the trip continued towards Mesegal, Caminomorisco, Arrofanco, Arrolobos, Vegas de Coria, Rubiaco and finally, Nuñomoral. On the outskirts of this last town, the tent camp was built where the entire entourage dined and spent the night. During the coffee after dinner, one of the most famous anecdotes of the monarch’s trip to Las Hurdes took place, when the Minister of the Interior commented that he liked to drink coffee with a few drops of milk. A waiter went to look for it and after serving it, he said: “You can have your coffee in peace, because the milk is from my wife, and very good, by the way.” Some say that this version of what happened mixes reality and literature.
Casar de Palomero
The king walks through the streets of Casar de Palomero, in the company of Dr. Marañón and Acacio Terrón, owner of the house where he spent his first night in Las Hurdes
Casar de Palomero
Carmen Terrón, descendant of Acacio Terrón, owner of the house where Alfonso XIII slept after the first stage of his trip to Las Hurdes. The house has just been restored to house a house-museum of royal visits to this region of Extremadura. Last day 1 was inaugurated with this new use, which has been possible thanks to the fact that the owners have donated the property to the City Council.
Video.
The house in which Alfonso XIII slept houses a house-museum /
Casar de Palomero
Juan Carlos I and Sofía de Grecia, leaning out of the balcony of Acacio Terrón’s house in 1998.
Casar de Palomero
Plaques on the facade of the house of Acacio Terrón, reminders of the visits that different Spanish monarchs have made to the house (Alfonso XIII in 1922, Juan de Borbón in 1988 and Juan Carlos I in 1998)
azabal
Alfonso XIII and Dr. Gregorio Marañón bathed in the Los Angeles River, between Azabal and Pinofranqueado. The monarch made him naked and asked the photographer, Campúa Jr., to come closer. “Come, little bird! him, he told her. That you are going to photograph me as your father has never done it. Dr. Marañón poses in long underpants. The photographer passed the plate of the image to the king, but a few years later he appeared illustrating the cover of a book of ‘The Bold Knight’ (José María Carretero Novillo).
azabal
Charco de los Molinos or natural pool of Azabal. Different sources indicate that it is the point of the Los Angeles River where Alfonso XIII bathed and was later photographed naked with Dr. Marañón. It happened at the beginning of the second stage of his trip through Las Hurdes, shortly after leaving Casar de Palomero and before reaching Pinofranqueado.
pine franked
The royal delegation walks through Pinofranqueado, where the monarch visited the schools, the parish church and the hermitage of Christ. He then had lunch at the house of Juan Pérez Martín, municipal secretary of the Cabildo and the person who prepared the maps of the region for Unamuno’s visit in 1913 and Marañón’s in April 1922. In that house, the king drank white wine, serrano and typical sweets.
pine franked
A photograph similar to the one taken a hundred years ago, in the same area of Pinofranqueado. Currently, this street recalls in his name Bishop Jarrín, precisely another key character in the history of Las Hurdes, for his initiatives to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of the region. Pinofranqueado now has 1,682 inhabitants and 11 farmhouses depend on it.
pine franked
Another moment of the monarch’s visit to Pinofranqueado, near the church and the main square.
pine franked
The same place, today. It is the area known as ‘The Four Paths’.
Caminomorisco
After stopping at Pinofranqueado, Alfonso XIII was at Caminomorisco. In the photograph, the king passes by the door of the church.
Caminomorisco
The same temple, in an image taken last week.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.