Sos del Rey Católico - Iglesia de San Esteban

Sos del Rey Católico is a quaint, historic town with a population of just over 600. Founded as "Sos" by Sancho I of Pamplona during the Reconquista in the early 10th century, the town changed its name to Sos del Rey Católico, after Ferdinand II of Aragon (aka "el Católico") was born here in 1452. The town is built on a mountaintop. You enter it by foot through the medieval gates, as the old walls, that surround the town still exist.

This is the portal of the "Iglesia de San Esteban" (= Saint Steven). The building of this church started already mid of the 11th century, financed by Estefania de Foix, young widow of Garcia Sanchez III of Pamplona. The church got enlarged and altered over the next centuries many times. The narthex with the wonderful gothic vaults was added within the 16th century. So the Romanesque portal from the 12th century was from then on protected against the weather - but unfortunately not against the vandalism of the following centuries.

The stairs to the left (note the handrail) lead down to the dark passage way of the crypt.