Soto de Bureba - San Andrés

San Andrés was erected on a little hill, that was settled already in pre-Roman times, as recent excavation proved. The tiny hamlet Soto de Bureba is part of the village Quintanaélez (pop. ~ 100).

An inscription above the portal gives the construction date of 1175. During medieval times the area must have been much more densely populated, as later even a second nave was added to the structure.

The parish church is known for its wonderful, sculpted portal, seen here. The arches have an interesting, but somehow strange iconography. Some of the icons are pretty unique. There is a collection of really fantastic and mythical beasts.

In the center is a legendary, horse like animal, that was so rarely seen, that even educated people, who could read and write, could not recognize it without a hint. So it got an inscription, that reads UNICORNIUM.

Though the unicorn here wears a long beard, the horn is pretty short.