¡Teruel Existe! – Teruel Exists!
Well, in Spain it does anyway. Have you ever heard of Teruel? I certainly hadn’t. Capital of the Province of Teruel, it is hidden away and keeping all of its treasures to itself. With a population of just over 35,000, this precious gem is the least populated place in all of Spain.
A Strong Few
Those of Teruel may be few – but like many of the smallest communities across the world their offering to their culture is a great one. Although it is the coldest place with one of the harshest climates in all of Spain, it is also one of the most beautiful to take a stroll around (if you have a good jacket). Famous for the Mudejar style of architecture, walking around the city you can see living memories from every culture that has touched the city; Romans, Jews, Muslims and Christians, all of which have added to its beauty.
Something for Everyone
Wherever you go in Spain you find jamón (dried ham) and of course the best on offer comes from Teruel; Jamón Serrano. The French have Champagne, the Scottish have whisky and the Spanish have Jamón Serrano.
Are you interested in Dinosaurs? Of course Teruel has many things on offer, and the oldest dinosaur remains in Europe are one of them.
If this isn’t of any interest to you then maybe some UNESCO world heritage sites will do the trick, because Teruel has them too!
The centre is the best place to sit and watch the world go by. Here you can see the Torico – little bull in Spanish. Literally a tiny brass bull placed high up on a pilar. It holds centre stage in the main square and brings visitors from all over Spain during the city festivals.
The Lovers of Teruel
The English have the world renowned Shakespeare who gave us Romeo and Juliet, but the people from Teruel will claim that the star crossed lovers are simply the work of fiction based on the real life lovers who once lived in Teruel. Known as “Los Amantes de Teruel” – The Lovers Of Teruel, there is no exact date known to prove who came first.
Forbidden Love
As any love story goes, The Lovers were forbidden to be married. Being from a rich family Isabel could not marry Diego as he was too poor to meet her fathers standards. Joining the army in order to try to make his fortune in the hope he could have her fathers blessing, Diego left the city for five long years. During which time, Isabel was forced to be married to another man.
Heartbreak
Upon his return home for his Love, and with his fortune, Diego discovered that Isabel was now a married woman. He asked her for a first and last kiss, and when she refused he died of heartbreak at her very feet. The following day, as is tradition in Spain, Diego was buried. However, just before laying him to rest, Isabel gave him the kiss he had asked for the previous night. And in true Romeo and Juliet style, she died at his feet from her heartbreak at refusing him.
San Pedro Church
The Lovers were buried side by side in a chapel of the Church San Pedro in Teruel. They were found again in the 15th Century during building works and their stories confirmed by a document in the church archives.
Today you can see The Lovers in their white marble tombs, reaching out to each other to hold hands. Still in their final place of San Pedro Church it is one of the most notable stories which has come from Teruel, and definitely humbling to see.
Teruel and Lola
Being from a small village in the Province of Teruel, Lola will claim that “no one can touch the race from Teruel”. I am unsure in what exact circumstance she is speaking about, but I definitely wouldn’t mess with her, even being Scottish.
Proudly being from Teruel, naturally when naming our designs Teruel was an automatic contender. And there was no design better than the tightly stitched love hearts created by Lola. In honour of The Lovers you can find our heart designs paired with a clean white organic cotton with very small printed hearts. The stitched hearts across the handsmock make for a prefect gift for Valentines Day, or any other day in the year when you feel like sharing a little bit of love.
Megan Morrison