Wamba
Camino de Madrid
Wamba is a small limestone village with a remarkable history packed into its modest frame. It's the only town in Spain that begins with the letter W — a legacy of its Visigothic origins, named after King Wamba, who was supposedly crowned here in AD 672.
The main attraction is the Iglesia de Santa Maria, a composite building that spans nearly a thousand years of architectural history. The oldest elements — the triple apse — are Visigothic, dating to the 7th century. Later additions brought Mozarabic (10th century), Romanesque, and Gothic elements. Fragments of blue and red frescoes on the back wall survive from the 10th century, which is remarkable.
Below the church lies Spain's largest ossuary. Check opening hours, as the church has been found closed by pilgrims in the past.
A limestone statue of King Wamba greets you at the village entrance.
The Visigoths ruled most of the Iberian peninsula from the 5th to the 8th century, and their legacy is rarely felt as strongly as in Wamba. King Wamba's coronation here in 672 was a significant event in Visigothic history. The church contains a Roman baptismal font made from an earlier column capital — layers of history in a single object.
From Wamba, the Camino enters the Tierra de Campos — the vast, treeless plain that will characterise the remaining 150+ km to Sahagun. This is meseta walking at its most elemental: big skies, minimal shade, long sight lines, and deep solitude. The trail from Wamba to Penaflor de Hornija covers about 8 km, with two ravines to cross just before arrival.