Lárrede, Susín and Oliván, a route through depopulated Spain in the Pyrenees of Huesca

Since the migration from towns to cities began last century, almost half of the Spanish municipalities are below 12.5 inhabitants per square kilometer, at demographic risk according to the European Union (EU). This is confirmed the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge with data from 2010 to 2019.

Alberto Chicote with Xavier Sardà will visit in ‘Off the Map’ three municipalities of that depopulated Spain in the Pyrenees of Huesca. Together they will travel a path that connects the towns of Lárrede, Susín and Oliván, we tell you what you can visit in each place and how to do the same route as them.

Susín

It is a town located in the Sierra de Serrablo, next to the Oliván ravine, which belongs to the municipality of Biescas (Huesca). It is an access portal to different uninhabited towns in the area, as mentioned on the website of the town hall. The town is made up of two main houses, The house ‘Mallau’ and ‘Ramón’, and other secondary constructions.

In Susín we can find the church of Santa Eulalia, declared a Historic-Artistic Monument. The interior of the apse, the part of the church that is located at the head and that houses the altar table, had 12th century wall paintings. They are currently in the Jaca museum.

Lárrede

This Spanish town belongs to the municipality of Sabiñánigo (Huesca) and is located in the Alto Gállego region. As mentioned on the official website of the town hall, in the 15th century it had a total of 18 residents and both in 1981 and today there are 14 people living in the town.

The city council highlights the presence of the church of San Pedro, built in the middle of the 10th century and in the Aragonese Romanesque style. Because it is located in the historic region of Serrablo, it belongs to the group of churches called Serrablo and according to the town hall it is one of the most unique examples of the whole group. It should be noted that in 1933 a restoration of it was carried out.

Olivan

This municipality belongs to Biescas (Huesca) and is located in the middle of a meadow surrounded by mountains and pine forests. Given its proximity to the Gállego River, it is ideal to start different routes through the Alto Gállego. This is how they describe it on the official website of the town hall.

You can find examples of popular architecture such as the constructions of the houses of Aínsa, Colorao, Chuan and Azón. In them, as in the entire province of Huesca, the stone is the protagonist.

It also has a 11th century parish church which has been enlarged. Its state of deterioration led it to be restored to be able to recover its shine, as mentioned on the town hall website. high medieval elements representative of the time.

Circular route through the depopulated Spain of ‘Off the Map’

Alberto Chicote will visit this area of ​​the Pyrenees of Huesca accompanied by the journalist Xavier Sardà. In this way, the chef wants to impress Sardà with the wonders that lie behind what we call the forgotten Spain, since, as we have mentioned, the neighbors are counted on the fingers of their hands.

Together they will make a tour of Lárrede, Susín and Oliván. The journey will begin in Lárrede, a town where most of the year only two people live. From there they will walk to the Torraza, to later reach the town of Susín, where they will learn about the important conservation and rehabilitation work carried out by their neighbors. Later, crossing centuries-old trees, they will arrive at Oliván, the last town on the route. There they will visit the church of San Juan de Busa.

In wikiloc, a page that collects different routes in the open air, you can find a map to explore the circular route of Lárrede – Oliván – Susín – Lárrede, a path very similar to the one that Chicote will carry out tonight in his program.