Ermita de Santa Águeda y Santa Lucía (Cabanes)

Ermita de Santa Águeda y Santa Lucía, locally known as "Les Santes," is a mountain hermitage in Cabanes, in the province of Castellón, tucked into a valley of the Sierra de las Santas within the Desert de les Palmes Natural Park. The site combines the role of a pilgrimage sanctuary with that of a trailhead for hikes through this protected range.

Where exactly is it located?

The hermitage sits at the heart of the Desert de les Palmes, the mountain range separating the Costa del Azahar coastline from the inland part of Castellón province. Access runs along roads leading into the park from the town of Cabanes, and the valley setting surrounds the site with the typical Mediterranean scrub vegetation of the region. For generations, the spot has served as a destination for hikers and cyclists from the surrounding area.

What is the history behind the site?

The tradition of pilgrimage here reportedly dates back to the mid-14th century, when — according to local accounts — the sanctuary began functioning as a place of religious devotion in this part of the Sierra de las Santas. The building visible today, however, dates from the early 17th century: the hermitage was rebuilt between 1611 and 1617 on the initiative of the bishop-baron Pedro Manrique, a Franciscan who held both spiritual and secular authority over the surrounding lands at the time. That rebuilding gave the complex the form it retains today.

What can visitors see on site?

The main chapel is a single-nave building measuring roughly 15 by 8 meters inside — a modest scale typical of rural pilgrimage hermitages in the region. Around the church stands a larger cluster of buildings: the former dwelling of the hermit who once cared for the sanctuary, and a spacious house that served as lodging for pilgrims. All the structures were built using rubble masonry finished with tiled roofs, materials and techniques characteristic of rural religious architecture in the Comunitat Valenciana. The grounds also include a recreational area with barbecue grills and firewood, used by visitors who picnic here after walking the surrounding trails.

Why does the sanctuary matter to the people of Cabanes?

Les Santes is more than an architectural landmark — it is a living center of local religious tradition. The hermitage venerates the town's patroness, Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso, popularly known among residents as "la Barranquera." Every year the site hosts a romería, a pilgrimage in which the people of Cabanes walk from the town center out to the sanctuary to spend the day together outdoors, sharing an open-air meal and dancing to the sound of the dulzaina and tabal, traditional instruments of Valencian festivities. The event opens the annual cycle of patronal celebrations in honor of the Virgen del Buen Suceso. On the way back to town, the procession pauses at the Calvario chapel, where the image of the patroness rests for a few hours before the evening's closing highlight, known as the Entrà de Maig. The tradition's local importance has been formally recognized, as the romería to Les Santes holds the status of Fiesta de Interés Turístico Local of the Comunitat Valenciana.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the Ermita de Santa Águeda y Santa Lucía located? In a valley of the Sierra de las Santas, within the Desert de les Palmes Natural Park, in the municipality of Cabanes in Castellón province.

Where does the name "Les Santes" come from? It is the local, popular name by which the hermitage is known among the residents of Cabanes and nearby towns.

Which patron saint is venerated at the site? Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso, popularly called "la Barranquera" — she is honored each year with a romería from Cabanes to the sanctuary.

When was the current building constructed? The pilgrimage tradition dates back to the 14th century, but the structure seen today resulted from a rebuilding carried out between 1611 and 1617.