Like Sajazarra and Villaseca, Castilseco is located on the banks of the river Roganto and its name is related to the drying up of the marshy areas of the river in the 11th and 12th centuries, when it changed its name from Castriello to Castello Sicco or Castilseco.

Construction of the church seems to have begun at the beginning of the 13th century, at least as far as the presbytery is concerned, and continued in another building stage with the nave.

The church consists of a nave, an apse and an apse, the first two separated by a triumphal arch over which rises a belfry with a single opening. Another belfry with two openings rises above the west gable.

On the outside, the apse is divided into five bays by four columns attached to a high plinth, which end in capitals with vegetal decoration, except for the second, which ends in a capital with two crowned heads.
The carving of the faces, hair and expression anticipates Gothic aesthetics. The three central panels are the only ones with windows. The entire apse is crossed by two imposts, a chequered one at the start of the windows and a plain one that coincides with the bosses of the window capitals. The corbels are varied, with human faces, scrolls and vats predominating.

In the interior, the apse is covered with a pointed vault, and the vault of the ante-apse is also pointed. The windows on the inside have arches and small columns similar to those on the outside.

The triumphal arch that separates the nave from the chancel is bent and rests on paired half-columns whose capitals again repeat plant motifs and faces, although not as elaborate as those on the exterior.

The doorway opens on the south wall and consists of four pointed archivolts with angled columns and capitals with the most repeated motif in the church, human faces.

Here we find one of the most beautiful Romanesque works in La Rioja, and perhaps the most beautiful rural apse in the region.

Address

Plan My Route