Fuentecén comes from the Latin “fuente” and “cen”. Cen is a diminutive of centum which means “one hundred, many and many”. Thus, Fuentecén refers to the many springs that flow in its municipal district.

According to the most reliable references, the origins of Fuentecén date back to the 10th century, during the repopulation of the Duero valley after the Reconquest.

Its parish church, dated between the 15th and 17th centuries, has undergone many transformations over time, its last modification being in 1962, following the plans of a monk from the Monastery of Valbuena de Duero. The altarpiece of Santa Catalina, from the end of the 16th century (dated 1599) shows an inscription according to which a gentleman with the surname Ordóñez and his wife donated it. The church also has a beautiful baptismal font, as well as paintings, sculptures, polychrome images attributed to Juan de Juni, liturgical ornaments such as the Cristo del Carmelo (Christ of Carmel) and gold and silver work of great artistic value. Also noteworthy is the organ, a piece of great ornamental and musicological interest. Unfortunately, this organ has been semi-destroyed: it lacks a keyboard and the pipes are in poor condition, with some of them missing. Part of the internal mechanisms and the bellows have been preserved.

The chapel of La Concepción can also be found in Fuentecén, but to a lesser extent. In addition, through this municipality runs the Sendero de las fortificaciones.

In this locality we can find some examples of ashlar and emblazoned ancestral homes, many of them from the 18th century, which have a double origin: some belonged to families of the lower nobility of greater or lesser nobility, and others were the homes of different chaplains of the parish of Fuentecén itself.

San Mamés and Santa Ana are the protagonists of Fuentecén’s festivities in August, and the Santo Cristo del Carmelo is also celebrated in April.

Locals of Fuentecén: Fontecenenses.