Church of Nuestra Señora del Manzano, Castrojeriz

The Church of Nuestra Señora del Manzano or Iglesia de Santa María del Manzano is a Catholic church in the town of Castrojeriz, in the province of Burgos. Construction of the current building was begun in 1214, through the will of Queen Berengaria of Castile, daughter of Alfonso VIII of Castile and mother of Ferdinand III of Castile. It is located at the foot of the hill on which the Castle of Castrojeriz stands. It previously held the rank of collegiate church.HistoryThe origins of the church are unknown, but in the tenth century Count García Fernández granted a privilege to the canons of the collegiate church, in which he authorized the canons to build houses with tower and fortresses in the town of Castrojeriz, for which the Count granted his privileges in 974.In the same privilege, the Count provided the canons with the male villains of the town and determined that the Castrojeriz canons and clerics could have "five hundred sueldos similar to the Fijos dalgo of Castile". Thus, if someone slandered them or caused violence in their dwellings they should pay a fine of five hundred salaries. Also if anyone killed or smote any Castrojeriz canon or religious adherent a sum of five hundred salaries would be given to relatives of the victim. This privilege was confirmed, as Enrique Flórez indicates in his España Sagrada, by King Fernando IV in 1299, during the period of his minority years as king.