School of the Piarist Fathers of Villacarriedo
The building of the School of the Piarist Fathers in Villacarriedo is one of the religious sites worth highlighting. The Knight of the Order of Santiago, a member of His Majesty Council in the Contaduría Mayor Accounting office and General Administrator of the Royal Customs of Cádiz, Sir Antonio Gutiérrez de la Huerta y Güemes, founded this school in 1746.
In the beginning this school had a surface area fo 2,600 square metres divided in an ensemble of houses with rooms for five classes, but after many reforms in the 18th and 19th centuries it acquires its current aesthetics.
During the first golden age of the school, along the last third of 19th century, the role of some community members resulted into notable improvements for the whole valley, like the construction of a bridge above the Pisueña river in Villacarriedo. Other of the Piarist contributions to the social and economical spaces were instigated by the rector.
Among religious works from 18th century, this building is worth highlighting. It was founded on 1746 by Sir Antonio Gutiérrez de la Huerta y Güemes, Knight of the Order of Santiago, member of His Majesty Council in the Contaduría ,Accounting Officer and General Administrator of the Royal Customs in Cádiz.
Bonifacio Saing, from whose initiative emerged the Hispanic-Carredana Society that linked the valley with the Santander-Alceda. At the end of the 1910s, the links with the railway station of Ontaneda could only be done by wagon or through a “bad car line”.
One of the most notable values of the center is the Church of San Antonio, with three Naves of unequal height. the side ones are lower, they support on their arches the vaults, hallways and tribunes. At their feet the choir rises. The Apse is semicircular and in the Transept arises on four arches an elegant hemispherical dome above spandrels full of stars on a blue background.
The front is sober, with double boxed pilasters on which there is a curved pediment that holds the tympanum of the coat of arms of the founder, Gutiérrez de la Huerta.