A magic castle in the mountains of La Rioja
Lost in the mountains and dry forests of the province of La Rioja, in the town of Santa Vera Cruz, you can find a private house, a castle of vernacular-Guadian architecture, full of symbolism and icons of various cultures bathed in the light of the energy vortex of that region. Dionisio Aizcorbe, the author of this work, who wanted to build a reflection of his spirituality and philosophy, is the mastermind behind this artistic and imposing statement about life and the only God materialized by his own hands in his home. Quite eccentric and advanced of its time, today it's praised and visited by people from all corners of the world.
UNDERSTANDING THIS WONDER OF LA RIOJA
Dionisio Aizcorbe, born in 1921 in the province of Santa Fe in Argentina, was a man with a different cosmovision than the rest of people, very centered on himself thanks to a tough theological and spiritual study that would end up shaping his life philosophy, which would later become his motivation to move completely alone to the Northwest.
But before diving deeper into this life-changing decision of his, it’s good to know that at 13 years old, Dionisio moved to Barrancas, Santa Fe, with his mother and that’s where he later formed a family made of a wife and four kids. At that time, he was invested in furniture making and interprovincial trading, whatever it took to sustain his home. However, as time went by, a desire or necessity of leaving behind modern facilities and run away from big cities for accomplishing his mission in this life started to take shape in him, he felt the urge to preach his thoughts and beliefs which could at first be mistaken by religious ones, but in fact they were a bunch of spiritual beliefs together. He believed that religions divided humanity and still they were very similar between each other, so he talked about the one, fundamental and only God.
He first moved to Tinogasta and then came to Santa Vera Cruz, a small town on the hillside on La Costa Riojana. The place had very few inhabitants, it lacked electricity and running water; needless to say, his family did not accompany him on this one-way preaching journey.
Dionisio acquired a piece of land where he began to build his house, which would be the material manifestation of his philosophy. It was built with recycled materials and a lot of commitment and dedication by Dionisio's own hands, who had studied fine arts at the provincial school n°137 of Santa Fe, it is from there, along with his talent and motivation, that we can observe his ability to draw and capture his ideas in the construction of his house, called “castle” by the locals. Based on sacrifice and faith, Dionisio managed to express himself in the lands of Rioja.
Dionisio's determination and extraordinary thinking did not go unnoticed in the region, many came to his house out of curiosity and, if Dionisio was available, he would make them come in to explain his work and thoughts despite not being involved in tourism. There were also those who made fun of him and called him crazy, but the castle and its philosophy endured and transcended to this day, with the Castle of Dionisio being one of the greatest attractions of the province.
Not only did he talk about a single God, he also had very self-centered thinking, because in our minds were the causes and solutions for everything. In addition, he spoke about the importance of the environment and its care, a topic that was not widely discussed several decades ago.
Death did not distress him, and when it came in 2004 to put an end to his memorable life, he did not suffer any major worries, since he had the peace of mind of knowing that he had already fulfilled his mission in this world.
EVERYTHING HAS A MEANING
Analyzing his large castle-house, we will find a central and imposing structure where, currently, tourists are allowed access to his kitchen, which has old Dionisio’s belongings and the recording of a documentary about him being reproduced in a TV.
The castle's façade is reminiscent of Antoni Gaudí's Art Nouveau architecture, which is why it is generally described as the only vernacular-Gaudian castle in the world. At the same time, on the surrounding curvilinear walls and in the house itself, we find a large number of sculptures and murals that reflect the spiritual ideas of Dionisio Aizcorbe. Among them is a phoenix, Osiris, Saint George and even a fetus, symbols referring to life and death.
The gardens that surround the castle not only surround the visitor with the positive energy of the alleged vortex present in the area, but also have a wide variety of trees, shrubs and flowers that invite the town's pollinators to visit the place. You can breathe the peace and purity of the environment and let yourself get lost in paths of roses and lavender as well as fruit trees from which Dionisio based part of his diet. You will also find various signs with advice and reflections from Dionisio, many taken from Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.
WHAT PEOPLE THINK
Those who visit the castle return enchanted by the beauty and spirituality of the place, as we can see in the tourists' responses to questions about the environment.
-If you had to describe the castle of Dionisio, how would you do it?
-It seems to me to be a quite beautiful place energetically, because you can feel a unique energy in this place, and this could explain the reason for his (Dionisio's) works.
-What do you feel about being in this place?
-It gives me a feeling and freedom that is actually quite nice, that is also accompanied by the environment and nature that I am surrounded by.
Other interviewees have just as positive opinions.
-How did you end up here, in the Castillo de Dionisio?
-Well, I was recommended this place because it is very fun and relaxing.
-Did you manage to understand the sculptures and how did you feel about being here?
-The truth is, it gave me hope, it opened my mind, the energy that is here is very noticeable, and I recommend coming. I'd come back.
Other people also recommend visiting the castle.
-Do you recommend coming to this place?
-Yes, the truth is that I recommend it, it feels like a very peaceful, very energetic environment. I recommend it because it has very beautiful structures too.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLACE?
Dionisio Castle is open to the public every day of the week from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and admission costs just $1,000 Argentine pesos and reservations are not necessary. Once in the park, a tour guide will explain the history of the place, although you have complete freedom to explore the castle's paths as you please, except for areas for private use.
Despite being located in a small town on a mountainside, the castle is relatively accessible. It is located 112 km from La Rioja Capital, it can be reached by your own or rented car, although it is important to remember that there is not much parking space and the last 850 meters to reach the entrance are made of dirt. If you get a bus or van, they will park in the town square since the street that goes to the castle does not offer enough space for these vehicles to maneuver.
REFLECTION ABOUT THE CASTLE
Finally, it is demonstrated that the experience of visiting the castle is very captivating, you can observe the great history of Dionisio and how this place remained in history as a symbol of tourism in our province. If you would like to visit a place full of art, with esoteric structures and feel extremely peaceful, don't doubt to go to the Dionisio castle.
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