Bargota has existed as an inhabited settlement since at least the 12th century, and by the 13th century it had already acquired a notable role as a frontier location with Castile. For six centuries, it depended on Viana, with which it maintained constant legal disputes in defence of its own identity and autonomy. Finally, on 1 September 1818, Bargota obtained the privilege of becoming a town, establishing itself as a municipal council and reaffirming its own voice in the history of the Ebro Valley.
The legends tell of Johannes of Bargota’s constant journeys through the region, his presence at witches’ gatherings in the Montes de Oca and his incredible flights, which took him as far as Madrid or even Rome. It is said that, to begin these journeys, he would go to the outskirts of the village and, taking advantage of a passing cloud, launch himself into the sky with the help of his magical cloak of invisibility.
It is also said that in Viana he used to meet Endregoto, an old blind woman described as a true witch, with whom he prepared potions and spells.
For centuries, the stories of Johannes were passed down during the candiladas: gatherings of women who, by the light of an oil lamp, shared tales, traditions and secrets. According to tradition, his house stood on today’s Juan Lobo Street, in the wine cellar quarter, where he lived with his housekeeper.
One of the most unusual legends tells how the devil, disguised as a young and learned religious man, sought Johannes’s friendship. When his true identity was revealed, the wizard refused to have any dealings with him, and as punishment the devil stole his shadow.
Even so, Johannes was not regarded as a fearsome figure, but rather as a protector. It was said that he helped the poor and those in need of shelter. Among them was the famous bandit Juan Lobo, who, thanks to Johannes’s cloak of invisibility, managed to escape the ambush laid for him by numerous inhabitants of the surrounding area. In gratitude, he never again attacked any resident of Bargota, and the street along which he fled bears his name today.
Bargota also produced historical figures of great importance, such as the muleteer Juan Martín Echaide, who acted as a mediator between the leaders of the opposing armies during the First Carlist War. His intervention helped bring about the signing of the peace agreement of 29 August 1839, which put an end to one of the bloodiest conflicts of 19th-century Spain.
Today, when we walk through Bargota, we do not simply pass among houses and wine cellars: we walk through centuries of history, wine and legends that continue to shape the soul of the village.
The history of Bargota cannot be understood without the vine. The development of viticulture in the village reveals the deep bond between landscape, economy and local culture. From the earliest Roman evidence to the impetus provided by medieval monasteries; from the consolidation of vineyards in the Early Modern period and the commercial flourishing of the 17th and 18th centuries, to the upheavals of the 19th century —marked by confiscations, agrarian crises and the dreaded phylloxera— the vine has always played a leading role.
In the 20th century, integration into the Rioja Designation of Origin opened a new stage of modernisation and external projection. Collective initiatives such as the Bargotense Cooperative and the documentation preserved by the Agrarian Chamber allow us to trace this evolution, bearing witness to the importance that wine has had —and continues to have— in the life of Bargota.
But if there is one figure who has left an indelible mark on popular culture, it is Johannes of Bargota, the most famous wizard of the Ebro Valley. Very few documents about him survive, but his wonders have been passed down from generation to generation. Tradition says that he lived in the 16th century, studied theology in Salamanca and there was initiated into necromantic and magical arts, before returning to Bargota to become its priest… and its most legendary inhabitant.
