Equally interesting is the Hermitage of Santa María del Zújar, situated at a resting place for transhumant livestock. It is believed to have been erected by the shepherds of La Mesta over an older structure. Other notable hermitages include Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Magacela), founded in the early sixteenth century, and Los Mártires (Castuera), among others.

Some churches also stand on previous settlements, like the Church of Santiago de Capilla, built after the Reconquest over an ancient mosque. Inside, it features pointed horseshoe arches characteristic of the Mudejar style, reflecting the coexistence of Christians, Muslims, and Jews in Spain for many centuries.

Other beautiful examples of religious buildings include the Church of Nuestra Señora de los Milagros in Zalamea de La Serena from the thirteenth century, with modifications in the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries; the Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception in Higuera de La Serena from the fifteenth century, though remodeled in the seventeenth century; and Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Malpartida de La Serena, founded in the sixteenth century.

Noteworthy is the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Belén, the patron saint of Cabeza del Buey. It consists of a convent arranged around a double-arched cloister and a church from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with valuable mural paintings inside. This sanctuary has been declared a Cultural Interest Site.

The construction of these churches involved significant architectural endeavors that extended over time due to the effort of the construction work itself and the economic cost. This explains why these buildings feature characteristics from different artistic styles.

On the walls of these religious buildings, we often see coats of arms and family crests of noble families who had significant political, economic, or religious influence and who funded or assisted in the construction costs of the churches or hermitages.

These fortresses and castles are located at the highest points of the sierras, making it easier to watch over and control the territory and defend themselves. Some of these constructions have Roman origins and were rebuilt during the Muslim period, such as the Castle of Magacela, which remained occupied from the Reconquest through the Modern Age.

The Castle of Capilla is situated on a crag dominating all the lands on the left bank of the Zújar River. It preserves the barbican tower defending the main entrance. Other strategic hilltop castles include Almorchón (Cabeza del Buey), Benquerencia de la Serena, Zalamea de la Serena, and Magacela. These castles controlled the communication route to Córdoba, the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate.

After the Reconquest, King Ferdinand III donated these castles to military orders. Thus, the castles of Capilla and Almorchón were given to the Order of the Temple, while the castles of Benquerencia de la Serena, Magacela, and Zalamea de la Serena were granted to the Order of Alcántara. After the dissolution of the Templars, the castles of Capilla and Almorchón also passed to the Order of Alcántara. The Altamirano-Orellana Castle Palace in Orellana la Vieja, built in the fifteenth century and remodeled in the sixteenth century, is of a later date.

These castles consist of thick walls lined with circular or pentagonal towers enclosing a courtyard accessible through a single entrance defended by a barbican tower. Inside, there were the parade ground, the dungeon, the keep (residential area), and a cistern to ensure the water supply in case of siege.

The typology of the buildings follows the model of the "house of the plain," with a single floor for living quarters and an upper loft for storing grain. Most of them are whitewashed to soften the summer heat, with granite stone lintels, corners, and thresholds, a material very abundant in these territories. The openings are closed with wrought iron grilles, and family crests prominently display on the main façad

The House of the Cord in Monterrubio de La Serena; and the House of the Devils in Campanario, which features a monumental crest with a human head protected by two cherubs on the main façade. People with lesser economic power lived in more modest, small houses built in brick or adobe masonry, forming narrow streets but following the same house model

The House of the Cord in Monterrubio de La Serena; and the House of the Devils in Campanario, which features a monumental crest with a human head protected by two cherubs on the main façade. People with lesser economic power lived in more modest, small houses built in brick or adobe masonry, forming narrow streets but following the same house mode

Examples of this popular architecture are preserved in Higuera de La Serena and Magacela, which has a series of irregular streets with varying volumes and levels adapting to the difficult topography of the terrain and has been declared a Historic Ensemble. Likewise, popular architecture neighborhoods are preserved in Zalamea de La Serena, Quintana de La Serena, and Monterrubio de La Serena.

Finally, in this section, we mention the numerous "cortijos" (farmhouses) located in the territories of La Serena. These are magnificent rural buildings composed of various dependencies, some dedicated to agricultural and livestock operations, domestic tasks, and others serving a residential function but with clear differences between the residence of the landowners and the laborers.

Generally, the cortijo's dependencies are arranged around a large central courtyard. Many of these cortijos also have chapels, libraries, and at some point in their history, even functioned as schools.

 In the territories of La Serena, many of these cortijos originated during the era of the Royal Dehesa of La Serena, and some are still in good condition, such as Casa de Perales in La Coronada, Casa Grande del Bercial and Cañada Honda in Monterrubio de La Serena, and Casa de la Dehesa Moruna in Benquerencia de la Serena.

 These works are functional in nature. The arrival of large herds of transhumant livestock necessitated the construction of large bridges, such as the Bridge of La Antigua (La Haba), dating to the medieval period but of Roman origin. Built with granite ashlars, it consists of six arches of different sizes, with the central arch being the largest.

  Pillars and fountains were also necessary. It should be noted that houses did not have running water, so residents had to fetch water from these pillars and fountains. These pillars also served as watering places for livestock. Examples include the Pilar Concejo in Higuera de La Serena.

 Other characteristic elements along riverbanks are water mills, with numerous examples preserved in La Serena, such as the Guadalefra stream mill (Esparragosa de La Serena), the Santa María del Zújar mill (La Coronada), the Badén mill (Zarza Capilla), the Molar stream mills (Campanario), and those along the Ortiga River, among others.

. These types of constructions were very common during the Middle and Modern Ages and were used for grinding wheat. Stone channels diverted water from the main flow to a room where two large cylindrical stones, the upper (runner) stone and the lower (bed) stone with a central opening, were located.

. The force of the water made the runner stone rotate over the bed stone, which remained fixed, causing friction to grind the grain. The grain was stored in a wooden hopper above the stones with an inverted pyramid shape, gradually falling through the central hole to the grinding stones. The flour would then fall into a wooden drawer called a harnero.

. Besides the mills, fulling mills or wool washing facilities, which also harnessed the power of water, are also common.

These types of popular buildings are known as Vernacular Architecture. Among them, besides bridges, mills, and fulling mills, we also find huts, pigsties, and corrals, fountains, and pilones (troughs). All were constructed to support rural activities. Unfortunately, many of these elements of our cultural heritage are in poor condition. Their abandonment and the disappearance of many traditional trades lead to their neglect and gradual decay.