Ricla

Ricla
Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
ricla-W6
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
mudetrad-ricla
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT VALUES THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF RICLA
portada guia didactica
Didactic Mudejar, the guide
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family walks
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS

The Jalón River plains

Ricla has a strategic position in the Jalón Valley that has made it a village of Celtiberians – the city of Nertóbriga was located there -, Romans, Muslims, Jews and Christians. A melting pot of cultures that gave this territory its personality.

Of all of them, Ricla stands out for its Islamic past, which is still very present in the morphology of its streets – full of bends, alleyways and lanes -, in architectural elements and in irrigation systems, such as the irrigation ditches. The town still preserves the castle of Muslim origin, although it has been very much renovated and looks like a manor house, which was of great importance as a defensive position.

Ricla has a strategic position in the Jalón Valley that has made it a village of Celtiberians – the city of Nertóbriga was located there -, Romans, Muslims, Jews and Christians. A melting pot of cultures that gave this territory its personality.

Of all of them, Ricla stands out for its Islamic past, which is still very present in the morphology of its streets – full of bends, alleyways and lanes -, in architectural elements and in irrigation systems, such as the irrigation ditches. The town still preserves the castle of Muslim origin, although it has been very much renovated and looks like a manor house, which was of great importance as a defensive position.

A witness to the region's history

But the most outstanding Mudejar monument is the church of La Asunción with its slender tower. The construction of this Mudejar temple was carried out in three stages: at the beginning of the 15th century, the apse and the first section of the nave were built; well into the 16th century, it was extended with a second section of large proportions and two chapels, and the Mudejar tower was built; and in the 18th century, it was extended with a new chapel and the interior was decorated. It is currently a brick church, with a single nave with two bays and a polygonal apse covered with a ribbed vault decorated with geometrical agrammels in the Mudejar tradition.

The tower stands at the foot of the church with two bodies: the lower one is square and ornamented with brickwork and highlighted brickwork. The upper or bell tower is octagonal, reinforced with buttresses at the corners and decorated with bands of angled bricks, diamond-shaped brick panels and semicircular arches. The tower is topped by a spire that supports a cross.

On the other hand, a stroll along Santa Cruz street allows you to discover the best examples of the town’s civil architecture and you can follow an itinerary on foot or by bicycle around Ricla to discover the area’s hydraulic heritage and its horticultural wealth.

But the most outstanding Mudejar monument is the church of La Asunción with its slender tower. The construction of this Mudejar temple was carried out in three stages: at the beginning of the 15th century, the apse and the first section of the nave were built; well into the 16th century, it was extended with a second section of large proportions and two chapels, and the Mudejar tower was built; and in the 18th century, it was extended with a new chapel and the interior was decorated. It is currently a brick church, with a single nave with two bays and a polygonal apse covered with a ribbed vault decorated with geometrical agrammels in the Mudejar tradition.

The tower stands at the foot of the church with two bodies: the lower one is square and ornamented with brickwork and highlighted brickwork. The upper or bell tower is octagonal, reinforced with buttresses at the corners and decorated with bands of angled bricks, diamond-shaped brick panels and semicircular arches. The tower is topped by a spire that supports a cross.

On the other hand, a stroll along Santa Cruz street allows you to discover the best examples of the town’s civil architecture and you can follow an itinerary on foot or by bicycle around Ricla to discover the area’s hydraulic heritage and its horticultural wealth.

Information

Town hall: 976 600 106
www.ricla.es
Association for the Integral Development of Valdejalón and Campo de Cariñena
fedivalca.org

VISIT RICLA 976 633 296

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Aragon Tourism
turismodearagon.com
Region of Valdejalón
www.valdejalon.es

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a founding member of Territorio Mudéjar since 13 September 2018.

Projects Territorio Mudéjar in Ricla

Monuments | View the project
Pedagogy | View the project
Mudetrad Project | View the project
Mudejar plaster | View the project
Scenic Mudejar | View the project
Didactic Mudejar, the guide | View the project
‘Circular’ Family walks | View the project

Mesones de Isuela

Mesones de Isuela
Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
Mesones-W4
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
mudetrad-mesones
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT VALUES THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF MESONES DE ISUELA
Mesones-00-IMAGEN-INICIO
Mudéjar wood
A TOUR THROUGH THE MUDEJAR CARPENTRY OF MESONES DE ISUELA AND ITS HISTORY
portada guia didactica
Didactic Mudejar, the guide
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family walks
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS

Lordship of the Luna family

Mesones de Isuela is visible from afar because of its majestic castle, which, with a surface area of more than 3,000 m2 and a robust presence, dominates the valley of orchards and the foothills of the Buitrera mountain range.

This fortress, possibly of Templar origin, belonged to the Luna lineage and with a Gothic style construction with a military function, hides in its interior one of the Mudejar jewels of the town: a Mudejar ceiling that is unparalleled in Europe. It is located inside one of the six cylindrical towers that reinforce the exterior of the castle and served as a chapel. It is a very unique example of a hexagonal armature made up of 96 panels painted with as many angels with candles.

The decoration is completed by a frieze of plant and animal motifs and the arms of the archbishop of Zaragoza, Don Lope Fernández de Luna, patron of this work.

Mesones de Isuela is visible from afar because of its majestic castle, which, with a surface area of more than 3,000 m2 and a robust presence, dominates the valley of orchards and the foothills of the Buitrera mountain range.

This fortress, possibly of Templar origin, belonged to the Luna lineage and with a Gothic style construction with a military function, hides in its interior one of the Mudejar jewels of the town: a Mudejar ceiling that is unparalleled in Europe. It is located inside one of the six cylindrical towers that reinforce the exterior of the castle and served as a chapel. It is a very unique example of a hexagonal armature made up of 96 panels painted with as many angels with candles.

The decoration is completed by a frieze of plant and animal motifs and the arms of the archbishop of Zaragoza, Don Lope Fernández de Luna, patron of this work.

Islamic layout

Mesones de Isuela was, since the 13th century, a Mudejar majority town and its traces are still very present.

At the foot of the castle lies the village where the parish church of La Asunción was built in the Mudejar style in the 16th century and, although it had later additions in the 18th century, it maintains its Mudejar origins intact.

The hallmark of this style is the small but beautiful tower at the foot of the church, built in brick on a masonry base. The tower, built on a single nave covered by star-shaped rib vaults, consists of two sections. The lower one has a square floor plan, a Hispano-Muslim minaret structure and is decorated with multi-armed crosses forming lozenges. The upper one is octagonal and its semicircular arches were opened to house the bells and the clock, for which part of the original openings and decorative panels had to be broken.

Mesones de Isuela was, since the 13th century, a Mudejar majority town and its traces are still very present.

At the foot of the castle lies the village where the parish church of La Asunción was built in the Mudejar style in the 16th century and, although it had later additions in the 18th century, it maintains its Mudejar origins intact.

The hallmark of this style is the small but beautiful tower at the foot of the church, built in brick on a masonry base. The tower, built on a single nave covered by star-shaped rib vaults, consists of two sections. The lower one has a square floor plan, a Hispano-Muslim minaret structure and is decorated with multi-armed crosses forming lozenges. The upper one is octagonal and its semicircular arches were opened to house the bells and the clock, for which part of the original openings and decorative panels had to be broken.

Information

Town hall: 976 605 877

Association for the Integral Development of the Region of Calatayud and the Region of Aranda
galcar.es

VISIT MESONES DE ISUELA
976 633 296

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Aragon Tourism
turismodearagon.com
Region of Aranda
www.comarcadelaranda.com

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a founding member of Territorio Mudéjar since 13 September 2018.

Projects Territorio Mudéjar in Mesones de Isuela

Monuments | View the project
Pedagogy | View the project
Mudetrad Project | View the project
Mudejar wood | View the project
Didactic Mudejar, the guide | View the project
‘Circular’ Family walks | View the project

Maluenda

Maluenda
Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
Maluenda
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
mudetrad-maluenda
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT VALUES THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF MALUENDA
Maluenda-00-IMAGEN-INICIO
Mudéjar wood in Maluenda
A TOUR THROUGH THE MUDEJAR CARPENTRY OF MALUENDA AND ITS HISTORY
portada guia didactica
Didactic Mudejar, the guide
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family walks
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS
El mudéjar y la geometría euclidiana
El mudéjar y la geometría euclidiana
PLASTIC STUDY OF THE ARAGONESE MUDEJAR OF THE SPACE OF THE MUDEJAR TERRITORY

The character of Mudejar culture

Professor Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis defined the locality as one of the Aragonese towns where Mudejar architecture acquires a powerful personality, with three Mudejar churches marked by the use of plaster mortar to finish their walls. Added to all this is the survival of a magnificent urban ensemble dotted with 15th century Mudejar houses that make the town an undeniable attraction.

Of the church of San Miguel (14th century), only the perimeter walls, the side chapels and the last two sections of the nave remain, with a bell tower and the remains of a small tower. The church of Santa María, basically built in plaster mortar, is the oldest church in Maluenda. Its imposing presence is highlighted by the arquettes’ viewing gallery and by the preservation of one of the most important Aragonese roofs of the time, made by the master builder Yusuf Adolmalih, whose signature has been preserved. The third Mudejar monument is the church of Santas Justa and Rufina. Completed in 1413, it is a fortress church that masterfully integrates the defensive and religious functions and stands out for its powerful exterior volume and the walkway that runs inside over the side chapels.

Professor Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis defined the locality as one of the Aragonese towns where Mudejar architecture acquires a powerful personality, with three Mudejar churches marked by the use of plaster mortar to finish their walls. Added to all this is the survival of a magnificent urban ensemble dotted with 15th century Mudejar houses that make the town an undeniable attraction.

Of the church of San Miguel (14th century), only the perimeter walls, the side chapels and the last two sections of the nave remain, with a bell tower and the remains of a small tower. The church of Santa María, basically built in plaster mortar, is the oldest church in Maluenda. Its imposing presence is highlighted by the arquettes’ viewing gallery and by the preservation of one of the most important Aragonese roofs of the time, made by the master builder Yusuf Adolmalih, whose signature has been preserved. The third Mudejar monument is the church of Santas Justa and Rufina. Completed in 1413, it is a fortress church that masterfully integrates the defensive and religious functions and stands out for its powerful exterior volume and the walkway that runs inside over the side chapels.

Christian tastes

Maluenda is a monumental town with an urban layout with Moorish roots that unfolds under the protection of the 9th century rammed-earth castle and its watchtower, popularly known as El Palomar. The castle is of Islamic origin, although archaeological remains show evidence of a possible earlier Celtiberian settlement. The tower is contemporary with the castle and was built by Muslim masters.

The town is one of the most interesting examples of the Mudejar phenomenon in Aragon, in which the best buildings of religious Mudejar architecture appear in areas with no Mudejar architecture at all. This was the case, for example, in Ateca, Tobed and Cervera de la Cañada.

With its trio of churches, Maluenda also shows that Mudejar art prevailed at all social levels and was fully accepted by medieval Aragonese society.

Other urban elements of great interest in the town include the 14th century arch that was closed with a gate and rake and formed part of the town’s defence; the convent of the Discalced Carmelites, and the hermitages – including those of Saints Gervasio and Protasio – due to their location on a vantage point with excellent views of the Jiloca valley.

Maluenda is a monumental town with an urban layout with Moorish roots that unfolds under the protection of the 9th century rammed-earth castle and its watchtower, popularly known as El Palomar. The castle is of Islamic origin, although archaeological remains show evidence of a possible earlier Celtiberian settlement. The tower is contemporary with the castle and was built by Muslim masters.

The town is one of the most interesting examples of the Mudejar phenomenon in Aragon, in which the best buildings of religious Mudejar architecture appear in areas with no Mudejar architecture at all. This was the case, for example, in Ateca, Tobed and Cervera de la Cañada.

With its trio of churches, Maluenda also shows that Mudejar art prevailed at all social levels and was fully accepted by medieval Aragonese society.

Other urban elements of great interest in the town include the 14th century arch that was closed with a gate and rake and formed part of the town’s defence; the convent of the Discalced Carmelites, and the hermitages – including those of Saints Gervasio and Protasio – due to their location on a vantage point with excellent views of the Jiloca valley.

Information

Town Hall 976 893 007
www.maluenda.es

Association for the Integral Development of the Region of Calatayud and the Region of Aranda
galcar.es

VISIT MALUENDA
976 633 296

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Tourism Calatayud Region
comarcadecalatayud.com
Centre for Bilbilitan Studies
cebilbilitanos.com
The Cid’s Way
www.caminodelcid.org

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a founding member of Territorio Mudéjar since 13 September 2018.
He is a member of the Board of Directors as Treasurer.

Projects Territorio Mudéjar in Maluenda

Monuments | View the project
Pedagogy | View the project
Mudetrad Project | View the project
Mudejar wood | View the project
Mudejar civil architecture | View the project
Mudejar plaster | View the project
Mudejar and Euclidean Geometry | View the project
Didactic Mudejar, the guide | View the project
Preventive town planning | View the project
‘Circular’ Family walks | View the project
Mudéjar RGB | View the project
Assessment of the muslim-friendly potential of Territorio Mudéjar | View the project

Maluenda in the social media

Facebook @ayuntamientomaluenda @turismo.comunidadcalatayud
Intsagram:@aytomaluenda @comarcacalatayud

Longares

Longares-01
Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
Detalle de la ornamentación en cerámica vidriada y ladrillo de la torre mudéjar de Longares.
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
mudetrad-longares
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT VALUES THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF LONGARES
portada guia didactica
Mudejar
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family walks
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS
Vista de la torre mudéjar de la iglesia de la Asunción de Longares, desde una calle estrecha del casco urbano.

Longares castle

On an extensive ochre and reddish plain, with the Algairén mountain range as a lookout and with a tapestry of 3,000 hectares of vineyards, Longares can be seen in the distance by the silhouette of its church tower.

It is one of the most sober of the Aragonese Mudéjar style, with a square floor plan and a hollow interior structure divided into six floors covered with a pointed barrel vault, which does not correspond to the exterior, which is structured in three sections.

The third body concentrates the decoration: the four sides have the same composition, with two pointed-arch openings, framed by a brick frame with a brick frame highlighted by octagonal loops of four – its main ornamental motif – combined with cartouches; all this is completed with ceramic decoration based on ribbons forming spikes, and discs with white, blue and green pieces.

On an extensive ochre and reddish plain, with the Algairén mountain range as a lookout and with a tapestry of 3,000 hectares of vineyards, Longares can be seen in the distance by the silhouette of its church tower.

It is one of the most sober of the Aragonese Mudéjar style, with a square floor plan and a hollow interior structure divided into six floors covered with a pointed barrel vault, which does not correspond to the exterior, which is structured in three sections.

The third body concentrates the decoration: the four sides have the same composition, with two pointed-arch openings, framed by a brick frame with a brick frame highlighted by octagonal loops of four – its main ornamental motif – combined with cartouches; all this is completed with ceramic decoration based on ribbons forming spikes, and discs with white, blue and green pieces.

The Islamic tradition

Information on the date of construction of the tower is not precise, but its structure and decoration would place it in the second half of the 14th century. This monument adjoins the foot of the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, in Renaissance style and built on the site of a 12th century Romanesque church. On its south side it preserves a Mudejar canvas from the old church; The temple houses works of incalculable value such as the altarpiece of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, painted by Guión y Balladares; the altarpieces of the Virgen del Pilar, Santo Cristo and Santa Ana; the pulpit, with profuse pictorial decoration on plaster; the Ecce-Homo chapel with a bust attributed to Alonso Cano; the 16th century Muel ceramic baptismal font, or the mummy of Doña Isabel de Ledesma.

Longares has a walled urban structure of which three of the five access gates to the town have survived: those of Valencia, Somera and Zaragoza, the latter of which has been rebuilt. The town’s heritage is completed by the Fuente de los Machos fountain and the Paloteao de Longares, a dance that takes place during the patron saint festivities for the Virgin in September.

Information on the date of construction of the tower is not precise, but its structure and decoration would place it in the second half of the 14th century. This monument adjoins the foot of the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, in Renaissance style and built on the site of a 12th century Romanesque church. On its south side it preserves a Mudejar canvas from the old church; The temple houses works of incalculable value such as the altarpiece of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, painted by Guión y Balladares; the altarpieces of the Virgen del Pilar, Santo Cristo and Santa Ana; the pulpit, with profuse pictorial decoration on plaster; the Ecce-Homo chapel with a bust attributed to Alonso Cano; the 16th century Muel ceramic baptismal font, or the mummy of Doña Isabel de Ledesma.

Longares has a walled urban structure of which three of the five access gates to the town have survived: those of Valencia, Somera and Zaragoza, the latter of which has been rebuilt. The town’s heritage is completed by the Fuente de los Machos fountain and the Paloteao de Longares, a dance that takes place during the patron saint festivities for the Virgin in September.

Information

Town Hall: 976 142 401
www.longares.com

Association for the Integral Development of Valdejalón and Campo de Cariñena

fedivalca.org

VISIT LONGARES

976 633 296
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Aragon Tourism

turismodearagon.com
Campo de Cariñena Wine Route
www.rutadelvinocampodecarinena

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a founding member of Territorio Mudéjar since 13 September 2018.
He is a member of the board of directors of the entity as a member.

Projects Territorio Mudéjar in Longares

Monuments | View the project
Pedagogy | View the project
Mudetrad Project | View the project
Didactic Mudejar, the guide | View the project
Preventive town planning | View the project
‘Circular’ Family walks | View the project

Longares in the social media

Facebook: @LongaresES
@turismocampodecarinena @rutadelvinocampodecarinena
Instagram:@turismo_carinena @rvpcampocarinena

La Almunia de Doña Godina

Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
laalmunia-WEB3
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
mudetrad-almunia
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT VALUES THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF LA ALMUNIA DE DOÑA GODINA
La Almunia_Cabañas-0216
Mudéjar wood
A TOUR THROUGH THE MUDEJAR CARPENTRY OF LA ALMUNIA DE DOÑA GODINA AND ITS HISTORY
portada guia didactica
Didactic Mudejar, the guide
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family walks
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS

The “kitchen garden” of Cabañas

La Almunia de Doña Godina has in its fertile lands and privileged landscape a rich history that wrote some of its main chapters in the Middle Ages.

It retains its name from the Muslim domination Al-munia, which means “orchard”, and its surname was taken from Doña Godina, a wealthy landowner from Cabañas who in the 12th century donated an orchard to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem to establish a hospital in the present-day town, which was the origin of the new town.

The Romanesque chapel of Cabañas, which preserves a magnificent collection of Gothic mural paintings, a Romanesque font and a Mudejar choir raised on an alfarje decorated with paintings of knights, heraldry and animals, bears witness to the ancient settlement. The petril also has Mudejar motifs of a loop of four combined with crosses.

But the Mudejar legacy of La Almunia has another surprise in store in the town centre, where there is one of the most beautiful towers in Aragon.

La Almunia de Doña Godina has in its fertile lands and privileged landscape a rich history that wrote some of its main chapters in the Middle Ages.

It retains its name from the Muslim domination Al-munia, which means “orchard”, and its surname was taken from Doña Godina, a wealthy landowner from Cabañas who in the 12th century donated an orchard to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem to establish a hospital in the present-day town, which was the origin of the new town.

The Romanesque chapel of Cabañas, which preserves a magnificent collection of Gothic mural paintings, a Romanesque font and a Mudejar choir raised on an alfarje decorated with paintings of knights, heraldry and animals, bears witness to the ancient settlement. The petril also has Mudejar motifs of a loop of four combined with crosses.

But the Mudejar legacy of La Almunia has another surprise in store in the town centre, where there is one of the most beautiful towers in Aragon.

The church of La Asunción

The parish church of the Assumption boasts the identary sign of the locality, a cast zinc dome placed in the first decade of the 20th century. But it is when you enter the town centre that its slender Mudejar tower becomes its most unmistakable feature.

Construction of the current building began in 1754, following the Baroque style of the architect Ventura Rodríguez, which was followed in this work by José Julián de Yarza y Lafuente; the Baroque work saved the Mudejar tower of the previous church, integrating it into the modern period.

It is a tower of the so-called mixed that combines a lower square body that from its structure we can date to the 14th century and an upper octagonal body, which Professor Borrás dated to 1575 and which exceeds 40 metres in height. Built in the style of a Hispano-Muslim minaret, the lower body of the building is highly decorated on the outside with angles, zigzags and multi-armed crosses forming lozenges, in keeping with the ornamental tradition of the period. The octagonal upper body contains the belfry, which opens to the exterior by means of two pointed arches on each side.

The parish church of the Assumption boasts the identary sign of the locality, a cast zinc dome placed in the first decade of the 20th century. But it is when you enter the town centre that its slender Mudejar tower becomes its most unmistakable feature.

Construction of the current building began in 1754, following the Baroque style of the architect Ventura Rodríguez, which was followed in this work by José Julián de Yarza y Lafuente; the Baroque work saved the Mudejar tower of the previous church, integrating it into the modern period.

It is a tower of the so-called mixed that combines a lower square body that from its structure we can date to the 14th century and an upper octagonal body, which Professor Borrás dated to 1575 and which exceeds 40 metres in height. Built in the style of a Hispano-Muslim minaret, the lower body of the building is highly decorated on the outside with angles, zigzags and multi-armed crosses forming lozenges, in keeping with the ornamental tradition of the period. The octagonal upper body contains the belfry, which opens to the exterior by means of two pointed arches on each side.

Information

Town Hall: 976 600 076
www.laalmunia.es

Association for the Integral Development of Valdejalón and Campo de Cariñena
fedivalca.org

VISIT TO LA ALMUNIA DE DOÑA GODINA
976 633 296

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Aragon Tourism
turismodearagon.com
Region of Valdejalón
www.valdejalon.es

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a founding member of Territorio Mudéjar since 13 September 2018.

Projects Territorio Mudéjar in La Almunia de Doña Godina

Monuments | View the project
Pedagogy | View the project
Mudetrad Project | View the project
Mudejar wood | View the project
Mudejar plaster | View the project
Didactic Mudejar, the guide | View the project
‘Circular’ Family walks | View the project

La Almunia de Doña Godina in the social media

Facebook: @Laalmuniadedonagodina @cielfuerte
@valdejalon
Instagram:@almuniaayto

Illueca

Illueca
Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
mudetrad-illueca
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT VALUES THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF ILLUECA
Illueca-00-IMAGEN-INICIO
Mudéjar wood in Illueca
A TOUR THROUGH THE MUDEJAR CARPENTRY OF ILLUECA AND ITS HISTORY
portada guia didactica
Didactic Mudejar, the guide
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family walks
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS

Birthplace of Papa Luna

Famous for its shoe industry, and with a previous tradition linked to the manufacture of cloth, Illueca is the birthplace of one of the most important figures of medieval Europe: Pedro Martínez de Luna, who was appointed Pope in Avignon as Benedict XIII and who is universally known as “Papa Luna”.

In the town, capital of the Aranda region, the castle-palace of the Count of Argillo, traditionally known as the Papa LunaThe building, which marks one of the most important landmarks of the route of the castles with its imposing Mudejar palace with Renaissance influences, preserves in its interior interesting ornaments of Mudejar tradition such as plasterwork, tracery and valuable pottery, the oldest of which are those of the Golden Room or the Alcove Room, dating from the 14th century and related to the figure of the master Mahoma Rami.

Illueca, like the rest of the villages in the Aranda and Isuela river basin, had a strong Mudejar population that coexisted with Christian communities.

Famous for its shoe industry, and with a previous tradition linked to the manufacture of cloth, Illueca is the birthplace of one of the most important figures of medieval Europe: Pedro Martínez de Luna, who was appointed Pope in Avignon as Benedict XIII and who is universally known as “Papa Luna”.

In the town, capital of the Aranda region, the castle-palace of the Count of Argillo, traditionally known as the Papa LunaThe building, which marks one of the most important landmarks of the route of the castles with its imposing Mudejar palace with Renaissance influences, preserves in its interior interesting ornaments of Mudejar tradition such as plasterwork, tracery and valuable pottery, the oldest of which are those of the Golden Room or the Alcove Room, dating from the 14th century and related to the figure of the master Mahoma Rami.

Illueca, like the rest of the villages in the Aranda and Isuela river basin, had a strong Mudejar population that coexisted with Christian communities.

Classic and enduring Mudejar features

The castle-palace of Illueca is closely linked to the figure of Don Pedro de Luna and after the numerous phases of construction carried out from the 14th to the 17th century, today we can contemplate an impressive complex built in masonry and brick with a rectangular floor plan.

On the hillside, at the foot of the castle, there is an urban hamlet of historic character, very different from the new areas of expansion due to its Jewish-Muslim street layout, in which the numerous bends in the streets stand out, forming attractive corners of the façades, which combine the whitewashing of the simplest houses with the brick of the noblest buildings such as the Casa Saldaña.

Along with the examples of civil architecture, the town preserves one of the most important examples of religious Mudejar architecture in the area; the parish church of San Juan Bautista, located at the foot of the castle, not only attracts attention with its 14th century Gothic-Renaissance structure, but its interior offers us the spectacle of the survival of the Islamic tradition with the magnificent Baroque plasterwork carried out in the cut technique by the master Juan de Marca at the end of the 17th century.

The castle-palace of Illueca is closely linked to the figure of Don Pedro de Luna and after the numerous phases of construction carried out from the 14th to the 17th century, today we can contemplate an impressive complex built in masonry and brick with a rectangular floor plan.

On the hillside, at the foot of the castle, there is an urban hamlet of historic character, very different from the new areas of expansion due to its Jewish-Muslim street layout, in which the numerous bends in the streets stand out, forming attractive corners of the façades, which combine the whitewashing of the simplest houses with the brick of the noblest buildings such as the Casa Saldaña.

Along with the examples of civil architecture, the town preserves one of the most important examples of religious Mudejar architecture in the area; the parish church of San Juan Bautista, located at the foot of the castle, not only attracts attention with its 14th century Gothic-Renaissance structure, but its interior offers us the spectacle of the survival of the Islamic tradition with the magnificent Baroque plasterwork carried out in the cut technique by the master Juan de Marca at the end of the 17th century.

Information

Town Hall: 976 820 005
www.ayuntamientodeillueca.com

Association for the Integral Development of the Region of Calatayud and the Region of Aranda
galcar.es

VISIT ILLUECA
976 633 296

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Aragon Tourism
turismodearagon.com
Region of Aranda
www.comarcadelaranda.com

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a full member of Territorio Mudéjar since November 2018.

Projects Mudejar Territory in Illueca

Monuments | View the project
Pedagogy | View the project
Mudetrad Project | View the project
Mudejar wood | View the project
Mudejar civil architecture | View the project
Didactic Mudejar, the guide | View the project
‘Circular’ Family walks | View the project

Fuentes de Ebro

Fuentes de Ebro
Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
Fuentes de Ebro
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
mudetrad-fuentes
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT VALUES THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF FUENTES DE EBRO
portada guia didactica
Didactic Mudejar, the guide
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family walks
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS
Vista panorámica del pueblo viejo de Rodén con sus ruinas extendidas sobre la ladera, destacando la iglesia en lo alto del cerro.

Converging valleys

Fuentes de Ebro, a fertile land of crops with protected designation of origin, sits on an escarpment crowned by the church of San Miguel Arcángel, the cultural and artistic centrepiece of the town. On the outside, the slender neo-Gothic tower commissioned from the architect Félix Navarro at the beginning of the 20th century to replace the original Mudejar tower, which had stability problems.

The interior of the temple seduces at first sight with its spaciousness, luminosity, elegance and richness and makes us understand why it is one of the most beautiful works of the Renaissance in Aragon. On the exterior brick walls of the primitive apse of this church, which has been converted into an entrance, various Mudejar tracery motifs have been preserved, basically interlacing to form lozenges. The Palace of the Counts of Fuentes, the hermitage of Santa Bárbara and the Roman site of La Corona are also worth a visit.

Fuentes de Ebro, a fertile land of crops with protected designation of origin, sits on an escarpment crowned by the church of San Miguel Arcángel, the cultural and artistic centrepiece of the town. On the outside, the slender neo-Gothic tower commissioned from the architect Félix Navarro at the beginning of the 20th century to replace the original Mudejar tower, which had stability problems.

The interior of the temple seduces at first sight with its spaciousness, luminosity, elegance and richness and makes us understand why it is one of the most beautiful works of the Renaissance in Aragon. On the exterior brick walls of the primitive apse of this church, which has been converted into an entrance, various Mudejar tracery motifs have been preserved, basically interlacing to form lozenges. The Palace of the Counts of Fuentes, the hermitage of Santa Bárbara and the Roman site of La Corona are also worth a visit.

Rodén

The hamlet of Rodén deserves a separate chapter. Perched on a mound at an altitude of 300 metres, the Islamic ruins of the old village bear witness to the devastation wrought by the Civil War. It was destroyed and dismantled in 1937 and, after the war, a new settlement was built at the foot of the old one. The old town, which has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, was built with alabaster as a wall-building material, bound with mortar and plastered with plaster. These plaster stones blend in with the terrain on which they stand and their silhouette is still visible, with the houses and buildings used for secondary activities arranged in a staggered pattern on the northern slope, with the church tower and the remains of the castle as the main landmarks. The tower has been restored and is the best preserved element: built with alabaster ashlars, square in plan and without decorative elements. The castle preserves a room covered by a half-barrel vault, reinforced with a brick arch and open at both ends.

The hamlet of Rodén deserves a separate chapter. Perched on a mound at an altitude of 300 metres, the Islamic ruins of the old village bear witness to the devastation wrought by the Civil War.

It was destroyed and dismantled in 1937 and, after the war, a new settlement was built at the foot of the old one. The old town, which has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, was built with alabaster as a wall-building material, bound with mortar and plastered with plaster. These plaster stones blend in with the terrain on which they stand and their silhouette is still visible, with the houses and buildings used for secondary activities arranged in a staggered pattern on the northern slope, with the church tower and the remains of the castle as the main landmarks. The tower has been restored and is the best preserved element: built with alabaster ashlars, square in plan and without decorative elements. The castle preserves a room covered by a half-barrel vault, reinforced with a brick arch and open at both ends.

Information

Town Hall: 976 169 100
wwww.fuentesdeebro.es

Centre for the Development of the Sea Regions of Aragon
cedemar.es

VISIT TO FUENTES DE EBRO
976 633 296

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Aragon Tourism
turismodearagon.com

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a full partner of Territorio Mudéjar since March 2019.

Projects Territorio Mudéjar in Fuentes de Ebro

Monuments | View the project
Pedagogy | View the project
Mudetrad Project | View the project
Mudejar plaster | View the project
Didactic Mudejar, the guide | View the project
‘Circular’ Family walks | View the project

Daroca

daroca-W2
Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
Daroca
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
daroca-W1
Podcast
A PODCAST THAT ENHANCES THE IMPORTANCE OF MUDEJAR ART
mudetrad-daroca
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT VALUES THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF DAROCA
Daroca-08
Mudéjar wood in Daroca
A TOUR THROUGH THE MUDEJAR CARPENTRY OF DAROCA AND ITS HISTORY
cartografia-identidades-rurales
Cartography of Rural Identities
MAP OF THE TERRITORY THAT COLLECTS THE IDENTITY OF ITS INHABITANTS, HISTORY AND HERITAGE
portada guia didactica
Didactic Mudejar, the guide
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family walks
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS
El mudéjar y la geometría euclidiana
El mudéjar y la geometría euclidiana
PLASTIC STUDY OF THE ARAGONESE MUDEJAR OF THE SPACE OF THE MUDEJAR TERRITORY

Daruqa

The city of Daroca is one of the most interesting Mudejar cities in Aragon. The town has been declared a historic-artistic site and to walk through its streets is to walk through a living museum of the Middle Ages, the period in which it experienced its greatest splendour.

Watched over by the remains of its ancient castle, the town is very much in keeping with its Mudejar heritage. It is enough to stroll through its narrow, stepped streets on the slope of a hillside or marvel at its towers such as that of the church of Santo Domingo de Silos, built in stone and brick, which is one of the best examples of transition between styles; its churches such as San Juan de la Cuesta – where its apse shows the transition from Romanesque to Mudejar – or discover treasures of its civil architecture such as the unknown Palacio de los Luna, without doubt the most important Aragonese Mudejar monument of its kind.

The city of Daroca is one of the most interesting Mudejar cities in Aragon. The town has been declared a historic-artistic site and to walk through its streets is to walk through a living museum of the Middle Ages, the period in which it experienced its greatest splendour.

Watched over by the remains of its ancient castle, the town is very much in keeping with its Mudejar heritage. It is enough to stroll through its narrow, stepped streets on the slope of a hillside or marvel at its towers such as that of the church of Santo Domingo de Silos, built in stone and brick, which is one of the best examples of transition between styles; its churches such as San Juan de la Cuesta – where its apse shows the transition from Romanesque to Mudejar – or discover treasures of its civil architecture such as the unknown Palacio de los Luna, without doubt the most important Aragonese Mudejar monument of its kind.

Stronghold of the Upper March

The condition of frontier land has marked the history of Daroca, which took its present name with the arrival of the Arabs, from the second half of the 8th century onwards.

Then the so-called Daruqa under the protection of the castle on San Cristobal hill. In 1120, Alfonso I the Battler, after the battle of Cutanda, conquered the town, which became an important border town. This led to the growth of its walled enclosure, which at more than four kilometres in length was once the largest in Aragon, with more than a hundred towers that mark out this complex with monumental gates leading to the city.

One of the charms of the city is to walk along its walls, with its imposing towers until you reach the castle, from where you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view.

Daroca cannot be understood without its imposing collegiate church of Santa María or Nuestra Señora de los Corporales, where architecture, ornamentation and the magnificent collection of movable goods are combined.

The building is also of interest because it is the guardian of the relic of the Sacred Bodies, the protagonists of a miracle that for centuries made Daroca a place of pilgrimage for Christians and whose tradition is still preserved today.

The condition of frontier land has marked the history of Daroca, which took its present name with the arrival of the Arabs, from the second half of the 8th century onwards.

Then the so-called Daruqa under the protection of the castle on San Cristobal hill. In 1120, Alfonso I the Battler, after the battle of Cutanda, conquered the town, which became an important border town. This led to the growth of its walled enclosure, which at more than four kilometres in length was once the largest in Aragon, with more than a hundred towers that mark out this complex with monumental gates leading to the city.

One of the charms of the city is to walk along its walls, with its imposing towers until you reach the castle, from where you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view.

Daroca cannot be understood without its imposing collegiate church of Santa María or Nuestra Señora de los Corporales, where architecture, ornamentation and the magnificent collection of movable goods are combined.

The building is also of interest because it is the guardian of the relic of the Sacred Bodies, the protagonists of a miracle that for centuries made Daroca a place of pilgrimage for Christians and whose tradition is still preserved today.

Information

Town Hall: 976 800 312
www.daroca.es

Association for the Integral Rural Development of the lands of Jiloca and Gallocanta
adri.es

VISIT DAROCA
976 633 296

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Aragon Tourism
turismodearagon.com
Daroca Region Tourism
turismo.comarcadedaroca.com
Centre for Darocese Studies
ifc.dpz.es
Jiloca Study Centre
www.xiloca.org
The Way of El Cid
www.caminodelcid.org

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a founding member of Territorio Mudéjar since 13 September 2018.

Projects Territorio Mudéjar in Daroca

Monuments | View the project
Pedagogy | View the project
Podcast | View the project
Mudetrad Project | View the project
Mudejar wood | View the project
Identidades Rurales | View the project
Mudejar civil architecture | View the project
Mudejar plaster | View the project
New models for the management of Mudejar monumental civilian buildings | View the project
Mudejar and Euclidean Geometry | View the project
Didactic Mudejar, the guide | View the project
Preventive town planning | View the project
‘Circular’ Family walks | View the project

Borja

Borja-01
Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
Claustro mudéjar de la ex colegiata de Santa María de Borja con ventanales góticos y muros de ladrillo.
Podcast
A PODCAST THAT ENHANCES THE IMPORTANCE OF MUDEJAR ART
mudetrad-borja
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE VALUE OF BORJA'S TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE
Borja-00-IMAGEN-INICIO
Mudejar wood in Borja
A JOURNEY THROUGH BORJA'S MUDEJAR CARPENTRY AND ITS HISTORY
portada guia didactica
Didactic Mudejar, the guide
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family walks
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS

Cultural melting pot

The city of Borja, whose historic centre is recognised as an Asset of Cultural Interest, reflects the history of a city in which the Mudejar imprint can already be felt in the Arabic etymology of its name: Burya, which means tower and fort.

This name, derived from the Arabic etymology given to it by the Muslims who settled in the 8th century on the ancient Borsao, marks the character of the place and the fortification of the crag of the present castle.

The legacy of this period is still present in a rich historical-artistic heritage in which the ex-collegiate church of Santa María – a Romanesque temple that was replaced by another of Mudejar construction in the 14th century and extended in the following century – stands out.

Other Mudejar buildings include the old church of San Miguel, now the Archaeological Museum, and some interesting examples of the town’s civil architecture: the Baltasar González House Museum and the House of Estanca.

The city of Borja, whose historic quarter has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, reflects the history of a city whose Mudejar influence can be seen in the Arabic etymology of its name: Burya, which means tower and fortress.

This name, derived from the Arabic etymology given to it by the Muslims who settled in the 8th century on the ancient Borsao, marks the character of the place and the fortification of the crag of the present castle.

The legacy of this period is still present in a rich historical-artistic heritage in which the ex-collegiate church of Santa María – a Romanesque temple that was replaced by another of Mudejar construction in the 14th century and extended in the following century – stands out.

Other Mudejar buildings include the old church of San Miguel, now the Archaeological Museum, and some interesting examples of the town’s civil architecture: the Baltasar González House Museum and the House of Estanca.

The ancient Burya and urban space

Borja stands out for the structure of its farmhouses and its numerous examples of Renaissance architecture, which include some of the most valuable examples in Aragon.

Its Mudejar legacy is very interesting, with the excolegiata de Santa María, a 14th century temple built as a church of Mudejar fortress typology with a single nave – later reformed in Baroque and neoclassical style – over an earlier Romanesque temple. The exterior has two towers: the lower part of the clock tower is Romanesque and the following parts are Mudejar.

The old Church of San Miguel, which currently houses the municipal archaeological museum, is also a Mudejar construction from the late 14th century on top of a primitive Romanesque temple. The building, with a single nave and a wooden roof, preserves interesting ornamental elements in carved plaster.

The Baltasar González House Museum was built at the beginning of the 15th century and has a tapial façade rendered with plaster and pointed arches on the main windows.

The Casa de la Estanca -about 8 km from Borja- is one of the few remaining examples of 16th century Mudejar civil architecture in Aragon. The building, which served as the dwelling of the person in charge of water control and as a watchtower, is striking for its excellent state of preservation and its integration into the landscape, which makes it a unique place.

It currently houses a magnificent set of interpretative elements about the birds that inhabit the pond.

The Mudejar legacy can also be seen in the remains of the Castillo de la Zuda – a fortress of Muslim origin – and in the Casa de las Conchas (House of Shells) – with plaster decoration with interlacing in the Mudejar tradition.

Borja stands out for the structure of its farmhouses and its numerous examples of Renaissance architecture, which include some of the most valuable examples in Aragon.

Its Mudejar legacy is very interesting, with the excolegiata de Santa María, a 14th century temple built as a church of Mudejar fortress typology with a single nave – later reformed in Baroque and neoclassical style – over an earlier Romanesque temple. The exterior has two towers: the lower part of the clock tower is Romanesque and the following parts are Mudejar.

The old Church of San Miguel, which currently houses the municipal archaeological museum, is also a Mudejar construction from the late 14th century on top of a primitive Romanesque temple. The building, with a single nave and a wooden roof, preserves interesting ornamental elements in carved plaster.

The Baltasar González House Museum was built at the beginning of the 15th century and has a tapial façade rendered with plaster and pointed arches on the main windows.

The Casa de la Estanca -about 8 km from Borja- is one of the few remaining examples of 16th century Mudejar civil architecture in Aragon. The building, which served as the dwelling of the person in charge of water control and as a watchtower, is striking for its excellent state of preservation and its integration into the landscape, which makes it a unique place.

It currently houses a magnificent set of interpretative elements about the birds that inhabit the pond.

The Mudejar legacy can also be seen in the remains of the Castillo de la Zuda – a fortress of Muslim origin – and in the Casa de las Conchas (House of Shells) – with plaster decoration with interlacing in the Mudejar tradition.

Information

Town Hall: 976 852 001
www.borja.es

Association for the Development of the Lands of Moncayo
asomo.com

VISIT BORJA
976 633 296

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Aragon Tourism
turismodearagon.com
Centre for Borjan Studies
cesbor.blogspot.com
Grenache Route
www.rutadelagarnacha.es

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a founding member of Territorio Mudéjar since 13 September 2018.

Projects Mudejar Territory in Borja

Monuments | View the project
Pedagogy | View the project
Podcast | View the project
Mudetrad Project | View the project
Mudejar wood | View the project
Mudejar civil architecture | View the project
Mudejar plaster | View the project
Didactic Mudejar, the guide | View the project
‘Circular’ Family walks | View the project
Sound contexts and Mudejar architecture | View the project

Belmonte de Gracián

Belmonte-01
Monuments
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES AN UPDATED VISION OF THE MUDEJAR MONUMENTAL HERITAGE
Belmonte-3049-baja
Pedagogy
SCHOOL MATERIALS TO WORK ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
mudetrad-belmonte
Mudetrad Project
A PROJECT THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF BELMONTE DE GRACIÁN
cartografia-identidades-rurales
Cartography of Rural Identities
MAP OF THE TERRITORY THAT COLLECTS THE IDENTITY OF ITS INHABITANTS, HISTORY AND HERITAGE
portada guia didactica
Didactic Mudejar, the guide
THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID GUIRAO TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE MUDEJAR STYLE
Imagen decorativa para Slider
Circular from the rural school
Family Outings
COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS

White gypsum stone

Belmonte de Gracián, perched on hills white with gypsum, is a place with deep Muslim traces. There we find the church of San Miguel, a temple with a polygonal apse of extraordinary Mudejar decoration.

It is worth looking up to see how the brick panels at the top form a grid of lozenges and crosses separated by friezes of angled bricks. On the south side stands the tower, also Mudejar, which is notable for its decoration of honey-coloured ceramic plates and shafts. The views are beautiful as you stroll through the corrals and threshing floors that surround this temple.

The town centre is located next to a hill that once crowned a Muslim castle. On its ruins now stands the church of Nuestra Señora del Castillo, a Baroque temple to which a bell tower in the Mudejar tradition was added, an exceptional lookout over the banks of the river Perejiles.

Belmonte de Gracián, perched on hills white with gypsum, is a place with deep Muslim traces. There we find the church of San Miguel, a temple with a polygonal apse of extraordinary Mudejar decoration.

It is worth looking up to see how the brick panels at the top form a grid of lozenges and crosses separated by friezes of angled bricks. On the south side stands the tower, also Mudejar, which is notable for its decoration of honey-coloured ceramic plates and shafts. The views are beautiful as you stroll through the corrals and threshing floors that surround this temple.

The town centre is located next to a hill that once crowned a Muslim castle. On its ruins now stands the church of Nuestra Señora del Castillo, a Baroque temple to which a bell tower in the Mudejar tradition was added, an exceptional lookout over the banks of the river Perejiles.

The ancient Secaisa

Belmonte de Gracián is a village of very ancient origin, formerly known as Secaisa, where the Muslims carried out fortification works, probably in the 10th century, and which passed into Christian hands at the beginning of the 12th century. The town stands on a steep hill “bello monte” (beautiful mountain) which gave it its name and was the birthplace of one of the most illustrious Spanish writers of the Golden Age: Baltasar Gracián. This municipality saw the birth on 8 January 1601 of the philosopher and writer who in 1985 gave his surname to the municipality, at that time known as Belmonte de Calatayud.

The layout of the town centre extends along the lower part of the hillside, between the road and its two churches: that of the Virgen del Castillo, the primitive parish church with its dome at the top of the village, and that of San Miguel, with an apse of extraordinary Mudejar decoration and a tower – also Mudejar – excellent for its glazed decoration. Above this church and at the foot of the gorge that crowns the other are the houses, the corrals, the threshing floors, the cellars and the abandoned haystacks: the kingdom of the aljez, a white and grey place, dreamlike and lost where there is only gypsum. A city that was carved out of the soft rocks of this material.

Belmonte de Gracián is a village of very ancient origin, formerly known as Secaisa, where the Muslims carried out fortification works, probably in the 10th century, and which passed into Christian hands at the beginning of the 12th century. The town stands on a steep hill “bello monte” (beautiful mountain) which gave it its name and was the birthplace of one of the most illustrious Spanish writers of the Golden Age: Baltasar Gracián. This municipality saw the birth on 8 January 1601 of the philosopher and writer who in 1985 gave his surname to the municipality, at that time known as Belmonte de Calatayud.

The layout of the town centre extends along the lower part of the hillside, between the road and its two churches: that of the Virgen del Castillo, the primitive parish church with its dome at the top of the village, and that of San Miguel, with an apse of extraordinary Mudejar decoration and a tower – also Mudejar – excellent for its glazed decoration. Above this church and at the foot of the gorge that crowns the other are the houses, the corrals, the threshing floors, the cellars and the abandoned haystacks: the kingdom of the aljez, a white and grey place, dreamlike and lost where there is only gypsum. A city that was carved out of the soft rocks of this material.

Territorio Mudéjar Network

The city council has been a founding member of Territorio Mudéjar since 13 September 2018.

More information

Town Hall 976 892 093
www.belmontedegracian.es

Association for the Integral Development of the Calatayud and Aranda Regions
galcar.es

VISIT BELMONTE DE GRACIÁN
976 633 296

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Tourism Comarca Comunidad de Calatayud
comarcacalatayud.com
Centro de Estudios Bilbilitanos
cebilbilitanos.com

Projects Territorio Mudéjar in Cariñena

Monuments | See the project
Pedagogy | See the project
Mudetrad project | See the project
Rural Identities | See the project
Mudéjar didactic, the guide | See the project
Preventive urbanism | See the project
“Circular” Family Walks | See the project
Mudéjar RGB | See the project
Valuing the muslim-friendly potential of Mudéjar Territory | See the project