Not far from Teruel, located on the top of a huge rock-mountain overlooking the Guadalaviar river, lies Albarracín. A unique local architecture, powerful city walls, a mighty castle and a gorgeous cathedral are only some of the beauties you can find here. The surrounding landscape, including canyons carved on sheer rock, endless pine trees and huge stones in countless shapes, are part of the deal. Ready to meet Aragon’s fiercest and most beautiful town: Albarracín?
A bit of history
Albarracín has pre-Roman origins and has changed its name over the centuries. The current one is Arabic: it means “the place of the Razin family”. This area of Teruel was inhabited by the Lobetans, a tribe that left some inscriptions that have not been deciphered yet and was famous for its bellicosity. The Romans struggled, but finally conquered them. From this time, you can explore the amazing aqueduct carved on pure bedrock and enjoy unique views of the surrounding canyons.
Albarracín was chosen as the perfect spot to build an aqueduct because it has a lot of water. In the neighbouring mountains are the sources of some of the most important rivers of Spain, including the longest one: Tagus. Guadalaviar, the river that surrounds Albarracín, is another one. This town was founded on a mountain that provides a very good natural protection. Together with its fierce city walls, it has enabled Albarracín to jealously fight for its independence over the centuries. They succeeded only during the 12th and 13th centuries, but still, quite impressive! Thanks to this, for hundreds of years they got a lot of privileges, like their own council, their own bishop, fewer taxes…
Recently, Albarracín has been declared one of the most beautiful towns of Spain. Its ancestral architecture - stone, wood and cast - is an original ensemble of ochre houses looking in dispute over a ray of sunshine. The houses, like their ancient owners, are fighters too: they battle over space on the steep slopes that populate Albarracín. You can find a two-meter-wide façade that ends up measuring three times more on the rooftop, dangerously leaning to one side. You can also run into “hanging houses” looking at the Guadalaviar river. As a matter of fact, if you do not want to skip any crucial spots, I advise you take this guided tour. Everywhere you go, there are unique corners full of details for you to search and get marvelled at. But, more importantly, there are many huge constructions that you cannot miss.
The picturesque town of Albarracin
Starting by the cathedral, a temple built over the ancient main mosque. Its construction lasted almost 400 years, so you can imagine how many different styles you can find in it. The cathedral is spacious, neat, and full of chapels belonging to the main families that over the centuries dominated the Albarracín society. Take your time here and breathe the special atmosphere! Next to the cathedral, the house of the bishop is also worth a visit.
There are other nice churches at Albarracín, like Santiago or specially Santa María, together with a couple of chapels. However, the next “must” is the ensemble that protected the city: the castle and the city walls. These climb the mountain direction to the castle, supported by higher towers very well preserved. At the highest point, an impregnable cube that overlooks the city. It was built on the 10th century and at the time it was surrounded by elegant houses, where the Razins’ court lived. The other main towers are Muela and Andador. All of them offer amazing viewpoints to get the best photos of the most beautiful town of Aragon.
Around Albarracín
While in the area, be sure to visit the Rodeno Protected Landscape, a mix of pine trees and capricious rocks with countless shapes. Many cave paintings have been discovered here and are part of its attractive. If you are into radical sports, you can climb boulders in this area too! You can also hike any of the numerous routes in order to see the rock paintings, the aqueduct, or some of the protected fauna that populates the area.
As you can see, there is plenty to do in this area, so I advise you to choose a good place from where to go on your field trips. This house, right in the city centre, close to all touristic attractions, is a great spot to stay for a couple of nights. However, if you prefer to be nearer to the hiking routes, you can always choose this rustic apartment. Whether you travel light or travel and work, Albarracín is an optimal city for you to visit and stay with an unforgettable memory. If your checklist includes beautiful patrimony and stunning landscape, cultural and sports activities, do not miss Aragon’s fiercest and most beautiful town: Albarracín.
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