Ahh del Castillo!

A route through the remains of the Muslim fortresses in the Espadán-Mijares Community of Municipalities

If you grew up building castles in the sand and dreaming of medieval tournaments and jousting, the municipalities of the Espadán-Mijares Community of Municipalities are your destination. The Muslim presence left a deep mark on these regions, which proudly claim that heritage in the form of star streets, terraced houses, and the remains of fortresses.

Many of these places - Aín, Ayódar, Fanzara, Sueras, Tales, Villamalur... - were founded by the Muslims themselves, who, starting from small farmhouses, prospered, and expanded throughout these lands, which led to the construction of a series of defensive castles, which we can still enjoy nearly a thousand years later.

The name of Zayd Abu Zayd, the last Almohad governor of Valencia, resonates loudly in this setting. After some turbulent and unstable years, the great-grandson of the caliph Abd al-Mumin signed a vassalage agreement in 1229 with King James I, whom he supported in his mission of reconquest and repopulation.

To walk through these places is to relive the history of these struggles and these harmonies. Peace was possible for a long time, until, in 1609, Philip III decreed the expulsion of the Moors - converted Muslims who, in many cases, had kept their faith - a catastrophe in human and economic terms for the Kingdom of Valencia.

The MancomunidadEspadán-Mijares is an open book about that common past, about those tug-of-war that we can trace in its old fortresses.

PLANA BAIXA

AÍN

For example, in the castle of Benalí, in Aín, in the region of La Plana Baixa. Its keep, a serene lighthouse among the pines of the Sierra de Espadán, was finally taken down by the thrust of the Christian troops of Jaume I in 1238. The excursion, between cork oaks and pines, passes over a bridge and the exquisite Molí del Arc, and the views are truly spectacular.

ALCUDIA DE VEO

The castle of L'Alcudia de Veo is also worth a walk. From the hill that houses its tired bones, in the form of a wall and several towers - including the tower of homage - you can see the whole town. The ascent, which is well signposted, is easy and bearable, and along the way you will also come across an area of trenches.

SUERAS

It was called Mauz, although today it is known as the castle of Sueras, and its state of progressive ruin does not detract one iota from its photogenic appearance, with its imperious profile at the top of the Suera Alta hill, some six hundred metres above sea level. The bodyguard of four farmsteads that were eventually grouped together in the nucleus of what is now Sueras, this 12th century rock castle offers us a glorious view of the entire surrounding area, with the Sierra de Espadán mountain range at our feet.

SALES

Its deeds of arms go back to the Carlist Wars, when the troops of General Cabrera, the Tiger of Maestrazgo, succumbed to those of General O'Donnell, who razed the fortress to the ground after a fierce battle lasting almost two weeks (look at the coat of arms of Tales and you will understand the image at the bottom right, with a guy chopping stone out of a castle as if there were no tomorrow). We can visit its towers and ramparts after a comfortable climb.

ALTO MIJARES

ARGELITA

Another castle in ruins, and another treat for the senses, is that of La Mola del BouNegre, or La Mola in Argelita. Documented as far back as the end of the 12th century, some sections of the walls and the foundations of several towers, perhaps dating from the Christian period, are still standing. Tradition has it that the rebels who took refuge behind its walls fled in terror or died when the troops of James I threw against the enclosure "more than a thousand mountain goats stuffed with tow and resin". The route, which starts in the village itself, is as simple as it is memorable, especially if you are "escorted" by vultures from the sky. Within the town centre, the Square Tower and the Round Tower will capture the interest of our photographic lens.

TOGA

The castle of Toga, next to the Mijares riverbed, in the lower part of the town, was renovated as a feudal palace and passed through numerous hands until the 20th century. The traveller of the 21st century can appreciate some canvases of its external defensive structure.

ESPADILLA

If we continue through the area, we cannot overlook the castle of Espadilla, which dominated the stretch of the river Mijares over the Peña Saganta. Few remains remain - the main tower and some parts of its walls - but this mass, that of the Peña Saganta, continues to delight hikers; and if you end up sweating it out, the natural pool of the Mijares awaits you down the hill...

FANZARA

Without leaving the Alto Mijares, we set off towards the remains of the castle of Fanzara, on the outskirts of the town. Known as the Castellet, due to its location and small size, it may have been a watchtower to control the road in the 13th century.

AYÓDAR

At an altitude of over 500 metres, the castle of Ayódar, today a mighty masonry tower surrounded by remains that have been eaten away by the vegetation, stands as the best viewpoint in this enclave, which belonged to the aforementioned Zayd Abu Zayd. From the recreational area of the Fuente Larga, the climb is done in a jiffy.

TORRALBA DEL PINAR

The castle of Villahaleva, between Ayódar and Torralba del Pinar, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, was another strong observatory to dominate the valley, until it was probably abandoned after the Reconquest. If you like cycling through history, don't think twice and conquer it on two wheels.

VILLAMALUR

A few kilometres from Torralba del Pinar, the adventure continues in the ruins of the castle of Villamalur, dating from between the 10th and 13th centuries, which surprises us with its entrance gate, its cistern, and the small towers of its wall. On our route, we will keep our eyes peeled to explore the Cabezo and El Jupillo trenches, which formed part of the famous Línea XYZ, or Matallana, during the Civil War.