If you like medieval Spain, then you cannot miss the beautiful Aracena, a town in the province of Huelva, Andalusia. Its urban area is full of monuments and extends capriciously at the foot of a castle: it is the Aracena Castle.
I invite you to travel to the always beautiful Andalusia to discover the Aracena Castle and its peculiar history.
Aracena
As we said above, it is a municipality and town of Huelva, Andalusia. It is the capital of the region and lends its name to the mountains and the parque natural that surrounds it, one of the most important protected spaces in Andalusia.
There are many around here oak, chestnut and cork oak forests, the terrain rises and falls, streams flow here and there and everything gives shape to a beautiful landscape. The lands have been inhabited for thousands of years, although with few people, so it was up to the Leonese, Portuguese and Galicians to repopulate it, back in the 15th century.
Thus, Its urban area has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest and the jewel in the crown is none other than the Aracena Castle. It is built on a hill, a site that is known to have also been an important Islamic settlement back in the 10th century, the time of the Taifa Kingdoms, but also from the 11th century and from the 12th to 13th centuries, the Almohad period.
We can say that Aracena is an uncastiled town, born under the protection of the medieval castle, but which later expanded to conquer the valley. Let's know the history of this castle.
Aracena Castle
It was built in the 13th century, in the middle of the Islamic era, on another fortification but of Muslim origin. It remained in use until the 16th century because later its defensive function no longer made sense.
Tell the story that At the beginning of the 13th century, Aracena came under the protection of the Taifa de Niebla. It remained like this until reconquest at the hands of Sancho II, king of Portugal, in the year 1231. After the signing of a treaty at the end of the XNUMXth century, Aracena passed into the hands of Castile and joined the Council of Seville. The lands were distributed among the orders of chivalry that collaborated in the conquest.
In the case of Aracena The territory passed under the control of the Knights Hospitaller, who began work on the fortress. It was also at the end of the 13th century that Sancho IV decided to repopulate the area, bringing Galicians and Asturian-Leoneses to those lands. By then Aracena Castle was part of the so-called Galician Banda chain of fortifications whose function was to protect the lands of Seville from Portuguese attacks or military orders stationed in the south of Extremadura.
What is the castle like? First it is worth clarifying that the castle It was a military construction and not residential or feudal. At that time the castle had a parade ground and a fortress, both separated by a wall that had the Main Tower. The castle is in the eastern part and is smaller than the parade ground, but the cistern is there, so it functions as a small fortress within the castle itself.
For its part, the Torre del Homenaje or Torre Mayor is at the highest part of the hill, so it served as the last defense reserve. If the entire fortress was occupied, it had to be protected up there, in addition to the fact that from there you also had privileged views.
When The Order of the Temple received Aracena from the hands of the Crown of Castile, the Mudejar church was built, with its beautiful glazed clay sculptures made by Pedro Vázquez. The church was called Our Lady of Greater Sorrow. Next to it we see a Mudejar tower.
This It is the oldest church of all the churches in Aracena and it is very famous. It has three naves, with a choir and presbytery and the works were done in different stages. It is undoubtedly true influence of the Cathedral of Seville. Both the castle and the church, since they are at the top of the hill where Aracena is located, are accessed through Virgen del Mayor Dolor street, or also by following pedestrian paths that go along the side of the hill from the so-called Gruta de las Wonders.
During the War of Independence the tower became a powder magazine for French troops. and almost ended up destroyed when the French retreated. But she was saved. Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century it also suffered a fire but luckily its stone structure was not affected.
On the other hand, as happened many times throughout the country with medieval buildings, Some neighbors used the wall as a quarry, after the fortress was abandoned. It was not until 1917 that a municipal order prohibited taking stones from the castle for personal use.
It was in 1931 that the Aracena Castle became a National Monument, and in the '70s it was restored and the walls were raised again. The church, fortunately, was always kept in good condition.
Today you can visit Aracena Castle. Visits to what is called the Fortified Enclosure are from Monday to Sunday from 10:45 am to 18:30 pm. The place opens every day except December 24, 25 and 31 and January 1 and 6. The visit It is with audio guide and is downloaded using a QR code.
The visits are outdoors, so always They are done if the weather is good. You can buy the ticket before the visit, online. It is in your best interest to do so because, for example, if you go to the Grotto of Wonders without tickets, no one can guarantee that there will be tickets available at the box office. You should also arrive 10 minutes before the visiting time because if you arrive late you may not be able to take the tour. There are no changes or cancellations. And it is not reserved by telephone either.
The Grotto of Wonders was discovered in the 19th century and it is a beautiful place. There is underground galleries, lakes and halls in the heart of Cerro del Castillo. The limestone terrain has generated, over the millennia, this cave system that is a true treasure.
So, beyond the Aracena Castle and its peculiar history Remember that you can visit the Grotto of Wonders and also make a special visit called Centennial Specialor that includes a visit to the Palmatoria and the Banquet Rooms, a technical visit that lasts 90 minutes and is done in groups of no more than 10 people.
La Aracena Tourist Card It includes the Monumental Complex of the Aracena Castle, the Iberian Pig Interpretation Center and the Ham Museum.