The gallery above the side chapels of the Iglesia de Santiago served military purposes. This is connected to the church’s original affiliation with the Order of Santiago and gives Montalbán’s architectural history an unusual dimension. Other highlights include the surviving parts of the Castillo de la Encomienda, a historic gate, hiking routes, and astronomy and geology attractions. The range of options spans everything from medieval history to landscapes and starry skies.
Castle, Church and Historic Gate
Jaime I stayed at the Castillo de la Encomienda for a time to prepare for the conquest of Valencia. Remains of the walls and of three towers survive. It is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural. Its history, surviving structures and protected status offer several perspectives for exploring Montalbán’s past.
The Torreón de la Cárcel, also known as the Portal de Daroca, is Montalbán’s most important gate and includes a gate tower. The restored Torreón is currently used as an exhibition hall. If you are planning a visit, check current visiting arrangements in advance. This lets you take the tower’s use into account without assuming fixed opening hours.
Hiking in Montalbán and Peñarroyas
The Paraje de Peñarroyas del Río Martín is a place of fluvial interest in Peñarroyas, a district of the municipality of Montalbán. In Peñarroyas, leave your car at the entrance to the village and continue on foot along a trail marked as part of the Parque Cultural del Río Martín. There are rock paintings along the trail between Peñarroyas and the observation point. The route thus combines a landscape connected to the river with a specific cultural theme.
The PR-TE 99 A, Ruta de la Muela de Montalbán, offers a different perspective: it climbs to the summit of the Muela at 1,294 metres and passes several viewpoints. If you want to focus on the summit and viewpoints, you can compare this route with the two trails for which distance and duration are provided.
The PR-TE 99 B, Ruta del río Ancho, is a 10.8-kilometre circular hike with a stated duration of 3 hours and 10 minutes, 230 metres of ascent and 235 metres of descent. By contrast, the GR 262, Stage 03 from Montalbán to Peñarroyas, is a 7.8-kilometre point-to-point route with a stated duration of 2 hours and 10 minutes; 135 metres of ascent and 200 metres of descent are listed. The comparison makes clear the difference between a circular route and a trail with two endpoints, as well as the distances, times and elevation gains and losses. Check current trail conditions before setting out.
Astronomy, Geology and Other Routes
The Observatorio de Montalbán offers opportunities to observe the night sky and the Sun. The observatory also has a digital planetarium where films and photographs on astronomical topics are projected. Talks, courses, workshops, astronomy days and exhibitions round out the program. If you want to plan your visit around a particular event, check the current program, as event details may change.
The Centro de Interpretación de la Geología y Espeleología is located in Montalbán and is part of the Parque Cultural del Río Martín. Geology and speleology thus complement the themes of the rock paintings and the landscape of Peñarroyas. Road cycling also has its own route: Montalbán forms half of the Montalbán Circular Route (Anillo de Montalbán), which follows in the footsteps of El Cid through Huesa and Montalbán. You can choose between hikes with stated route details, astronomy attractions and a cycling route with a historical connection.
Discover more destinations: Cuevas Labradas, Arcos De Las Salinas, Formiche Alto, Alloza, Monroyo, Ojos Negros, Mora De Rubielos, Arens De Lledó
For the overview of the wider area: Teruel.
