The earliest mention of the castle here dates back to 1179, when the Order of Calatrava (a military order founded to wage battle against the Moors) acquired the property.

In the Middle Ages the castle played an important role in the setting of dynasties. For two years the Aragonese parliament met with representatives from the Vatican, Sicily, France, and Castile to determine a new king of Aragón. Ferdinand I, who was the grandfather of the more famous Ferdinand of “Ferdinand and Isabel” fame, was the bastard half-brother of Pedro the Cruel. A meeting was held to determine if Ferdinand I was worthy of the throne. His chief rival was Count James of Urgel, who didn’t stand a chance since Ferdinand had the more powerful allies and influential friends. Back in those days, losers of political campaigns were not allowed to retire gracefully. Count James was captured and imprisoned for the remainder of his life in a subterranean dungeon at Xátiva, near Valencia.

The castle was added on to over the years. In 1728 Prince Felipe incorporated part of it into an Aragonese-style palace. This section is now the parador, while the rest of the building stands as a national monument.

Pamela’s Perspective

The eastern part of Aragón appears little changed since the last century. Tiny medieval villages seem to be connected to the outside world only by power lines. Aragón also boasts some of the most extreme weather in Spain. Winters are freezing, with subzero temperatures, while summers are absolutely scorching.

The remote Maestrazgo region has some of the most rugged and wild scenery in Spain. You can’t go anywhere in a hurry here, because the roads twist through deep gorges and alongside rocky crags and precipices. However, for the undaunted traveler who seeks to discover the many facets of Spain, there is not a corner less traveled or less spoiled by modern civilization.