The region of Aragon is comprised of the provinces of Huesca, Zaragon, and Teruel. It lies mainly within the Ebro Basin, is an area rich in history and culture. It is also known for being one of the main bull breeding regions in Spain.
3km/2mi northeast of Calatayud, on the left bank of the Río Jalón, are the remains of Bilbilis, a Celtiberian foundation which was taken over by the Romans. It was the birthplace of the satirical poet and epigrammatist Martial (A.D. 40-100). Only a few fragments of buildings remain.
Calatayud, situated in the valley of the Río Jalón 90km/55mi southwest of Zaragoza, is an old Aragonese frontier town. It takes its name from the Moorish stronghold of Kalat Ayub ("Ayub's Castle"), built in the eight century near the remains of Roman Bilbilis. The Infante Ferdinand, later Ferdinand II, was proclaimed here in 1461 as heir to the throne.
A waterfalls at the Monasterio de Piedra Nature Park.
Beautiful scenery at the Monasterio de Piedra.
Address: Calatayud Tourist Office, Plaza El Fuerte, E-50300 Calatayud, Spain
From Calatayud C 202 runs 27km/17mi southwest to the village of Nuévalos, near which is the Cistercian Monasterio de Piedra, founded in the 12th century and mostly built during the 13th, using the local reddish limestone to fit in with its surroundings. From this period date the keep, the chapterhouse, the refectory and the apse of the old church.
The monastery is now part of a complex that includes a hotel and park. The park is a beautiful lush area with waterfalls.
An unexpected feature of the Monasterio de Piedra is the nature park which surrounds it - an area of lush green country in an otherwise barren landscape, watered by the Río Pedra, with grottoes, lakes and waterfalls. The park - the first of its kind in Spain - was laid out in the 19th century by Juan Federico Muntadas. Particularly picturesque is the Cola de Caballo (''Horse's Tail'') waterfall, over 50m/165ft high, with the Grotto of Iris concealed behind the veil of water.
The Moorish quarter of Calatayud, with its narrow winding streets, still retains something of its Moorish character. Above it rear the ruins of the castle built by Ayub, founder of the town.
The Moorish quarter is also a great place to stroll through simply for the views.
In Calle Sancho Gil in Calatayud is the 12th Century Templar church of San Sepulcro, once the mother church of the Order in Spain. It was rebuilt in the 17th Century but has retained the Gothic cloister of the earlier church.
The octagonal Mudéjar tower of the church of Santa María la Mayor is a prominent landmark in the old town of Calatayud. It was originally the minaret of a mosque, which was converted into a church after the conquest of the town by Alfonso I in 1120. The church has an alabaster doorway in Plateresque style (1526, by Juan de Talavera and Esteban de Obray). The oldest parts of the church are the chapterhouse and a brick-built cloister walk which dates from Moorish times. The Gothic cloister has 15th century wall paintings.
The richly wooded mountain region of Dehesa del Moncayo, lying between 800m/2,625ft and 2,300m/7,500ft, is the home of many species of birds - larks, cuckoos, coal tits, great tits and various birds of prey, including golden eagles, hawks and a colony of griffon vultures.
This area contains the highest peak on the Iberian Peninsula.
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Nature Park, Monasterio de Piedra
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