Culture of Alcala del Jucar. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

The entire territory of the town is a unique architectural complex thanks to the numerous old buildings that are partially carved in the rock. Castillo de Alcalá del Júcar remains the main historic symbol of the town. Arabs built the first stronghold on this site yet in the 12th century. At the beginning of the 13th century, King Alfonso VIII captured the castle and turned it into a royal residence. In the coming years, the fortress was continuously rebuilt and expanded. The Castillo de Alcalá del Júcar that we can see today has had an unchanged look since the end of the 15th century.

The castle had only planned reconstructions but there were no large-scale architectural changes. Castillo de Alcalá del Júcar is located at the top of a hill, and the adjacent area is a fabulous viewpoint with a striking panorama of the town. Today, the entire territory of the castle is open for excursions. Tourists particularly enjoy visiting the underground tunnels that are made in the territory of the fortress. Centuries ago, these tunnels connected the castle to different parts of the town. Today, visitors can take a walk in some of these old tunnels.

There are several interesting museums in the town. Don’t forget to visit the El Castillo Museum. It is open in a traditional cave house. The museum’s founders managed to carefully restore the typical atmosphere of the previous centuries. In the museum, visitors can see old furniture, household items, beautiful tableware and old books, and many interesting antiquities. During an excursion here, visitors listen to the advantages of cave houses. Houses of this shape are not only a wonderful example of eco-friendly architecture. Thanks to thick walls, such houses remain warm in winter and cool in summer. There is a small garden that is currently used to grow vegetables in front of the old house. Nearby, you will see cattle with donkeys and a hen house. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Cueva de Garadén is an outstanding historic landmark. This cave is one of the largest and oldest underground tunnels in the town. The length of Cueva de Garadén is 170 meters. The tunnel was built yet in the 12th century. The entrance to the tunnel is at the castle’s territory. The cave ends near an old watch post that was also built in the Middle Ages. Today, everyone is welcome to explore the gloomy corridor of the underground passage.

Cuevas del Diablo has the right to be called one of the most unusual attractions of Alcalá del Júcar. This is also a typical underground house that got its name after its current owner. He restored the old buildings and opened an interesting museum in them, exhibiting his private collection of antiquities. The museum’s visitors can see old sewing machines and radios, cashiers, and even weapons. The collection features many old books and issues of vintage magazines. Numerous antiquities and retro clothes are very interesting to look at. Having seen the incredible collection of the museum, continue your excursion in the cinema that was also opened by the museum's owner. The cinema is open in a real cave – this fact makes it unique and interesting to visit.

The town has one more important religious attraction - Iglesia de San Andrés. It was founded in the 15th century. The church underwent numerous restorations and rebuildings after the official opening. The last extensive restoration took place in 1767. Iglesia de San Andrés has almost not changed since that time. A part of the church is also built in the rock. Iglesia de San Andrés features old wooden and stone elements of décor. The main hall has antique furniture. Besides that, the church exhibits many old religious artifacts.

There is one more attraction not far from the church – Casa del Corregidor. This is a gorgeous villa that was restored and turned into a museum dedicated to medieval shields. It is interesting to visit this exhibition because it is quite large. The original museum is one of the most unusual cultural centers in the region. Finally, don’t forget to take a look at an old Roman bridge, El Puente Romano. Despite its name, the bridge doesn’t belong to the Ancient Rome period. The first mentions of El Puente Romano date back to the 14th century.

Centuries ago, this stone bridge was a part of the so-called royal road or Camino Real. There was a large customs post not far from the bridge. El Puente Romano was destroyed several times because of natural disasters but each time it was restored in strict accordance with its original look. There is one more sight in Alcala del Jucar that many tourists might find interesting to visit. This is the Plaza de Toros Corrida Arena. It was built roughly two centuries ago and remains one of the oldest in Spain. The arena still hosts bullfighting events.