Discover Alcalá De Gurrea

Alcalá De Gurrea combines historic buildings with themes related to the La Sotonera reservoir and birdwatching. If you are planning a trip, you will find a range of points of interest here: from the architecture of the Iglesia Parroquial de San Jorge to former homes and workplaces, as well as the surrounding landscapes.

Church and historic buildings

The Iglesia Parroquial de San Jorge is classified as listed cultural heritage of Aragon; its designation was published in 2002. Its floor plan follows the shape of a Latin cross. The complex includes a flat-ended chancel, a transept and a single-nave body with six bays. There is an elevated gallery at the rear. The church tower also has a distinctive shape: it is built of brick, has a square floor plan and is divided into three sections. At the top, it ends in an octagonal structure with a roof lantern.

The Museo Diocesano is located beneath the chancel. It displays several works of sacred art and various liturgical objects. If you plan to visit the museum, check in advance when visits are possible. The Castillo de Alcalá de Gurrea also stood on the hill, whose summit is now crowned by the church. Few remains are visible; the castle may have been of Arab origin.

Another protected building is the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de los Agudos, a small late-Romanesque structure dating from the first half of the 13th century. It stands on a hill surrounded by grain fields near the Pantano de la Sotonera and is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural. Its architecture, location and period give it a historical context distinct from that of the church in town.

La Atalaya and the view across the plain

La Atalaya is a protected watchtower in Tormos, within the municipality of Alcalá de Gurrea. As a defensive tower, it stands on the northwestern edge of the Saso Plano plateau and overlooks the La Sotonera plain. The structure has deteriorated. To visit, leave your car on the road below the tower; from there, climb the hill on foot to the summit. Plan for this final stretch to be on foot.

Traces of life by the reservoir

The Cuevas vivienda are ethnological structures spread along several streets on the hill crowned by the Iglesia Parroquial de San Jorge. They provided accommodation and living space for the poorest workers at the Pantano de La Sotonera reservoir. Their history recalls the people whose work was connected with the dam. The settlement of Colonia de Tormos, which belongs to Alcalá de Gurrea, is home to the Iglesia Parroquial de San José Obrero. The settlement was intended to house workers at the La Sotonera reservoir and their families.

Water sources also tell of places that were part of everyday life in the past. Fontaneta is an ethnological spring in the Huertas area near the Sotón River; it has a communal stone washhouse. The Fuente de Las Pilas is also near the Sotón. Its several basins once served as watering troughs for working animals and as water sources for people.

Landscape, birdwatching and tradition

Alcalá de Gurrea is part of the La Sotonera ornithological route, created especially for bird lovers. A small viewpoint in the upper part of the town looks out over the La Violada plains and is a good place for birdwatching. The route and the viewpoint are two specific points of interest if birdwatching is one of your travel interests.

The Fuente de la Culebra lies in the pine forest by the Pantano de La Sotonera reservoir. It is used as a recreational area that is well signposted and easy to access. Check local conditions before your visit. This lets you include the site in your plans without assuming a particular itinerary.

A novena is part of the local tradition surrounding the Virgen de Astón. It begins nine days before the feast and asks for rain for the fields. The Virgen de Astón is associated with May 8, and San Bartolomé with August 24. If you are planning to travel specifically for either festival, check the exact dates and programme in advance.

Discover more destinations: Martillué, Laspuña, Loarre, Torla, Arguis, Alcampell, Castilsabás, Palo

For the broader travel overview: Huesca.