Discover Selas: Stone Architecture and the Río Mesa Valley

Selas combines a traditional stone-built townscape with its location in the Molina-Alto Tajo UNESCO Global Geopark. The buildings preserve a style of stone architecture adapted to the harsh climate of the plateau. The town is also located within the Molina-Alto Tajo UNESCO Global Geopark. Both the town’s architectural heritage and the geology and vegetation of the surrounding area are therefore important considerations when choosing a destination.

Landscape along the Río Mesa

The area around the municipality is characterized by extensive limestone plateaus and juniper vegetation. Selas lies on the slope of the valley that runs towards Anquela, where the Río Mesa rises. The valley begins at the river’s source in the municipality of Selas, in Guadalajara, and runs through narrow gorges and fertile floodplains to the municipality of Carenas. This sequence illustrates how closely the town is connected to the valley’s source and its course beyond.

The vegetation around the valley is also diverse: juniper woodland and scrub dominate the mountains, interspersed with stands of holm oak. Griffon vultures nest on the rocky heights. The landscape can thus be described through several distinct features—from the open limestone plateaus to the vegetated mountain slopes and the rocky areas along the Río Mesa.

Geology and routes through the region

The Río Mesa valley cuts through sedimentary formations from the Triassic, Jurassic and Tertiary periods. Diverse stratigraphic details are exposed along its steep slopes. These three geological periods give the valley a special connection to Earth’s history; the visible strata on the slopes are a distinct feature alongside the vegetation and river landscape.

Georoute No. 11 of the Geoparque Comarca de Molina – Alto Tajo runs through the Río Mesa valley. Selas can also be included in a cultural and nature route through the Señorío de Molina, thanks to its location. The two references have different focuses: the Georoute passes through the Mesa Valley, while the regional route connects Selas with the cultural and natural heritage of the Señorío de Molina. If you would like to plan a trip around either of these themes, you can use them to choose a suitable focus.

Stone architecture and history

The Iglesia Parroquial de la Virgen de la Minerva dates from the mid-16th century. Its main altar contains a Baroque altarpiece. The church and altar thus offer two specific ways to explore the town’s religious architecture.

Selas also has several stone manor houses typical of the Molina region. Ashlar masonry at the corners of the buildings and wedge-shaped stones above the doorways are characteristic details of these houses. Ashlar masonry refers to carefully dressed stone blocks used at the corners; the wedge-shaped stones form the edging above the entrances. Together with the traditional townscape, these features show how prominently stone as a building material shapes Selas’s architecture.

Getting there and August festivities

Selas can be reached via the A-2. At exit 135 near Alcolea del Pinar, follow the N-211 towards Molina de Aragón. Check road conditions for your travel date before setting off.

Selas’s August festivities include celebrations in honor of San Roque. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the dates for your intended year of travel.

Discover more destinations: Sigüenza, Atanzón, Alhóndiga, Alovera, Sacedón, Mondéjar, Mazuecos, Jadraque

For the broader travel overview: Guadalajara.