Las Torres De Cotillas: Culture, History and Tradition

Las Torres De Cotillas is located in the Huerta Murciana, about 15 km from the capital. Historic buildings, archaeological finds and traditions passed down through generations offer different cultural perspectives. If you are looking for a hotel for a culture-focused stay, you can weigh up whether architecture, local history or local festivals should be the deciding factor. Key points of interest include the parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Salceda, the Barrio de San Pedro, a medieval aqueduct and customs associated with Holy Week.

Church architecture and architectural details

The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Salceda is located on the main road in Las Torres De Cotillas, near the town hall. It was built at the end of the 18th century and expanded in 1880. Its rectangular floor plan comprises three naves; the central nave is wider than the side aisles. Behind the presbytery, the choir area of the church, is an ambulatory or walkway. The construction period and floor plan offer different points of reference: the dates help put the building’s development in context, while the description of the naves explains its spatial layout.

Local history and traces of the past

The Barrio de San Pedro, also known as Cotillas la Antigua, is considered the origin of the settlement as a feudal estate in 1318. A surviving section of wall belongs to a medieval aqueduct that connected Alguazas and Cotillas in the 16th century and probably as early as the 14th century. In 2011, the structure was classified as a Bien Catalogado de Interés Cultural.

Roman baths dating from the 1st to 2nd centuries AD were discovered in La Loma; their remains lie beneath later buildings. In chronological terms, the baths predate the medieval references to the aqueduct by a considerable margin, while 1318 marks the settlement’s development as a feudal estate.

Festivals, customs and local sweets

Confraternities associated with Holy Week are historically documented from the beginning of the 17th century. Easter celebrations of the Resurrection of Christ include the traditional baile de los santos, also known as El Encuentro. The 40th edition of the International Folklore Festival “Juan Madrid Roca” was announced for 2026.

The 2026 patron saint festivals were dedicated to the Virgen de la Salceda; the traditional Quema del Raspajo was planned as the finale. If you want to plan your trip around a particular festival, check the program for the year you intend to visit. Traditional sweets from Las Torres De Cotillas include paparajotes and buñuelos con chocolate. Alongside history and festivals, culinary tradition offers another cultural focus.

The summer palace of the Lords of D’Estoup

The summer palace of the Lords of D’Estoup was built in the mid-19th century. Its eclectic façade features depictions of lions, coats of arms, rosettes, arches and other ornamental details. Eclecticism refers to a style that brings together different formal elements; the motifs mentioned here provide specific examples. The building is associated with educational use.

Discover more destinations: Portman, San Pedro Del Pinatar, Atamaria, Purias, Lorquí, Ceutí, Pozo Aledo, Santiago de la Ribera.

See the broader travel guide: Murcia.