Getaway La Fresneda

I have said in different occasions that I love the province of Teruel. I do not know it so much, but every day I like it more.

Honestly, I have not heard of La Fresneda. Neither knew it existed nor placed it on the map. I got here thanks to the hotel "El Convent". Once there, it was Sandra who, with her pro-activity, did not hesitate for a minute to list what I had to see before leaving the village. I was very thankful that she would tell me that La Fresneda had to be seen during the day and during night. I did what she told me and I came back to tell her thank you.

The route is done on foot. I left the hotel "El Convent" towards the Capilla del Pilar, which is located in the Plaza Pilar. It was constructed at the end of the 17th century. They say that it is occupying the site of the old church of San Bartolomé, although there is no documentary evidence of that. It is baroque. Its interior suffered considerable damage during the Civil War. I could not go in because it was closed (what a shame that the towns have to close the churches!). I only saw the outside part of it.

From here begins the beautiful part of Calle Pilar. Portions on both sides that hide cozy small stores. There is a building that stands out: "La Casa de la Encomienda". It is a 16th century Renaissance style building. I did not even have the opportunity to visit it because it was Sunday and it was closed (I still do not understand it); but they explained me that on the ground floor the terns are still preserved where crops that were collected as tributes were kept. For a long time it was the residence of the commander since it was really hard to access the castle.

If you keep walking, you will then reach the Calle Mayor; which is the one that leads to Plaza Mayor, where is located the City Hall. This place is a must see. It is beautiful and calm. There are a couple of terraces to eat a few snacks; Nevertheless, people respect the silence and peace of the place. The Town Hall is from the 16th century, and built in a Gothic-Renaissance style. It is the protagonist of the Plaza Mayor and deserves to be treated like that. As a curiosity to say that there is a reproduction really similar located in the Poble Espanyol de Barcelona. In the same building of the Town Hall on one of the sides, there is a wooden door with iron grates with two "Arresto" and "Mazmorras" posters. In the Tourist Office (I also found it closed) you can hire the guided route. Honestly, I would have loved to do that.

I started to walk the steep streets towards the hill that is at the top of the village. Here are the last four visits to be made before leaving from La Fresneda and from where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Valle del Silencio:

• Church "Santa María la Mayor". Dated in the 17th century. It's huge and majestic. The facade is baroque. As a curiosity, on one side you can see two twin doors. Formerly it was the main church of the town; but now it is only used for special events. In fact, you can only access the church by hiring the guided tour of the tourist office.
• Calatravo Castle. These are the ruins of the Calatrava Castle. There is only the entrance facade. There is a metal ladder that leads to the top where there are the best views of the entire place.
• Medieval Cemetery. It is without a doubt, one of the areas that I liked the most of La Fresneda. It is a special space; that does not leave me indifferent. It has a rectangular shape and is well defined. The wild herbs grow inside and outside just silence is present. The location of the tombstones that instead of being inside, seemed to me to be very curious on the walls.
• Santa Barbara Hermitage. From the Medieval Cemetery, there is a path that leads to it. Try not to miss a detail. The small caves, the thin and tall trees and the crosses of the Via Crucis give a different way to go. The hermitage was built in the 17th century. In spite of its religious function, due to its strategic location, during the Carlines wars it was used as a defensive stronghold and practically destroyed. Despite its obvious decadent state, it has a lot of glamor.

The historical complex of La Fresneda was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1983.

Enjoy a meal in the restaurant "El Convent 1613".

You can send me an email if you need some help with the organization!

One day is enough.

No problem.

No problem.