The province of Zaragoza,
rich in contrasts and artistic styles, can be just as fascinating as the
capital city itself.
The northern section, taking
in the plain of 'las Cinco Villas' (the Five Towns) and crossed by the
mountain ranges of Uncastillo, Sos, Luesia and Biel, was considered to
be the 'granary' of the area in Roman times because of the abundance of
cereal crops. The capital of this area was Sos del Rey Católico,
the birthplace of King Fernando el Católico, but nowadays this role
has been taken over by Ejea de los Caballeros. Here can also be found some
very important fortresses, which once upon a time, defended the Kingdom
of Aragón from the invasions of the Navarrese. The Pilgrims' Way
to Santiago de Compostela is indicated by some fine Romanesque churches.
The immense plain spreads
down towards the central region and the two rivers of the Ebro and the
Jalón.
Slender Mudéjar church
towers mark out the towns and villages of Utebo, Alagón, Ricla,
La Almunia de Doña Godina, Lumpiaque and Almonacid de la Sierra,
where the Moorish past is clearly evident. Nearby, at Remolinos, the Hermitage
of El Cristo de la Cueva preserves some works by the painter Goya. In his
younger days he also put his name to an important collection of frescoes
at the Carthusian Monastery of Aula Dei, founded in 1564 and not far from
Zaragoza.
The province of Saragossa
has a fine Mudéjar tradition, influenced by its austere and bright
scenery. The Towers of Villamayor, Leciñena and Perdiguera are true
bastions of this style. A little further south, at Velilla de Ebro, are
the remains of the settlement of Celsa Romana.
Among the olive trees the
road leads on to the old ruined town of Belchite -a sad reminder of the
Spanish Civil War. The itinerary continues to Azuara, with its magnificent
example of a Mudéjar church-cum-fortress. Muel is another Mudéjar
town on the banks of the river Huerva. It has a long-standing pottery tradition
and there are paintings by Goya to be seen in the Hermitage of the Virgin
of La Fuente. At Fuendetodos, the aforementioned painter's home town, the
house where he was born has been converted into a small museum.
A short distance away, in
the area of Campo de Cariñena, the visitor may try some excellent
wines. Daroca has been the capital of the region since 1142 and retains
its medieval appearance. In 1931 it was classed as a Historical and Artistic
site.
Heading in the direction
of Madrid we reach Calatayud, known as Bilbilis in Roman times. This was
the home town of the poet Marcial and is nowadays the second most important
town in the province. The most important tourist attraction in the area
is the Monastery of Piedra, where the Cistercian Order composed a symphony
of light and colour, playing with the waters of the river. Both the abbey
and its surrounding buildings go to form an image of pure paradise. In
the same region, the towns of Alhama de Aragón and Jaraba have spas
that date back to Roman times.
Travelling in the direction
of Navarre and Soria we reach the mountain of El Moncayo. Tarazona is a
town with a fine monumental heritage in the Gothic, Renaissance and Mudéjar
styles. The town is dominated by its important Cathedral. In the foothills
of the mountain there spreads a dry landscape where a strong wine is produced.
This land leads to the Monastery of Veruela, the most magnificent and grandiose
Cistercian abbey in all Aragón. Its stones served as inspiration
for the legends of the poet Bécquer. Nearby Borja has a great deal
of convents and palaces dating from the 16th c.
Bordering on Teruel, in
the region of lower Aragón, the large town of Caspe marks the way
to the second of the great Cistercian monasteries. That is the Monastery
of Rueda, which has an impressive 13th-c cloister. |
