Alcala del Jucar is a village located southeast of the Iberian peninsula, in the province of Albacete, within the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha ( Castile-La Mancha or Castilla La Mancha is a region of central Spain ).
The name of the city comes from the Arabic term Al-Kala, which means “the castle”, the fortress or the fort. This Arab city was conquered by Alfonso VIII of Castile, in the year 1213. Once conquered, the town was repopulated by inhabitants of Alarcon.
Around the middle of the 15th century, the castle, owned by Juan Pacheco, Marquis of Villena, was renovated.
This village was one of the customs posts on the Royal Road route from Madrid to Valencia. Its bridge, dating from Roman times, was renovated in the 18th century.
Its traditional houses are adapted to a steep slope, most of them are carved in the rock itself or equipped from caves.
It is one of the most spectacular and picturesque towns in the province of Albacete, The basis of the economies of modern Alcala del Jucar is tourism and agriculture.
Access : Coordinates: 39.2, -1.433333 / The city is 60 km from the center of the province of Albacete, and 130 km from the spa town of Valencia /
Highlights :
- In 1986 it was awarded the third prize, after the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Mosque of Istanbul, for the best artistic lighting.
- On May 30, 1998 in Villanueva de los Infantes, the City Council received from the Community Board of Castilla La Mancha, the “1998 Tourism Award”, for its work in promoting and developing tourism.
- The peculiar situation of the town allows most of the houses to be excavated in the mountain itself, with caves of such length that they reach the end of the rock on which the town sits. Three of these caves can be visited.
- Alcala del Jucar It is part of the network of the most beautiful villages in Spain.The town, located 64 km from the provincial capital, was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1982
- Castle of Alcala del Jucar : The castle was built by the Almohads between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and is located on a rock formed by the sickle of the Jucar river.
- Roman Bridge of Alcala del Jucar : A passage of the Camino Real from Castilla to Levante, gained great importance during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, becoming a dry port or customs.
- PLaza de Toros : Unique in its style due to its irregular shape. Its construction date is unknown and it was rebuilt in 1902 , it is located on the other side of the river on the side of the mountain.
- The parish church of San Andres was founded in the 15th century, but its modern appearance did not form until 1767. / Devil’s Cave, one of the Arabian caves with more history in the village / Chapel of San Lorenzo / Hoz del Jucar Park.
Activities : sightseeing / photo opportunities / trekking / Cultural sightseeing tour of Alcala del Jucar / outdoor activities and nightlife
Go next : Albacete , a city in Castile-La Mancha. / Ciudad Real , a city in Castile-La Mancha, Spain, and capital of the province of La Mancha, made famous by Cervantes
