Located in the Serranía Norte de Guadalajara Natural Park, Atienza is a Historic-Artistic Site in the province of Guadalajara, lying at the crossroads of important routes in the area: those of the Cid, Don Quixote and the Rural Romanesque.

The Castle, located in the highest part of the village, is Atienza's most representative monument. Used by the Celtiberians and then by the Arabs who built a fortress, it was remodelled by the Christians after the Reconquista. During the Middle Ages it changed hands numerous times between the 9th and 11th centuries. It was occupied by Alfonso III, Almanzor and Sancho García, among others, before being definitively taken by Alfonso I of Aragon, King consort of Castile, for his marriage to Urraca I. It is referenced in El Cantar de Mío Cid, as a "very strong rock".

In terms of religious works, the Gothic apse of the Monastery of San Francisco is the only thing left after the French plunder. San Bartolomé, built in the thirteenth century, has a Romanesque base with additions and enlargements dating from the sixteenth century. Santa María del Val, San Juan del Mercado and the Church of the Holy Trinity or Santa María del Rey, are other examples.

A highly recommended visit is the Museum of the Holy Trinity. Inside you can see a magnificent exhibition of religious art. Highlights include the chapel of the Immaculate Conception, in Rococo style; the main altarpiece, decorated with canvases by Matías de Torres; a curious catafalque from the 16th century; and two spectacular Christs: the Cristo del Perdón, by Luis Salvador Carmona, and the Cristo de los Cuatro Clavos, late Romanesque.

Non-religious architectural works of interest include the Plaza del Trigo, a magnificent example of a Castilian square, or the Plaza de España, with its triangular shape and eighteenth-century fountain with dolphin statues. Last but most definitely not least, the Museums of Atienza are a significant factor in this village's great appeal.

Perfect for horse lovers, Atienza's Caballada, a festival of National Tourist Interest, is its most emblematic festival, celebrated on Pentecost Sunday. It commemorates an event that occurred more than 850 years ago, in 1162: Alfonso VIII, still a child, was king of Castile, and his uncle, Fernando II de León, was applying political and military pressure in an attempt to take advantage of Alfonso's youth and take the Castilian crown. The most important noble families of the time, the Laras and the Castros, supported opposing sides: Alfonso had the backing of the Lara family, and Fernando, the Castro's. The former took the young Castilian king to Atienza and protected him behind its walls. The pro-Leonese troops then subjected the village to a lengthy siege, until on Pentecost morning in 1162, Atienza's guild of muleteers devised a ploy to solve the situation: they requested permission to pass through the besieged area under the pretence of making a pilgrimage to the nearby sanctuary of the Virgin of the Star. This served to distract the Leonese troops, enabling the cavalries loyal to the king to speed the boy away to Avila. Alfonso VIII thus kept the Castilian crown independent of that of León.