Atienza Arab · Atienza

During the Muslim domination, the ancient Celtiberian name "Thithia" was adapted to Arabic, becoming "Tizia" or "At-Titia", names documented in various sources. At that time, a powerful defensive fortress was built on the same site where the castle of Atienza stands today. This fortress, due to its strategic location and solidity, must have impressed even its enemies, as evidenced by its mention in the Cantar del Mío Cid, where it is described as a "very strong rock". The Muslim citadel, the core of the defensive system of the town, had advanced structures for the time, including several cisterns dug directly into the rock. These deposits fulfilled a vital function: to store the water necessary to resist long sieges and to guarantee the supply of the walled enclosure. Two of these original cisterns can still be seen today, silent witnesses of the Andalusian legacy of Atienza.