Antigua cárcel

The Old Prison of Valderrobres is a heritage resource of civilian character located in the historic center of Valderrobres, in the province of Teruel, within the medieval urban area of the town. It is a historic building linked to the administration of justice and custody of prisoners, now incorporated into the visitable heritage of the municipality. According to the regional tourist information, it was the only prison of party in the basin of the Matarraña during the XIX century, reason why it had a relevant role in the judicial and penitentiary organization of this zone of Aragón. Its main interest is historical and ethnographic, more than monumental, to conserve the memory of an essential public service in the local life. The sources consulted do not provide a specific architectural typology or a precise construction date for the building, so it should be placed cautiously in the sphere of traditional civil architecture of the contemporary period, probably associated with nineteenth-century penitentiary use. Its heritage value lies in its relationship with the administrative history of Valderrobres and Matarraña. The Old Prison is part of the cultural interest of the historic center of Valderrobres, a municipality declared a Historic Site, known for its medieval fabric, the castle-palace, the church of Santa María la Mayor and the Renaissance town hall.