A route with majestic walls (EN)

Alcalá del Júcar is located in the region of La Manchuela, northeast of Albacete, in a meander of the Júcar River that provides a unique natural environment. Its known history begins in 1211 with the Christian conquest of Alfonso VIII. In 1364 it became independent from Jorquera and obtained the title of villa. It belonged to the Marquisate of Villena and then to the Kingdom of Murcia, until it became part of Albacete in 1833. Its rich heritage has earned it the declaration of Cultural Interest as a Historic Site.

The current bridge of Alcalá del Júcar, built in ashlar in 1771, replaces an earlier structure possibly of Roman origin. It has four spans and a solid design that has withstood numerous floods. In its center stood the "Cross of the Bridge", destroyed in the Civil War and replaced by the "Cross of Victory". Under it, a tombstone commemorates the date of its construction. Historically, the bridge was a key border crossing and customs house. Its resistance and elegance made it the best bridge over the Júcar River.

Located on a rocky crag of difficult access, this castle of Arab origin, possibly Almohad, was taken by Alfonso VIII in 1213. Reformed in the 15th century by the Marquis of Villena, its pentagonal, three-story keep stands out. From its walls the spectacular canyon of the Júcar can be contemplated. The fortress, of about 5,000 m², is used today as a cultural center. Tradition tells of legends about the princess Zulema, who preferred to throw herself from the tower rather than renounce her love or her faith.

The bullring of Alcalá del Júcar is one of the most unique in Spain. Located on an old threshing floor and, before, the site of the hermitage of San Pedro, its exact origin is uncertain. Although some authors date it in 1902, local testimonies point to a previous existence, being restored by neighbors of the town at the beginning of the XX century. Irregular in shape and nestled in the rock, it stands out for its peculiar architecture and for the role it plays in the cultural life of the municipality, keeping alive a bullfighting tradition with more than a century of history.