Culla (Castellón)

What you can do and see in Culla

Culla still preserves its medieval atmosphere in its old town, partly surrounded by impressive walls and designated a historical-artistic centre. It’s a town with numerous attractions. The first of them is its natural environment. Located in the High Maestrazgo, in its surroundings we can see mountain ranges and near them, almond, olive and hazel trees planted on terraces and disperse farmhouses. Schematic prehistoric paintings can be seen in the municipality in the rock-shelters of Molinell, Bovalar and Covarcha o Covassa, which form part of the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin in the Iberian Peninsula, listed as World Heritage in 1998.

A stroll around the old town, predominantly of stone, is very pleasant as it preserves much of its medieval structure and flavour. The different alleys and small squares seem to guide visitors to the church of the Saviour (18th century). The old Granary of the Knight Commander (13th-14th centuries), known as La Presó, is also well known: it was used as a prison during the Carlist Wars in the 19th century. The castle was destroyed during the wars but has now been partly rebuild and can be visited through the arch of the Porta Nova (rebuilt in the 17th century).

Ruins of some 13th century towers and turrets, the entrance gate and the coats of arms of the Order of Montesa can be viewed in the castle. In the high part of the town, it enjoys a very interesting panorama of the surrounding area and takes us back, as so often happens on the Way of El Cid, to the 11th century. It helps us to understand better what those people were like, both Christians and Muslims, and the spirit that heartened them. 

Travellers interested in the medieval world will find, about 2km away, the Tower of Sant Cristófol (12th-13th centuries). Next to the hermitage of the same name, it was used as a watchtower but is now in a state of ruin.

You should not miss

• On the way from Embessora Tower, the famous Culla holm oak is in the Bassa farm. The crown of this evergreen oak tree has an average diameter of 30m, it is 24m tall and the perimeter of its trunk is over 6m. Apart from these figures, which may not mean much to you, the best thing is to visit it, see its size for yourself and be amazed once more by Nature. The Culla oak is designated as a monumental tree.

Rev.: JGG 21.09.21