L´Alcora (Castellón)

A visit to l'Alcora can begin at the Town Hall. The ceramic panels of its pottery already illustrate to the traveller one of the most important economic activities of the town for centuries. In the square there is a statue of the 10th Count of Aranda, who in 1727 founded the Royal Factory of Earthenware and Porcelain, a very important industry at the time.

From the Town Hall, the streets of La Balsa and El Carmen lead up to the highest and oldest part of the city. There you will find a monument to the Drum and Bass Drum by Juan Pons, which reminds us that on Good Friday l'Alcora celebrates the Rompida de la Hora (the breaking of the hour).

We recommend a stroll through the old quarter: Venerable Beltrán street is a good example of this mixture of styles and periods in the city, with mansions and buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries. Close by is the Portal de Marco, which reminds us that the whole city was walled, with the Repés Tower (from the 14th century) being an outstanding witness to that period.

A visit to the town centre cannot end without a visit to the Alcora Ceramics Museum, a true reference point in the town. On our way, we will come across several ceramic murals that give a good account of the secular importance of this activity.

From l'Alcora we can go to the castle of l'Alcalatén, a medieval fortress of Islamic origin (10th and 11th centuries). Its location was ideal for the surveillance of the whole valley. With spectacular views, it has a structure of a small rock fortress with a triangular floor plan and a single entrance flanked by towers. Its wall was crenellated and reforms from the 15th or 16th century can be seen on it. Next to it is the Gothic chapel of San Salvador. 

Also, don't miss...

• The Alcora Ceramics Fair: Artalcora, which takes place in August. During the fair, the prizes are awarded in the International Ceramics Competition, an international event that brings together ceramists from all over the world.
• The Rompida de la Hora, a celebration that takes place on Good Friday, when more than a thousand drums and bass drums beat together. It has been declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.