Castle, Torre del Homenaje and walls of Alhama de Aragón

"The next day, my Cid, the Warrior from Vivar, moved on, / passing Alhama, then La Hoz".  According to El Cantar, el Cid and all his men passed next to the fortress of Alhama de Aragón on the sixteenth day of exile. They also passed the town’s impressive gorge. This village, as all other fortified towns that are part of the watershed of the river Jalón, was largely inhabited by Muslim people, which is why El Cid preferred to pay tribute rather than fight against a small but fearsome army.

No physical remains exist of the Islamic castle. In the year 1120 King Alfonso I gained control of Alhama, which became an important frontier fortress in the defense of the kingdom. Its most outstanding architectonic element is the Torre del Homenaje, which was built in the 14th century. It is the only element of the old fortress, which had an oval walled enclosure and was situated on the top of the rocky hill Serratilla, still standing.

Rev. PAB 27.12.18