Page 252 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

250  EASTERN SP AIN

The unbroken medieval wall surrounding the historic hilltop town of Morella in El Maestrat
1 El Maestrat square. To the south, the village of streets and steep, tapering
of Ares del Maestre is spec tac- alleys, many of which are
Castellón & Teruel. @ Morella.
n Calle Mayor 15, Cantavieja, 964 18 ularly sited beneath a 1,318-m- shaded by the eaves of ancient
54 14. ∑ comarcamaestrazgo.es (4,300-ft-) high rock. houses. The main street is
Cantavieja is the main town lined with shady porticoes.
Crusading warlords of the in the Aragonese part of El In the upper part of town is
Knights Templar and the Knights Maestrat (where it is known the Basílica de Santa María la
of Montesa – known as maestres as El Maestrazgo). It has a pretty Mayor. Its unique raised choir
(masters) – gave their name arcaded square. The walled loft is reached by a finely
to this lonely up land region. To village of Mirambel, nearby, carved spiral staircase.
rule over this frontier land, which has been restored to its
straddles the border between medieval condition.
Valencia and Aragón, they built There are several spooky but
fortified settlements in dramatic fascinating shrines to the Virgin
defen sive positions, often on in El Maestrat, notably the cave
rocky crags. The best preserved of La Balma at Zorita, which
of them is Morella, the principal is reached via a rocky ledge.
town. Forcall, not far from The scenery in most parts is
Morella, has two 16th-century striking: fertile valleys alternate
mansions on its porticoed with breathtaking cliffs and
bare, flat-topped mountains
overflown by eagles and vul-
tures. Tourism is developing
very slowly here: there are few Morella’s Miracle
places to stay and the roads A plaque on the wall of
can be windy and slow. Morella’s Calle de la Virgen
marks the house in which
2 Morella St Vincent Ferrer is said to have
performed a bizarre miracle
Castellón. * 2,600. @ n Plaza de in the early 15th century.
San Miguel, 964 17 30 32. ( Sun. A housewife, dis traught at
_ Fiestas Patronales (mid–late Aug). having no meat to offer the
∑ morellaturistica.com saint, cut up her son and put
him in the cooking pot. When
Built on a high, isolated outcrop St Vincent discovered this, he
and crowned by a ruined reconstituted the boy – except
castle, Morella cuts a dramatic for one of his little fingers, which
profile. Its unbroken medieval his mother had eaten to see if
The Torre de la Sacristía, in the restored walls retain six gates, which the dish was sufficiently salted.
village of Mirambel lead into a fan-shaped maze
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp567–8 and p591

250-251_EW_Spain.indd 250 26/09/17 11:01 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.1)
Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm