Are you looking for a unique destination to visit this autumn? This corner of Soria is unknown to many people and hides it the largest caliphal fortress in all of Europe. This city It’s the perfect place for a getaway full of history, nature and tranquility. It is about Gormaz.
What to see in Gormaz, a small town in Soria?
According to the latest data proposed by the INE, Gormaz It has 28 inhabitants registered in its commune. This city is located in the region of Ribera del Duerosouthwest of the province of Soria in the autonomous community of Castilla y León.
Gormaz is on the verge 50 minutes by car from the capital Soria along the A-11 and the CL-116. Tourists who arrive and visit can cross the Fortified bridge of Roman origin and through which the Cid. In the 10th century, it was rebuilt by the Arabs. Currently, it can only be crossed on foot or by bike.
You can also see the Romanesque hermitage of San Miguel which dates back to the end of the 11th century and is an ideal place for lovers of wall paintings. These were produced using the fresco and tempera technique and their themes are linked to biblical and military scenes. This church has a single floor, it has a square choir and porticos with closed horseshoe arches and a double portal.
The city’s great attraction is its castle. THE Caliphate Fortress of Gormaz It is one of the best examples of military architecture created by the Caliphate of Córdoba. From here you can see incredible landscapes of Soria. From this municipality, the passage of the Duero and the crossings between the road that connected Osma, Medinaceli, Zaragoza and Astorga were controlled.
Finally, it should be noted that Gormaz This is a striking part of the Chemin du Cid.
Ormaz Castle, the largest caliphal fortress in Europe
This caliphal fortress It is considered the largest in all of Europe. It is a castle built in the 9th century which was reinforced and enlarged at the end of the 10th century.
This fortification is visible from several kilometers and is located on the narrow and elongated plateau of a hill at Soria town of Gormaz. When you walk through the door you can appreciate the scale of the area. The fortified area is approximately 450 meters long and 60 meters wide. Its walls are more than 10 meters high.
The castle has rectangular towers and a gate with a horseshoe arch arched by its alfiz which characterize it as one of the Islamic strongholds the most important. Some notable parts of this enclosure are the fortress, the keep, the cistern and the caliphal gate.
According to information from the Castilla y León tourist portal, in the eastern part, a alcazaba where a tank with a capacity of more than 100,000 liters. The wall which separates it from the rest of the enclosure perhaps dates from the beginning of the 14th century, corresponding to this period. Trastámara Tower.
This unknown town of Soria It has a lot of history. If you want to visit this castle, you can do it for free whenever you want.
