Ojos Negros: Castle, Windmill and Mining History

Ojos Negros can be understood through tangible traces. Stone sculptures attributed to a local shepherd known as “Kpis” are scattered throughout the streets of Ojos Negros. The Iglesia Parroquial de Ntra. Sra. del Pilar in Ojos Negros dates from the 18th century. Together with the castle, saltworks, windmill and mining facilities, these features create a townscape in which religious, technical and historical evidence can be distinguished.

The town’s history is therefore reflected not only in a single building. Medieval architecture, documented salt production, industrial mining technology and the reconstructed mill represent different ways of understanding Ojos Negros. For planning your own trip, these focal points can be considered separately: as architectural history, as the history of raw materials or as the town’s technical history.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Ojos Negros, travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions provide the organisational framework. These details can be matched against your personal expectations for the stay, while the town’s various features open up different thematic focal points for planning your trip.

For further comparisons with other towns, you can also find Olba, Rubielos De Mora, Valderrobres, Moscardón, Cubla, Aldehuela, Celadas and Gúdar.

Culture

The Castillo de Ojos Negros dates from the 14th century and preserves three rectangular towers. It is included in the list of castles considered Bienes de Interés Cultural under Additional Provision Two of Law 3/1999 of 10 March on Aragonese cultural heritage. The Salinas de Ojos Negros have been documented since the 13th century; their exploitation continued until the middle of the 20th century. The “Tolvas del cargadero de mineral” and the “Nave de clasificación y cribado” were declared Monumento de Interés Local on 11 May 2001.

The mining history also has a clear chronological reference: the Sierra Menera mining railway began operating on 27 July 1907 and transported iron from the productive ore veins of the Ojos Negros mines (Teruel) to the port of Sagunto. The reconstructed Ojos Negros windmill is a Mediterranean mill of Krüger type C, with a cylindrical tower and a conical roof. It has two floors: the first was used for storage, while the machinery is located on the second. The windmill is 1 km from the town, on the road to the mines.

Hiking

The pilgrimage to Santo Cristo de Herrera takes place every year on the first Saturday in May and begins with the blessing of the fields from the windmill. In front of the Ermita del Santo Cristo de Herrera are a large area set up as a picnic site and a spring with iron-rich water. From Ojos Negros, a path branches off on the right towards the N-211 road and leads to the small spring known as “El Ojo de Mierla”.

The PR-TE 52 route leads into the former mineral extraction area.

The routes mentioned have different points of emphasis: the path to “El Ojo de Mierla” leads to a small spring, while PR-TE 52 leads into the former mineral extraction area. Together with the pilgrimage and its fixed date in May, this provides separate points of connection with nature, the landscape and mining history.

For the broader travel overview: Teruel.