Urrea de Gaén: History, Trails and Holiday Apartments

Urrea de Gaén is located in the Bajo Martín comarca, in the Ebro Depression on the left bank of the Río Martín. On the southern edge of the Middle Ebro Valley, La Loma del Regadío forms part of the municipal area. The region is one of the particularly fertile agricultural zones.

Location and landscape

The Ruta 10 between Híjar and Urrea de Gaén offers a unique perspective on the landscape. It passes through Urrea’s very old huerta, which depends on the Acequia de Gaén. Irrigated gardens and fields are also part of the GR 262 route: The long-distance trail reaches Urrea de Gaén via the Arco de La Virgen de Arcos after following paths along the Río Martín. The section between Urrea de Gaén and Híjar runs almost entirely along a signposted cycle route. The different types of paths and routes can be compared for personal day-trip planning.

Historic townscape

The long period of Muslim settlement and presence from the beginning of the 8th century until 1610 shaped Urrea de Gaén’s current urban structure and its Moorish character. A Moorish-medieval urban fabric has been preserved, with a layout that has been changed only slightly. The historical development is not limited to the townscape: The Roman villa La Loma del Regadío was inhabited for almost five centuries, from the turn of the era, or the beginning of the 1st century AD, until the 4th or early 5th century.

Buildings and historical evidence

Among the notable buildings is the Iglesia de San Pedro Mártir, an 18th-century church in the Baroque-Neoclassical style. It was built in 1782 from stone and bricks according to plans by the architect Agustín Sanz. The Arco de San Roque was a former town gate from the 17th century; its design features brickwork, an open chapel and an octagonal dome. The Arco de La Virgen de Arcos was also a former town gate, built in the 18th century from bricks and masonry. Above round arches there is an open chapel, beneath which a road runs; the gateway leads to the plain of the Río Martín.

The Roman complex of La Loma del Regadío includes an olive-processing area with five large beam-type olive presses and two oil mills. The Museo de Juguetes de Urrea de Gaén offers a later and entirely different approach to the town’s history. It displays an extensive, thematically arranged toy collection that conveys the world of childhood play throughout the 20th century. Outstanding exhibits include large dollhouses and an original model of electric railways in 0 gauge. The Ermita de Santa Bárbara complements the cultural heritage as an 18th-century religious building made of masonry and bricks, with a covered nave and Rococo-style interior furnishings.

Further destinations: Andorra, Fortanete, Moscardón, Obón, Jabaloyas, Aguatón, Gargallo and Alcañiz.

Trails and traditions

Holy Week in Urrea de Gaén is part of the Ruta del Tambor y el Bombo, which has been among the Festivals of International Tourist Interest since 2014.

For the overarching travel overview: Teruel.