Castejón de Henares – Henares Valley, Castle Hill and Local History

Castejón de Henares is located in the Henares Valley. The town is surrounded by hills and landscapes with numerous springs, as well as caves used for storing wine.

If you are considering a holiday apartment in Castejón de Henares, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the respective listing pages. This information provides an objective framework for the decision, while the landscape, architectural history, legends and festival dates represent different points of interest in the town.

Culture

At the entrance to the town stands an old building made of adobe bricks and masonry. It is known locally as the Casa del Cid, and local legends associate it with a stay by El Cid. These legends say that one of El Cid’s lovers lived there, that Rodrigo spent the night there and that El Cid hid a treasure beneath the foundations.

On the castle hill there is a complex of Islamic origin that El Cid occupied after his exile. Andalusian pottery dating from the 10th century has also been found on the castle hill.

History

The parish church of Castejón de Henares dates from the 16th century and has three simply designed naves. Access to the castle site is from the church. The historic townscape also includes the historic court and jurisdiction stone of Castejón de Henares, which was converted into a public fountain.

At the Casa del Cid, access to the ground floor is currently not possible because a large part of the roof has collapsed. The building is in critical condition and on the verge of collapse.

The stories about El Cid remain identifiable as legends, while the church, fountain, complex and pottery stand alongside one another as concrete features of the town.

Landscape

Along the Henares floodplain, the landscape combines cultivated fields, riverside vegetation and open countryside. A visit can combine a walk along the Henares with viewing the parish church in the town centre.

The various themes can be considered independently for your own planning: the river landscape, town centre, castle hill and traditional history each provide a different focus. This structure keeps cultural, landscape and temporal aspects separate without prescribing a fixed order for the visit.

Traditions

The dates given for the local festivals are 29 and 30 September. The Caridades de San Sebastián are given as taking place on 21 January.

January and September mark different periods of the year and give the festival traditions their own respective temporal reference.

Getting There

Serrano Campos operates a bus service twice a week on the Castejón de Henares–Guadalajara–Castejón de Henares route. The service operates on demand; prior telephone confirmation on 949 890 280 is required.

Other Places

Other places: Rillo De Gallo, Uceda, Anchuela Del Pedregal, Zaorejas, Hueva, Arbancón, Salmerón, Caspueñas

For the higher-level travel overview: Guadalajara.