Luzaga: Hiking Trails, Archaeology and History on the Tajuña

At the Tajuña, the Ruta 1: Castro de Luzaga begins in Luzaga, a 3.3-kilometre hiking trail with a low level of difficulty. The total duration is 90 minutes, including the interpretation stops. Beneath poplar groves along the Tajuña River, the trail continues over the limestone escarpments of El Majanazo and passes through diverse flora and fauna associated with the rocky terrain. The Castro de Luzaga preserves part of its Cyclopean wall, which is considered evidence of the conflicts between the Celtiberians and Romans.

Nature and Trails

The Ruta 2: La Lastra de la Fuente and Paseo del Lavadero leads along the Paseo del Lavadero to limestone escarpments that form natural viewpoints overlooking Luzaga. The Ruta 3: Meandros del Tajuña connects the limestone escarpments of the Tajuña with unusual natural riverside landscapes and stands of Montpellier maple. Deer, wild boar, eagle owls, peregrine falcons and otters can be found along this route.

The routes in Luzaga are marked with stone trail markers and appropriate signage. The springs of Luzaga provide drinking water. The specified length and duration of the first route, as well as the different landscape and historical focuses of the three trails, provide clear points of comparison for planning your own visit.

Culture and Townscape

The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción is a Romanesque church from the 12th and 13th centuries. It has a baptismal font made of regional limestone, dating approximately from the 13th century, as well as a triangular bell gable. The Centro Rural Arqueológico de Luzaga is a museum with original objects and information panels about the history of the town. The CRA museum in Luzaga traces local history from geology through to the Spanish Civil War.

Archaeology and History

At Castro El Castejón, visible walls made of limestone blocks have been preserved on the northeastern side. Three square towers can be identified on the inside of the fortification. The Roman remains of the city of Lutia are dated to the end of the 1st century AD; the ruins probably belonged to a Roman villa that continued to exist until the 4th century AD. Los Palacios is a Roman settlement, possibly a villa with baths.

The Torreón Albalate stands on a bend in the Tajuña beside the road from Luzaga to Cortes de Tajuña and next to the Ermita de San Roque. It is the ruin of a castle of Arab origin, strategically established to control a border area between Christian and Muslim kingdoms. Following the partial collapse of the Torreón Albalate in 1936, only the southern wall and the remaining foundations of the fortification still stand today. A path leads to the Molino de Albalate, beginning at kilometre 2.8 of the road to Cortes, passing via the Ermita de San Roque and crossing a small bridge to the left bank of the river.

The Bronce de Luzaga is a Celtiberian hospitality pact that is now lost; a photograph of it is kept at the Real Academia de la Historia in Madrid. On Ruta 2 in Luzaga, remains of the Spanish Civil War can be seen in the form of shelters and trenches. Diablo y Vaquillas de Luzaga is a tradition held annually on the Saturday of Carnival.

More Town Pages

El Cubillo De Uceda, Alocén, Atanzón, Rebollosa de Hita, Hiendelaencina, Selas, Aranzueque and Villares de Jadraque

For the higher-level travel overview: Guadalajara.