Discover Santorcaz: Holiday Apartments and Cultural Heritage

In Santorcaz, El Llano de la Horca and its surroundings were declared an archaeological zone and an Asset of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural, BIC) on 2 June 2011. For you, the history of the town begins at a clearly defined archaeological site; further stops complement this picture with architecture, landscape, paths and traditions.

Culture

Castillo de Torremocha is the only surviving remnant of the fortification complex that once surrounded Santorcaz. Under Archbishop Pedro Tenorio, the stately residence of Castillo de Torremocha was extensively converted into a palace in the mid-14th century. From the late 15th century onwards, the archbishopric used Castillo de Torremocha as a prison for members of the clergy and disgraced nobles.

The Church of San Torcuato is integrated into the former fortress of Santorcaz. It has a Renaissance high altar retable from the 16th century and a neoclassical portico from the 18th century. Different construction periods stand side by side here, making the historical tour legible through individual details.

Landscape and Historical Traces

El Llano de la Horca lies on an approximately 14-hectare plateau-like elevation at the upper end of a valley and offers wide views across the Alcarria plateau. The size remains an approximate figure, while the location at the end of the valley and the view across the plateau further define the character of the site.

Fuente del Caño Alto is a protected historic fountain and watering trough on a livestock trail connecting Santorcaz with Anchuelo; its restoration was completed in 2022. A viewpoint above the remains of the former archbishop's palace offers a view of El Llano de la Horca. Below it, the remains of a fortified gate with two flanking towers have been preserved.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Santorcaz, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the listing pages. Which details matter to you depends on your own plans; the decision can be made separately from the town's historical and landscape impressions.

Paths and Local Life

The course of Santorcaz's fortified complex near Castillo de Torremocha can still be walked almost in its entirety; up to eight towers of different designs have been preserved. The individual towers do not form a uniform row, but instead display different forms within the same complex.

A local route leads to the hill with the Torrecilla, also known as Atalaya Árabe, after crossing the Arroyo de las Fuentes, and passes the ruins of the Ermita de Orcalez and the old washhouse on the descent. The route thus connects a stream, a hill, an Arab-named watchtower and structural traces along the descent.

The Romería in honour of the Virgen del Rocío includes a procession from the parish church to the Ermita del Rocío, followed by evening singing and dancing performances. Since 2011, it has been held at the beginning of summer, usually on the last weekend of June.

For El Llano de la Horca, annual open days are planned as a visiting opportunity once the excavation work has been completed.

Other Places

Alpedrete, Patones, Olmeda De Las Fuentes, Villarejo De Salvanés, Guadalix de la Sierra, Húmera, Cadalso, Velilla De San Antonio

To the higher-level travel overview: Madrid.