Castellfort: Churches, Pilgrimage Routes and La Lloma Comuna

Castellfort begins with an unusual historical detail: La Lloma Comuna is a fortified settlement from the early Iron Age, dating from around the 7th century BC and covering a total area of 6,000 m².

Culture

The parish church of Castellfort was inaugurated in 1734 after eight years of construction. It later received bells, an organ and altarpieces. The coat of arms of the Monserrat family, the Marquises of Castellfort, is affixed to the entrance door of the Casa de los Marqueses de Castellfort. The Capillitas of Castellfort consist of niches with religious ceramic panels dating from the 18th century to the present day. The Porches date from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Sala Pintada preserves valuable black-and-white murals depicting scenes from the lives of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. The Mare de Déu de la Font pilgrimage complex comprises a church, a guesthouse, stables and the Sala Pintada; these buildings are grouped around a former enclosed square. In 1979, the procedure for classifying the Mare de Déu de la Font hermitage as a Bien de Interés Cultural was initiated.

The museum in the Sala Pintada of the Mare de Déu de la Font hermitage takes visitors through the history of Castellfort, from the earliest known Roman settlement of La Lloma Comuna to the present day. In 2021, the first excavation area at La Lloma Comuna was converted into a museum site. It features information panels and a circular route adapted for visitors. The Cofradía dels Lletrats was founded by King Jaume I and dates back to the mid-16th century.

Nature

The Rambla Celumbres natural area is worthy of protection because of its ecological, landscape, historical-cultural and recreational values. Near the Rambla Celumbres, there is a bridge on the historic route from Castellfort to Portell. Due to its construction, workmanship and location, it is probably a surviving Roman bridge.

Castellfort’s dry-stone heritage is particularly visible in the area around Sant Pere and along the route to Vilafranca. The PR-CV-309 linear hiking route connects Castellfort with Vilafranca and passes through an area with numerous dry-stone structures that has been declared a Bien de Interés Cultural.

Experiences

The Sant Pere hermitage is a large, recently restored church featuring transitional forms of Romanesque and Gothic architecture from the 12th and 13th centuries. It is the destination of numerous pilgrimages, including those of the dels Catinencs and pilgrims from Portell. The Els Catinencs pilgrimage reaches the hermitage on the first Saturday in May.

Several hiking routes connect Castellfort with the destinations mentioned above. The PR-CV-332 hiking route connects Castellfort and Portell and follows the old pilgrimage route from Portell for much of its length. The PR-CV-308 hiking route leads from Castellfort to the municipal area of Cinctorres. The PR-CV-64 circular hiking route to Sant Pere begins and ends in Castellfort. Different route types and directions can be considered side by side when planning a personal day trip.

Other places: La Serra D'en Galceran, Alfondeguilla, Olocau Del Rey, Barracas, Atzeneta del Maestrat, Benasal, Vall De Almonacid, La Vall D'uixó

Festivals

Held in January, Castellfort’s San Antonio festival combines religious ritual and local custom: after the animals are blessed, traditional pastries with aguardiente and moscatel are distributed. The festival ends with the burning of a large barraca.

For the Fiesta del Raimet, the exclusively male Cofrades gather in the Cofradía to eat blessed bread and blessed grapes.

To the general travel overview: Castellon.