Discover Sant Mateu: Gothic Architecture, Nature and History

In Sant Mateu, a plateau landscape meets a multifaceted architectural and collection history. The Racó del Frare Municipal Natural Park occupies part of the municipality of Sant Mateu. It features a plateau-like geological structure with characteristic horizontally arranged table mountains and high ecological value thanks to its flora and fauna.

Nature

In the Racó del Frare Municipal Natural Park, public hiking is possible on the PRV-214 and its variants; the paths run through the Ratlla, La Rambleta and Barranc del Salt gorges. Another route is the PR-CV 201 circular trail. It begins on the old road to La Jana, whose course coincided with the Via Augusta in Roman times, and passes the ruins of the medieval watermill site Moli Vell. The geological formation and the routes mentioned here represent two different approaches to the same natural area: one focuses on the landscape structure, while the other follows the gorges and the historic route.

The two routes described represent different types of trail; you can consider them separately when planning your own visit and give different weight to the landscape and historical themes.

Other destinations in the same broader destination area: Vilar De Canes, Salsadella, Navajas, Alcudia de Veo, Albocàsser, Morella, Traiguera and Caudiel.

Culture

The historic ensemble of Sant Mateu includes churches, civil buildings dating from the 13th to the 16th century, a medieval oven, wells and stone façades with Gothic and Renaissance windows. The Iglesia Arciprestal de Sant Mateu is an important monument of Valencian Gothic architecture and was declared a national heritage site in 1931.

The Palacio del Marqués de Villores was the Comí family’s manor house in the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, its façade and entrance area were remodelled in accordance with Renaissance architectural principles. At the Palacio del Marqués de Villores, you can visit the façade and the ground floor.

When planning your cultural visit, you can consider Gothic architecture, the Renaissance and the history of individual buildings as separate perspectives alongside one another.

For a stay in Sant Mateu, you can assess a holiday apartment based on your own travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions. These details can be considered separately, while nature trails, historic architecture and the palaeontological collection can also be treated as separate themes.

The Colección Museográfica de Paleontología Juan Cano Forner displays specimens from all geological eras and most stratigraphic units. A large proportion of the fossils on display is representative of the Maestrat. The Colección Museográfica de Paleontología Juan Cano Forner has a particularly impressive ammonite collection. The cultural section therefore presents different chronological and thematic perspectives side by side: architectural history, the development of individual buildings and the geological collection with its regional connection can be considered independently of one another.

For the broader travel overview: Castellon.