Ares del Maestrat: A Hidden Templar Castle Town

About Ares del Maestrat

Situated in one of the least densely populated regions of the Valencian Community – Alto Maestrazgo, Ares del Maestrat, like the whole area is defined by nature, not by men. One can only wonder what brought the first settlers to this remote and from the first sight unhospitable area. It could be the beauty of nature itself or safety, but note that it is not unusual for Ares del Maestrat to be covered by snow during the colder periods of the year. The usage of firewood was a very common practice until recently. The locals’ livelihood was under nature’s mercy for at least a thousand years.

The raison d’etre of Ares del Maestrat might lie in the name of the settlement with less than 200 inhabitants. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of towns named Ares from the Comtat region (north of Alicante) to the Pyrenees Mountains. Since they seem to be founded on the mountains, scholars link them to the Latin word “Aras” (eng. Altar), not Ares – “the animal”. To understand the reason behind it we must look a bit deeper into the past, to be precise to the times of Romans. It is now known that they made sacrifices to the Gods, most notably Mercury, once Romans passed a mountain pass, like the one at Ares del Maestrat.

Today, relatively few tourists trespass this humble yet grandiose town. Ares del Maestrat is clearly overshadowed by some of the bigger names in the region, making it an even more charming destination. Sightseeing it is like visiting Morella without tourists but maybe Morella is Ares del Maestrat with tourists – you name it.

Ares del Maestrat Details

• Location: Alto Maestrazgo
• Province: Castellón
• Coordinates: 40°42′00″N 0°5′00″E
• Distance from Valencia: 132 km / 82 mi
• Distance from Barcelona: 245 km / 152 mi
• Distance from Madrid: 410 km / 255 mi
• First mentioned: 1233, source: Enciclopèdia Catalana
• Population: Approximately 197 (as of 2021)
• Area: 72.8 km² / 28.1 mi²
• Elevation: 1,194 m / 3,917 ft
• Weather: Ares del Maestrat forecast
• Best time to visit: May through October, for warm weather hiking and exploring

Map of Ares del Maestrat

History of Ares del Maestrat

Situated on 1 231 m / 4 039 ft, the castle of Ares del Maestrat only by pure coincidence was conquered by the Christians from Moors in either 1231 or 1232. It must be either the first date or the mountain was a meter taller one thousand years ago. One way or another, Ares del Maestrat is located in a very strategically important place. As a matter of fact, it was the first Castle captured by King Jaime I during the Christian Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula in the area now considered the Valencian Community.

Later on, it was passed to the almost mythical Order of Templar Knights, and their ‘ban’ to the Order of Montesa. Originally, it is thought that the Moors were the first ones to build a castle here. Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if Gaulic tribes first inhabited the castle-towns like Ares del Maestrat, Culla, and Morella much earlier because these towns look exactly like the Gaulic strongholds, described in Julius Ceasar’s diaries during his brutal conquest of Gaul.

Nevertheless, even with the very widespread ignorance of the Iberian Peninsula’s past before the Spanish Reconquista among the local historians, more serious scholars admit that these areas, including Ares del Maestrat, have been inhabited for a long time. This is proven not only by archeologists but by the cave paintings, most notably in Cova Remígia with over 700 figures created approx 7 000 years ago. These paintings visualize activities like hunting and even honey collecting, which probably speaks of the local crafts during that period.

Streetview of Ares del Maestrat

Personal Experience

Given the relatively high amount of Templar or other castles in the area, Ares del Maestrat is almost entirely forgotten. In my opinion, it doesn’t do justice. No other town in the province is elevated at these heights, even Morella. This alone gives Ares del Maestrat an unexpectedly eerie and mesmerizing atmosphere, but given its relatively close location to the coast, the contrast is taunting. Just in one hour, you could get from the buzzing streets of endless tourists to a tiny medieval village, rising more than a kilometer above sea level with nothing but green hills and mountains in the surrounding stunning landscape. The whole town seems to host fewer people than you can find in 20 sq m in some of the more busy towns situated on the coast. It is a truly magical escape from the worst to the best in terms of Spanish authenticity you could get.

A short ride to Ares del Maestrat makes a perfect one-day trip from coastal towns like Bennicasim, Ortopesa, Torrenostra, Alcossebre, or even Peniscola (which is an architectural wonder of its own). You can even combine it with another medieval town-fortress Culla, or if you are quick – Vilafamés, which is listed as one of the top 100 most beautiful villages in Spain. Ares del Maestrat falls short of this list but I’m sure it is just because the Province of Castellon has so much to offer, and you can’t add them all. From my personal experience traveling Spain, Ares del Maestrat is no less attractive than any other small picturesque town found across the country.