TERUEL:
Brief history of Teruel
Teruel was founded in 1171 by Alfonso II of Aragon, but the area had previously been inhabited by the Celtiberians, who called the place Turboleta, and by other peoples such as the Arabs, who would have had a settlement known as Tirwal. Due to its border situation, not far from the taifa of Valencia, Teruel received certain privileges in order to attract new settlers. In this way, the city lived through a period of certain development during the Full Middle Ages, which, however, was cut short by plagues.
The 16th century had several convulsive stages due to the city's opposition to the Court of the Inquisition, although the 19th century was even more agitated, with Teruel as the scene of different sieges and conquests in the Spanish War of Independence and the Carlist Wars. . But if a war event marked the history of the city, this was the famous battle of Teruel (1937-38), in the context of the Civil War. During the confrontation, which lasted more than two months, almost 40,000 soldiers lost their lives and the city was partially destroyed.

Places to see in Teruel
Teruel is a small city (about 35,000 inhabitants) and easy to get around on foot. Almost all tourist attractions are within a 10 minute walk from anywhere else. You can see Teruel in one day, of course, but if you want to know the city in depth, it is advisable to book a whole weekend. Here we share some of the best things to do in Teruel.
Plaza del Torico:
The Plaza del Torico is an obligatory meeting point in the heart of Teruel. In the center of the square is the great icon of the city: the Torico fountain. Many travelers expect to come across a huge statue of a bull, but the Torico lives up to its name: it is only 0.50 m tall. Of course, it rises on a 7 m column, flanked on the sides by four bull heads. The star is another important symbol in the fountain ... and it is that several legends relate the figure of the bull and the star with the foundation of Teruel.
One of the best known stories tells that Alfonso II, in the context of the Reconquest, was waiting for a sign to build a walled town in the area. The signal came when a bull sent by enemy troops stopped on a plateau under Actuel, a very bright star. In fact, the name of Teruel would come according to this legend from the union of "bull" and "Actuel". In any case, today the statue of the Torico, erected in 1855, is one of the main hallmarks of the city.
St. Peter's Church:
The church and the tower of San Pedro form a monumental complex protected by UNESCO as an example of Aragonese Mudejar architecture. As for the tower, it was built in the 13th century and was the bell tower of a now defunct church. This is the oldest of the four towers in Teruel and also the smallest (25 m). Paying an extra compared to the normal entrance, you can go up to the bell tower and access the andito (elevated gallery).
Mausoleum of the Lovers
In an annex of the church of San Pedro is located the Mausoleum of the Lovers of Teruel. There rest the remains of Isabel de Segura and Juan Diego Martínez de Marcilla, whose mummies were found in 1555 in one of the church chapels. By then they achieved great notoriety (although their identity and history were not revealed until almost a century later), but the lovers did not enjoy a tomb worthy of their fame until 1955, when the sculptor Juan de Ávalos donated the precious alabaster mausoleum and bronze in which they rest today.
Teruel Cathedral:
The history of the Cathedral of Santa María de Mediavilla dates back to 1171, the year the city was founded. At that time it was a simpler church that evolved over time and did not reach its current appearance until the 16th century, when it was consecrated as a cathedral. The tower, which dates back to 1257, as well as the roof and the dome, are also protected by the World Heritage Site within the Mudejar architecture of Aragon.
San Martín Tower:
The Tower of the church of San Martín is another of the towers of the city included in the set protected by UNESCO. It was erected in 1316 and renovated in the middle of the 16th century, a time when several semi-detached houses collapsed to leave a free space around the tower. As in the other cases, it is a tower-door that allows passers-by under a pointed vault. In the decoration, the glazed ceramics stand out, with green and white as the protagonists.
Torre del Salvador:
The Tower of the Church of El Salvador completes the set declared a World Heritage Site. It was built not long after the Torre de San Martín, in which it is inspired. One of the great differences of this tower with respect to the previous ones is that it is boxed between houses, although it also has an opening to allow the passage of pedestrians. Its three interior rooms house the Interpretation Center of the Mudejar Architecture of Turolense.
Teruel staircase:
The Oval Staircase was built in 1921 and its objective was to unite the historic center of the city, elevated on a plateau, with the recently built railway station. The author was José Torán, who took elements from Mudejar and Modernism to create this key work of Teruel neo-Mudejar. On the staircase, the fired clay brick and the carved stone stand out, as well as the white and green ceramic ornamentation, or the modernist-influenced lanterns.
Los Arcos Aqueduct:
Also known as Traída de las Aguas, this aqueduct, which is also a viaduct, was inaugurated in 1558. Its author was the French architect Pierres Vedel, who had already participated in the reform of the Torre de San Martín. With its construction the problem of water supply in the city was solved, very dependent on medieval cisterns. Today Los Arcos is considered one of the most important engineering works of the Spanish Renaissance.
Dinópolis:
A place that we especially recommend to those who are going to visit Teruel with children is Dinópolis. In the province of Teruel, where remains of some of the largest dinosaur specimens in Europe have been found, there are seven Dinópolis centers, although the largest is the one in the capital. Despite being a relatively small park, it is a paradise for children, who can enjoy themed tours, museum, simulator, 3D cinema, shows, etc.

ALBARRACIN:
Both the town of Albarracín and its surroundings offer you unforgettable places, corners that transport you to another era. Without a doubt, this is one of the destinations to see in the province of Teruel.
Albarracín is one of the most beautiful towns in Teruel. It belongs to the network of the most beautiful towns in Spain. In addition, it could be said that it is one of the most beautiful towns in the entire world.
Located in the Sierra that bears its name, the origin of the population dates back to the most distant prehistory. This is evident in the cave paintings of the Ródeno, a pine forest landscape located next to the town and which is considered a protected area.
The town, located next to the Guadalaviar River, is located on top of a hill. It is surrounded by a deep unevenness in more than half of the old town and by an imposing wall in the rest.
The vision of the Set, already from afar, imposes. In fact, in 1961 it was declared a Historic Site.
It is a medieval town that faithfully preserves the urban fabric of that time, its civil and religious buildings, its narrow streets, and its squares. The network of houses, buildings, walls, cantons, stairways and passageways will leave you indifferent.
The spectacularity of the Complex lies in the architecture perfectly adapted to the rugged terrain, the walls covered with Albarracín plaster (a very peculiar tile color and characteristic of the area), in the eaves of the wooden houses, so abundant in the mountains and a of its economic riches still today.
Guided visits
The Albarracín tourist office is located on Calle San Antonio number 2 and is open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. There you get detailed information about what to see. There is also the option of hiring a guided tour of Albarracín.
The Cathedral of San Salvador, from the 16th century, was built between 1572 and 1600 on an earlier Romanesque and Mudejar style. Its bell tower is built in ashlar masonry, with four bodies, three squares and the last octagonal. Inside it has different altarpieces that you should not miss. Through the cloister you can access the Diocesan Museum.
The Alcázar de Albarracín is considered an Asset of Cultural Interest. The origin of the castle must be placed in the time of the Arab caliphates. It is a fortification that can be visited through the guided tours organized by the Museum of the population, in which you can see the archaeological remains of what was the main residence of the Taifa Alcazaba.
The Walls of Albarracín:
The construction of the defensive walled enclosure of the population dates back to the 10th century, in full Islamic times. It included the Church of Santa María, the Torre del Andador and the Alcazar itself.
The Town Hall of Albarracín:
Located in the Plaza Mayor de Albarracín, the Town Hall was built in the 14th century, next to the square where it is located. It is a U-shaped construction, built with ashlars and masonry. To highlight the lintels, pillars and corners of the building. The main facade has two balconies linked through the balustrade with the balconies of the façades of the annex buildings.
Julianeta's house:
The Julianeta house is one of the most representative residential buildings of the municipality's type of construction and, without a doubt, the most photographed. It is an irregular building with reddish plaster walls from Albarracín and with wood in the eaves, suspended between two cantons with a steep slope, an example of the type of construction common in Albarracín.
The balconies hanging over the Guadalaviar river:
Although they may be reminiscent of the hanging houses of Cuenca, the hanging balconies of the Guadalaviar river in Albarracín are also typical and admirable constructions of the Teruel population. The pronounced unevenness of the land was not inconvenient to place at the top of the hill houses with their corresponding balconies that no tourist stops photographing due to their spectacular nature
The White Tower:
It is next to the Church of Santa Maria and was one of the three castles of the defensive system of the city. Today it is converted into a museum tower, of impressive size and located next to the town's holy field. Traveling exhibitions of all kinds are held in the White Tower.