Aliaga is a town of 450 inhabitants.
It is located at an altitude of 1150 m. and is
70 km. from Teruel. Its name comes from the Arabic
word Alulgha (twisted valley)
and during the Middle Ages it formed part of the
eastern border of the Taifa of Albarracín.
Alfonso I the Battler was the first to reconquer
it, but when the monarch died the town was lost
again to the Moors and was not to be reconquered
until 1163 by Alfonso II, who conceded weekly
market rights to the town. Aliaga was then handed
over to orden militar de los Hospitalarios,
who set up their Encomienda in the town (1180).
It was once an important Carlist town forming
part of the territory that was controlled by Cabrera,
who refortified the Arab castle at around 1838.
The castle (XII c.), was once
a great 4000 m2 fortress of which there are hardly
any remains; it had three precincts, but only
the middle battlement has survived, as well as
eight round towers and a watchtower.
Inside the Town Hall, the guild
hall with its segmental arches is of special interest,
as are some of the houses with their stonework
doorways. The parish church of San Juan
Bautista (XVII c.) has a single nave
and a slender belfry crowned at the top. A little
further away, on the other side of the roman-mediaeval
bridge over the river Guadalope, stands the Santuario
de la Virgen de la Zarza, a Baroque building
of grand proportions, highlights of which are
its facade with two small lateral towers and the
decoración esgrafiada in the interior.
Patron Saint festivities in honour
of SAN JUAN, July 23, 24 and 25. On September
7-9, the festivities of the VIRGEN DE LA ZARZA.
On January 20, LAS ALBADAS.
