Alcalá De Gurrea brings together protected buildings and sacred art with the history of the La Sotonera reservoir, springs on the Sotón and opportunities for birdwatching. To explore the area, it is worth keeping these subjects distinct: churches and the chapel tell the story of architecture and religious heritage, while the Cuevas vivienda (cave dwellings) provided homes for reservoir workers. Springs, a viewpoint and an ornithological route offer further perspectives on the town and its surroundings.

Church, Chapel and Local History

The Iglesia Parroquial de San Jorge is classified as listed cultural heritage of Aragon; the designation was published in 2002. Its floor plan follows a Latin cross. The complex includes a straight-ended apse, a transept and a single-nave hall with six bays. At the rear is a raised gallery. The tower is also distinctive in its design: built of brick, it has a square ground plan and three sections; at the top, it transitions to an octagonal section with a lantern.

The Museo Diocesano is located beneath the apse. It displays several works of sacred art and various liturgical objects. If you plan to visit the museum, check visiting arrangements in advance. This keeps a visit to the church separate from the question of whether you can go inside the museum.

Different in scale but also shaped by religious architecture is the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de los Agudos. This small late-Romanesque building was constructed in the first half of the 13th century on a hill near the Pantano de la Sotonera, surrounded by cereal fields. It is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural. The Castillo de Alcalá de Gurrea also stood on the hill, whose summit is now crowned by the parish church. Its origins may be Arab; only limited visible remains have survived.

Tormos and the History of the Reservoir

La Atalaya is a protected watchtower in Tormos, within the municipality of Alcalá De Gurrea. It stands on the northwestern edge of the Saso Plano plateau and overlooks the La Sotonera plain. The tower’s fabric is in poor condition. To visit, leave the car on the road below the tower, then walk up the hill to the summit.

The Colonia de Tormos also reflects the history of the reservoir: this settlement belonging to Alcalá De Gurrea was intended to house the workers building the La Sotonera reservoir and their families. The Iglesia Parroquial de San José Obrero is located there. The Cuevas vivienda, meanwhile, are ethnological buildings spread along several streets on the hill crowned by the Iglesia Parroquial de San Jorge. They provided accommodation and living space for the reservoir’s poorest workers. Both are part of local architectural and social history, but refer to different places and forms of housing.

Springs, Water and Birdwatching

In the Huertas area near the Sotón River is Fontaneta, an ethnological spring with a communal stone washhouse. Fuente de Las Pilas is also near the Sotón. Its several basins were formerly used as watering troughs for working animals and people. The two sites thus tell different stories about everyday water use: Fontaneta is distinguished by its communal washhouse, while Las Pilas is associated with its former watering troughs.

Fuente de la Culebra lies in the pine forest by the Pantano de La Sotonera reservoir. It is used as a recreation area that is well signposted and easy to access. Check local information before your visit, as practical operating details can change.

Alcalá De Gurrea is part of the La Sotonera ornithological route, which was created specifically for bird lovers. In the upper part of the town, a small viewpoint looks out over the La Violada plains and is suitable for birdwatching. The route and the viewpoint offer different perspectives: one highlights the town’s place on an ornithological route, while the other offers views across the plain from a specific spot.

Annual Traditions

Local traditions associated with the Virgen de Astón include a novena. It begins nine days before the feast day and seeks rain for the fields. In local festivities, 8 May is dedicated to the Virgen de Astón and 24 August to San Bartolomé. If you would like to plan your trip around a festival, check the exact dates and programme in advance.

Discover more destinations: Javierregay, Lárrede, Monzón, Plan, Oncins, Laspaúles, Bierge, Sangarrén.

For the broader travel overview: Huesca.