Cella brings together traces from different periods: an artesian fountain with a long construction history, a parish church of Templar origin and the surviving parts of a fortress. There are also trails with different profiles—from a route with an estimated walking time to Camino stages for hikers and cyclists. This makes it possible to weigh up local history, natural surroundings and active days when planning your visit.
The Fuente de Cella: water engineering with a long history
The Fuente de Cella is an artesian fountain built in the 12th century. Between 1729 and 1731, Domingo Ferrari, a captain in the Corps of Engineers, redesigned it on the orders of the Audiencia de AragĂłn. The fountain thus combines its early construction with a later phase of design.
The structure is elliptical: its larger diameter is 34.83 metres and its smaller diameter 24.84 metres; its circumference is 130 metres. The fountain is 9 metres deep at the edge and 11.5 metres at the centre. Its average flow is about 3,500 litres per second. The water emerges at the side through a covered passage dedicated to the Ermita de San Clemente. Its dimensions, depth and water flow give the Fuente a distinct profile among the local sights.
Church, castle and early history
The original Iglesia parroquial de Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada was built by the Templars in the last third of the 12th century. Its ashlar tower at the foot of the church, on the Epistle side, dates from 1609. Castillo de Cella is listed among the castles of Aragón classified as Bienes de Interés Cultural. Only a section of irregular stone wall and the remains of a rectangular tower survive from the Muslim and Christian fortress mentioned in the Cantar de Mio Cid. They stand on the slope beside the parish church of the Inmaculada.
Cella’s Roman past also reaches into the town centre: a significant late Republican Roman settlement once stood there. The fountain, church, tower and castle remains thus represent different periods in Cella’s history.
The year and natural surroundings
Since 2000, the Feria de la Patata has been held in Cella every year on the second or third weekend of September. The exact date varies from year to year. If the festival is important to your trip, check the dates for the relevant year before planning your stay.
The Sabinar de San Blas (ES2420134) is designated a Lugar de Importancia Comunitaria; the area includes land within the municipality of Cella. The Laguna del Cañizar lies between Cella and Villarquemado. The El Raudal recreation area is also home to the Observatorio de aves del Raudal.
The El Raudal municipal picnic area consists of two large covered shelters with fireplaces, tables and benches. One shelter has toilets for men and women. The Pozo Mosén Diego municipal picnic area has an enclosed barbecue and five brick-built tables with matching benches in the outdoor area. The facilities at the two sites therefore differ in specific ways. As details may change, check the condition of the facilities before your visit.
Trails on foot and by bike
The Sendero del Acueducto Romano connects Cella with Gea de AlbarracĂn. The route is 9.5 kilometres long, with an estimated walking time of two and a half hours. On some sections, you can walk alongside the old excavated galleries, but not along the entire route. Check local signs and the conditions of each section before setting out.
The Camino de Santiago stages between Teruel, Cella, Santa Eulalia del Campo and Monreal del Campo follow comfortable trails with no major technical difficulties and are suitable for hikers and cyclists. The Camino del Cid stage between Teruel and Cella follows rural tracks and well-maintained dirt roads; it can be completed on foot or by bike. The descriptions emphasise different points: for the Camino de Santiago, the focus is on the trail surface and suitability for use; for the Camino del Cid, it is on rural tracks and dirt roads. The Sendero del Acueducto also has a specific route length and estimated walking time.
The Castro El Cerrito is near Cella. The described route there follows the road between Cella and Santa Eulalia, then a farm track that passes through the site. This is a separate excursion option, in addition to the Camino stages and the Sendero del Acueducto mentioned above.
Getting there and planning your stay
Cella is 21 kilometres from Teruel. The route is via the A-23 and N-234, followed by a 17-kilometre turn-off along a local road. Check road conditions before travelling.
If you are considering Cella as a place to stay, you can base your choice on your planned daily schedule: the fountain, parish church and Castillo offer a focus on local history, while the trails described here provide options for days on foot or by bike. If you have a particular stage in mind, you can take its route, estimated walking time or trail conditions into account when planning, and balance cultural and active days to suit your needs.
Discover more destinations: Bello, Allepuz, San AgustĂn, Fuentes Calientes, Aguaviva, SarriĂłn, Concud, San Blas.
For the main travel overview: Teruel.
