Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Salinas del Rey
The Salinas del Rey, also known as the Salinas de Ojos Negros, is an inland salt marsh in the municipality of Ojos Negros, in the province of Teruel.
Its common name derives from various 12th century documents, in which this farm appears as a grant of royal rights, under the reign of Alfonso II of Aragon, to the Piedra monastery. Although these facilities appear to have originated in a Celtiberian settlement or village, they remained in use throughout the Muslim period and the Middle Ages.
In the Middle Ages, these salt marshes were sold to the Comunidad de Aldeas de Daroca and remained in their possession until the early 16th century, when they passed into private hands. These facilities remained in private hands until the facilities were closed in the early 1980s.
In the Region of Aragon, in general, the salt marshes had a limited distribution area; they exercised their market monopoly over a defined territory, which was known as the “estanco de la sal” (salt monopoly). In particular, the Salinas de Ojos Negros had an extensive distribution area, with sales being allowed in all the municipalities belonging to the Comunidad de Aldeas de Daroca, as well as in Albarracín and Teruel.
This is an industrial facility. An extensive complex comprising a well to the north, a waterwheel, various water storage basins linked by wooden channels, and several basins for water evaporation. The area also contains a salt warehouse and the dwelling once used by the manager of the facilities.
As regards the vegetation in the area, there is valuable halophilic vegetation in these old salt marshes growing between the storage basins and the adjoining meadows. Species of great floral interest such as the hairy four-leaf clover Marsilea strigosa, Exacullum pusillum and Elatine macropoda, all of which are threatened species in the Region of Aragon.
