Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Villar del Salz
This small municipality in the northwest of the province of Teruel is in the Jiloca district.
Villar del Salz was part of the Comunidad de Aldeas de Daroca, in the area known as the Río Jiloca sesma. In 1248, King Jaime I granted it a privilege whereby it was administered autonomously, despite being subject to the jurisdiction of Daroca.
In 1834, the municipality was established as a town council and became part of the Albarracín judicial district. Later, in 1965, it joined the judicial district of Teruel.
One of the characteristic elements of this village are its stately homes. This type of building is renowned for its canopied lintelled doorways. One of them is from the 18th century.
As regards Villar’s heritage, it is worth mentioning the parish church of the Ascensión de Nuestra Señora. It is a masonry building whose corners are made of stonework. It dates to the late 16th century, although it has undergone some alterations since then. The church has a single nave with four bays covered with a star-shaped ribbed vault. The exterior is dominated by an enormous tower in two sections and a semicircular doorway. It is also worth visiting the Santo Cristo and Santa Águeda hermitage, quite a simple building.
However, the most striking building in this village is doubtless its village hall, dating to the 19th century. It is a tall, slender, four-storey building with a curved profile topped by a clock and pinnacles at the corners. It has a rectangular floor plan and is made of stone.
Although mining was once very important in the area, hence the traces of it that remain, since ancient times this village’s economy has been focused on agricultural and livestock work. Thus, the cultivation of cereals such as barley and wheat and sheep farming may be highlighted.
It is worth mentioning that Villar del Salz is also known as “La Villa de las Estrellas” and it is the only “Starlight” place in Aragon, due to the quality of the night sky and the lack of light pollution.
The main festivities are held in honour of the patron sain of the village, Santa Bárbara, on the third weekend of August. At the same time, a well-known pilgrimage is also held leading the Poyales hermitage. Moreover, the villagers celebrate Pentecost, which takes place on the tenth day after Ascension Day, when they gather to share a communal meal that ends with an open-air dance.
