History buffs are in for a real treat here at Castillo de las Guardas.
This hill village is made up of 14 hamlets, including Minas del Castillo de las Guardas, El Cañuelo, Valdeflores, La Alcornocosa, Archidona and Arroyo de la Plata.
Various archaeological remains bear witness to its long history as a settlement, including prehistoric dolmens: la Sepultura del Moro and Lapa del Moro in Las Cañaillas, as well as other neolithic burial grounds in El Cerro de San Antonio Abad and la Dehesa de Abajo. The area was known for its copper and lead deposits.
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History buffs are in for a real treat here, as you'll also find the remains of the castle, situated above the village in a typically protective location. The impressive mudejar San Juan Bautista church was built over the remains of a mosque and Arab cemetery in the 13th and 14th centuries; while the Fuente Abrevadero is a popular meeting point of residents of El Castillo de las Guardas.
The stone bullring dates from the second half of the 19th century, probably the 1860s. The rows of seats for the spectators are cut into hillside, and it has been recently refurbished. Before its construction, in 1772 there was 'procession of bull marcos' where the villages would carry a bull through the streets during the day, and party at night. The bullring was built to stop this superstitious ritual.
One peculiarity of El Castillo is that the town square in front of the ayuntamiento is, in fact, is triangular.
Local handicrafts include items made of cork, palm leaves and bull's horn, as well as embroidered and painted shawls. Dishes favour game, such as wild boar and venison stews, while local produce include goat's cheese.
The festive calendar starts in May with Corpus Christi and then the San Juan Bautista pilgrimage in June; the town's feria is in August. In addition, the different hamlets have their own celebrations in May, July and August.
Visitors coming with children will be interested in La Reserva park , about 5km from the village. This is a safari park with various other activities, including quad biking and watersports.
Walkers can enjoy many trails through the oak forests and surrounding scenery, including Ruta de la Ribera del Guadiamar (the banks of the Guadiamar route), Los Callejones and paths such as Las Cañadillas and the Reservoir de la Minilla.
Castillo de las Guardas is about 50km north-west of Seville. Take the N630, then N-433 towards Aracena, the A-476 and finally the SE-530.
Min: 18C