Miravete de la Sierra is located on the course of the Guadalope river, just 10 kilometers from its source and at an altitude of 1218 meters. Miravete sits at the foot of the crag where the castle once stood.
Its history
Both the name of the town, which appears as Miravet or Miraveto in the documentation of the 13th and 14th centuries, and the oldest archaeological finds made there, indicate its Muslim origin. After its reconquest, probably by Miguel de Santa Cruz, Miravete will belong to different owners.
King Alfonso II of Aragon in 1175 transferred Miravete and its boundaries to the Military Order of Montegaudio, which in 1188 became part of the Order of the Hospital of the Holy Redeemer of Teruel. In 1196 the same king ordered that the assets of the Order pass to the Order of the Temple, which would govern the destinies of Miravete for a short time, since at least since 1217 Doña Sancha, daughter of Miguel de Santa Cruz, and her husband Guillermo de Mendoza appear as secular lords of the town. Subsequently, in August 1220 the lords of Miravete temporarily pledged the town and its castle to the commanders of the Order of the Hospital of San Juan, in Aliaga and Añón, for 400 maravedíes alfonsíes of gold.
In 1273 Guillerma Ximénez, lady of the place, sold her rights over Miravete to Pedro Garcés, bishop of Zaragoza, for 1,350 maravedíes of gold. From that moment on, Miravete will no longer belong to a secular lord and will become a villa of the lordship of the archbishop of Zaragoza. This, since 1279, imposes on the council a tax to be paid annually. In exchange, its inhabitants enjoyed various privileges and franchises regarding the grazing of their livestock on the lands of Aliaga and in the kingdom of Valencia. This situation remained unchanged until the liquidation of the seigniorial regime in the 19th century.
Heritage of Miravete de la Sierra
The most significant buildings are located in the lower part of the town, around two singular spaces. One of them is the Plaza de la Iglesia, whose closed and porticoed structure is reminiscent of a cloister. It is delimited by the 16th centuryCasas Consistoriales (Town Hall), with an L-shaped market hall; and by the Gothic-Renaissance church of Gothic-Renaissance church of the Virgen de las Nieves, built in 1574.dating from 1574.
In contrast to the previous space, the Plaza Mayor is irregular and open to the Guadalope River. In it is located the fish marketthe oventhe bridge of the XVI century, one of the most photographed pictures of the town, and the Rectory House, today converted into lodging. The village has other places and monuments of interest, such as the magnificent 15th century boundary cross, the only one preserved in the whole region. There is also the baroque chapel of San Cristóbal, built in 1779, thefrom 1779, the Flour MillThe flour mill, restored as a Bread Cycle Interpretation Center, and several houses on Calle Baja and in the San Cristóbal neighborhood.
Acknowledgments
The charm of the town is reflected in three declarations of Cultural Interest. In 1983, the declaration of the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza de la Iglesia as Historic-Artistic Site was initiated, and its surroundings are currently under investigation. Finally, in 2001, the monument was given that status as a monument to the church of Ntra. Sra. de las Nieves.
If you want to take a guided tour of this environment and access the interiors of the buildings, contact with T-guío.
