The streets of Villarroya are lined with good examples of mansions that, in the past, belonged to the wealthy families of the town.
Navarro’s house
One of them is the Casa de los Navarro (Navarro’s house), next to the road. It is located within an enclosed area, surrounded by a courtyard, and has a family chapel inside. It consists of a first building, probably built at the end of the XVII century, and was extended with another building in the XVIII century. Both are connected by a chapel and several rooms dedicated to service. Currently both buildings belong to the descendants of the Navarro family, who have inherited it since its construction.
The arms of this family are found on the façade of the 18th century building and correspond exactly with the description of the process of infanzonía: a quartered shield with four silver bands in the first quarter, a castle in the second, four heads in the third, and four red clubs with a gold blade in the fourth. The Casa Navarro has a very well arranged and symmetrical facade with a linteled arched doorway under a balcony. The roof has a beautiful low wooden eave with a frieze of geometric designs. Inside, the original layout is maintained.
More information in the Maestrazgo Virtual MuseumOn this page you can see more photos of the house, plans and a 360º view.
Inquisition’s house
On the road, on the way out of the village, there is part of the facade of what would be the Casa de la Inquisición (Inquisition’s house), from the eighteenth century, where the door stands out. It is one of the few existing constructions in Villarroya de los Pinares belonging to the XVIII century, since most of its houses correspond to the XVI century. It is popularly known as the House of the Inquisition, since it belonged to the institution of the Holy Office. Above its linteled ashlar stone doorway there is a small shield with the anagram JHS, and below it the coat of arms of the Order of Santo Domingo, adopted by the Inquisition, and below it the legends DEFENSIO FIDEI (In defense of the faith) and another HERF (we ignore its meaning) and the year of its construction 1759.
It should be noted that Villarroya, like other towns in Maestrazgo, depended on the Inquisition of Valencia and not on that of Aragon. In the 19th century, the use of the building changed and it became a pharmacy. In 1938, during the civil war, the Republican troops occupying Villarroya, the owner having fled, demolished its roof and part of its facade on the road, to prevent the passage of vehicles and troops of Franco’s side, as the road from Teruel to Cantavieja passed in front of the same building. From then until today the house was gradually ruined, except for its facade, reaching the present time.
More information about other local houses in Maestrazgo Virtual Museum.
