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 in 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 weapons of this family are found in the façade of the 18th century building and correspond exactly with the description of the process of infanzonia: a quartered shield that in the first quarter has four silver bands, in the second a castle, in the third four heads and in the fourth four red poles with a gold blade. 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 Museum.
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 Inquisition’s house, since it belonged to the institution of the Holy Office. About your linteled ashlar stone doorway with a small coat of arms with the anagram JHS, and under this one the coat of arms of the Order of St. Dominic, adopted by the Inquisition, and below 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. At 1938 the civil war, the republican troops which occupied Villarroya, since its owner had fled, its roof and part of its façade were demolished. The building was built on the road, to prevent the passage of vehicles and troops of Franco’s side, since 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.
