Aragon , birthplace of the famous painter Francisco de Goya, is a place with much to offer: from famous ski resorts to an important historical and cultural heritage, being able to discover castles, monasteries, examples of Mudejar architecture, natural parks of great beauty … Of course, tasting the gastronomy of this place is always a real pleasure.
Today we go to Aragon to talk about its cultural parks , territories that contain important elements of cultural heritage integrated into an environment of unique landscape and ecological value, which enjoy global protection and promotion. Would you like to discover them?
Rio Martín Cultural Park
First of all, we want to talk about the Río Martín Cultural Park, which is located around the middle course of the Martín River, where more than 40 shelters with prehistoric rock art are grouped along the canyons and ravines. In addition, here you can find important Mudejar monuments, Iberian towns and fortifications, historical-artistic complexes, castles, hermitages …
Of course, the park also surprises with its rich geological and paleontological heritage. In addition, in the place you can find a great variety of protected species of flora and fauna. In this sense, we must highlight the Alacón raptor observatories and the Cueva Foradada reservoir wetland.
San Juan de la Peña Cultural Park
We must also talk about the San Juan de la Peña Cultural Park, which is structured around the monastic complex of San Juan de la Peña, one of the main monuments of Aragon, which was the first royal Aragonese pantheon. In addition to being located in a place of great beauty, it hides several surprises, such as the cloister or the old Mozarabic church.
The park is located in the northwest of the province of Huesca and brings together 6 municipalities. By sharing territory with the Protected Landscape of San Juan de la Peña and Monte Oroel, the place combines nature and culture in a unique way.
Maestrazgo Cultural Park
In Teruel, covering 43 municipalities spread over six regions, we find the Maestrazgo Cultural Park, which is configured around the Guadalope River. It is a vast territory with a wide cultural and natural heritage legacy, being able to find here an impressive geology, archaeological sites, examples of Levantine Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture …
Undoubtedly, one of the main attractions of the park is its natural heritage and, especially, the source of the Pitarque River and the Natural Monuments of the Crystal Grottoes of Molinos.
Albarracín Cultural Park
To the east of the province of Teruel we find the Albarracín Cultural Park, which is located in the heart of the Sierra de Albarracín, between impressive geological formations of rodeno and lush pine forests.
In the five municipalities that the park houses, we find rock art manifestations that have been declared World Heritage by UNESCO. In addition, the park hides interesting urban complexes, remains of the Civil War and traditional constructions (ovens, mills, laundry …), all in a privileged natural environment.
Rio Vero Cultural Park
Finally, we must talk about the Río Vero Cultural Park, a perfect example of the confluence of cultural and natural values. It is located north of the Ebro valley, serving as a prelude to the Pyrenean mountain range. Here you can enjoy beautiful historical towns, a privileged nature, World Heritage cave paintings and a rich and varied gastronomy, highlighting, how could it be otherwise, its wines.
Beyond the prehistoric rock art that gave birth to the park we must emphasize its important monuments such as the urban area of Alquézar, castle and the Collegiate. We are talking about one of the most beautiful towns in Aragon.