Muro de Roda

Muro de Roda is an emblem of Sobrarbe: a castle that watched over the Cinca river a thousand years ago, with its churches, on top of a sierra above the La Fueva valley. The views over the valley, the Mediano reservoir and the Pyrenees are among the widest in the district, and the site is toured independently.

What You Will See

Aragón Tourism presents it as one of the most spectacular complexes in Alto Aragón. The fortress began to be built in the early 11th century, and its present defensive system is the result of a 16th-century reform; it is declared a Site of Cultural Interest. Beside the walled enclosure is the small church of San Bartolomé, from the 11th century, to which a cloister was added in the 16th. At one end the great church of Santa María was built in the 12th.

Muro de Roda was for centuries the political, religious and military head of La Fueva, and that is why it is where it is: on a height from which the whole valley is dominated and, in the background, the Pyrenean sierras.

The Route

It is route 6 in the Aínsa-Sobrarbe tourist leaflet, signposted and of easy difficulty: 0.6 km and 30 metres of ascent to tour the interior on foot, about 30 minutes. The same leaflet also proposes a walking circuit round the outside of the enclosure, for those who want to extend the visit and see the walls from outside.

Getting There

You drive up from Aínsa by the La Fueva road; Aragón Tourism estimates about 16 minutes. There are no services at the top, so bring water. The last hour of the afternoon is a good time to see the Mediano reservoir with the light from the side.

With Children and with a Dog

It is a short, almost flat visit, good for small children; near the walls, hold hands. The dog can go on a lead on the outside.

To Combine

It combines well in a day with the walk round the Plaza Mayor and the castle of Aínsa and the Cinca viewpoint. If you have the afternoon to spare, the San Victorián and La Espelunga route is on the other side of the valley, under the Peña Montañesa. For queries, Aínsa Municipal Tourist Office answers on 974 500 767.