Ayuntamiento de Fabara / Ajuntament de Favara

Ayuntamiento de Fabara (Catalan: Ajuntament de Favara) is the historic town hall of Fabara/Favara, a small bilingual municipality in the province of Zaragoza, in the Aragon region, sitting on the Matarraña River close to the border with Catalonia. The building occupies part of a medieval palace at the heart of the town and makes a natural starting point for exploring the area.

How do you get there?

Fabara/Favara lies in the Bajo Aragón-Caspe district, in the southeastern part of Zaragoza province, near the Catalan border. The easiest way to reach it is by car, with the towns of Caspe and Alcañiz being the nearest larger hubs. The town hall sits right on the main square in the centre, so once you arrive it's an easy walk to find.

What will you see?

The town hall building itself forms part of a former medieval palace, its façade carrying traces of the representative architecture typical of local government seats in small Aragonese towns. Inside, on the third floor, you'll find the Museo Virgilio Albiac, a small museum dedicated to the painter Virgilio Albiac, regarded as one of the town's most notable sons. It's a good place to start a visit before heading further afield.

And there's plenty more to see nearby. About a kilometre from the centre, on the left bank of the Matarraña, stands a 2nd-century Roman mausoleum — one of the best-preserved monuments of its kind anywhere in Spain. It was built in honour of Lucius Aemilius Lupus, thought to have belonged to a wealthy local family, and takes the shape of a small temple with a four-column façade. Entry is free, though there's no permanent interpretation centre on site, so it's worth checking access details with the local tourist office beforehand.

The town itself also has the parish church of San Juan Bautista, a Gothic building dating from the 13th and 14th centuries and a witness to Fabara's medieval past. The surrounding countryside hides even older traces of settlement: the Roquissal del Rullo site is considered one of the most important Iron Age sites in all of Aragon, showing that people have lived in this area for thousands of years.

The Matarraña River itself, flowing past the foot of the old town, creates a scenic, distinctly Mediterranean landscape — a pleasant spot for a quiet walk after visiting the monuments.

When should you visit?

Spring and autumn are the best times to visit, when temperatures in this part of Aragon are mild and walking to the mausoleum or along the Matarraña is far more comfortable. Summers in the region can get very hot, which is worth factoring in if you're planning to cover several sights on foot in one day.

Frequently asked questions

Are Fabara and Favara two different towns? No — they're the same municipality with a dual, bilingual name: Fabara in the Aragonese/Castilian form and Favara in Catalan, used locally because of the town's proximity to the Catalan border.

What's the most important thing to see in Fabara? The best-known monument is the 2nd-century Roman mausoleum, one of the best preserved in Spain. It's also worth visiting the Gothic church of San Juan Bautista and the Virgilio Albiac museum inside the town hall building.

Can you visit the Roman mausoleum without a guide? Yes, entry is free and open to the public, but since there's no permanent interpretation centre, it's a good idea to contact the local tourist office beforehand to confirm current access hours.

Is there a museum in Fabara? Yes, the town hall building houses a small museum on its third floor dedicated to the painter Virgilio Albiac, who is closely associated with the town.