El Castellar

El Castellar is the ruin of a medieval castle and a hermitage on the banks of the Ebro River, in Saragossa province, about 2 km from the village of Torres de Berrellén, in the Ribera Alta del Ebro area. It's one of the more unusual sites in the region — not because it's easy to visit, but precisely because getting there is restricted and tied to an old tradition.

What will you see?

On a hilltop across the river stand the remains of the old castle and settlement — walls built of tapial (rammed earth) and stone, along with a preserved gateway arch that once led into the fortress. The castle was raised in 1091 by King Sancho Ramírez as a forward outpost of the Kingdom of Aragon, aimed squarely at Muslim-held Zaragoza, meant to harass the city's garrison and pave the way for its eventual conquest.

The site also carries a darker chapter of history. In 1111, King Alfonso I "the Battler" imprisoned his own wife, Queen Urraca of Castile, here following a bitter marital dispute. The so-called Cueva de doña Urraca (Doña Urraca's Cave), where her captivity is said to have taken place, is still preserved.

On the other side of the hill stands the Ermita del Castellar, a hermitage housing the image of the Virgin of El Castellar. The current building is relatively recent — it replaced the old parish church of the vanished settlement, which collapsed around 1840 after the Ebro's current undercut its foundations. The image of the Virgin, lost when the church fell, was recovered from the river years later.

How do you get there?

From Torres de Berrellén, a track leads to a landing point on the Ebro about 2 km away. From there, visitors cross the river on a barge operated by the town council — and this is the key catch: the barge only runs on May 8th and on the last Sunday of September, the two feast days tied to the cult of the Virgin of El Castellar. Once across, a climbing path takes you up to the castle ruins in roughly 15–20 minutes.

It's worth knowing that the whole area sits within the Spanish Army's "San Gregorio" training grounds, which is why free access outside those two dates simply isn't possible.

When should you visit?

The best time to come is May 8th, the feast day of the Virgin of El Castellar, or the last Sunday of September — the only occasions when the river crossing operates and visitors can reach both the hermitage and the castle ruins. Outside those dates, the site remains off-limits, though the Montes del Castellar hills are still visible from nearby trails along the Ebro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit El Castellar on any day? No. The site sits on military land, and the only way across the river — the town's barge — runs solely on May 8th and the last Sunday of September.

Who built the castle at El Castellar? King Sancho Ramírez built it in 1091 as a military outpost of the Kingdom of Aragon directed against Muslim Zaragoza.

What's the story behind Queen Urraca? In 1111, Alfonso I "the Battler" imprisoned his wife, Queen Urraca of Castile, here; the cave where she was reportedly held, known as the Cueva de doña Urraca, still survives.

What does the hermitage hold? The Ermita del Castellar houses the image of the Virgin of El Castellar, venerated during the annual pilgrimages on May 8th and the last Sunday of September.