town hall of Ares del Maestrat

The town hall of Ares del Maestrat stands on the main square of this mountain town in the Comunidad Valenciana, and it's one of the oldest public buildings still in use in the area.

Where does the building come from?

The structure dates back to the 14th century, though its foundations are older still — the town hall rests on the remains of a former stronghold with Arab-era origins. The wall facing the square is actually a surviving stretch of the old town fortifications, later absorbed into the town hall as it took its present shape. Over the centuries the building changed function and appearance repeatedly, with the heaviest damage and rebuilding coming during the conflicts of the 18th and 19th centuries, when Ares del Maestrat, like much of the Alto Maestrazgo region, sat close to the fighting.

What is there to see, inside and out?

The façade facing the square hides Gothic arcades where the medieval town market used to be held — locals traded produce from surrounding farms under these arches long after the Templar era ended. Upstairs, the first floor holds a chapter hall once used for meetings of Templar officials, who held administrative authority over the region in medieval times. The hall's Gothic windows are among the few original decorative elements still intact. Beneath the building a vaulted underground room has survived, used for a long stretch of history as the local jail — a quiet reminder of the town hall's former judicial role.

How do you get there?

The building sits right in the heart of Ares del Maestrat, on the town's main square, so visitors reach it naturally while walking through the old town. The town lies in Castellón province, deep inside the Alto Maestrazgo region, and is best reached by car along local mountain roads — public transport options into this part of the Comunidad Valenciana are limited. Its coordinates are 40.4564, -0.131714.

When is the best time to visit?

Sitting at the altitude typical of inland Maestrazgo, Ares del Maestrat has noticeably cooler summers than the coast, making spring and early autumn the most comfortable seasons for exploring — temperatures are mild and the mountain views around the square are at their best. Winters can turn harsh, so it's worth checking conditions before heading up into the region.

Can you visit the town hall right now?

Worth knowing before you go: the building is currently undergoing restoration work. The municipality has invested over 118,000 euros through the regional Plan Impulsa programme, covering the façade and structural elements, with the work expected to take around four months. In practice this means part of the front or interior may be temporarily covered by scaffolding — something to factor in if you're planning photos of the main square.

Frequently asked questions

Is the town hall of Ares del Maestrat open to visitors? The building still serves as the seat of the local administration, so interior access is generally limited to office hours; the façade and the square in front of it are always accessible.

What's the oldest part of the building? The oldest surviving element is the stretch of defensive wall absorbed into the structure — a fragment of fortification with Arab-era origins on which the later town hall was built.

What's the building's connection to the Templars? The chapter hall on the first floor once hosted meetings of Templar officials, who exercised administrative authority over the region during the Middle Ages.

Is there anything else worth seeing near the town hall? The main square where the town hall stands is the heart of Ares del Maestrat's old town, with narrow streets branching off from it into the rest of the historic centre.