The ruins of Castellar de la Meca

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Multimedia Gallery

Discover the remains of an Iberian settlement with hundreds of years of history behind it.

Ayora, a town located in the province of Valencia, is home to Castellar de Meca, an Iberian settlement that is open to visitors so you can discover what life was like in the area thousands of years ago.

The settlement dates back to the Iberian period (5th to 2nd century BC) as well as the Bronze Age and the Roman, Islamic and Medieval periods. The settlement sits on a hill known as Mugrón de Meca, in Sierra del Mugrón, and covers a total surface area of 15 hectares. Here you can see houses carved into the rock, huge town walls, ceramics from the Roman, Iberian and Islamic periods, and a number of cisterns.

Named an Historic and Artistic National Monument in the year 1931, Castellar de Meca is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Spain. You will be taken aback by the complex water system comprising small canals and large cisterns carved into the rock. As well as by the roads once used to enter the town where you can see imprints left by the cart wheels. There are also defence towers, steps, mangers and troughs.

Castellar de Meca is open on Sundays from 9am to 2pm. The best way to get there is to drive to the car park in Alpera in the province of Albacete. Beyond visiting the incredible site, you can also enjoy the breathtaking views from over 1,000m above sea level. Don’t miss the opportunity to get to know this important heritage site sitting in the most spectacular scenery.