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Nestled between the steep gorges of the river Júcar as it passes through the province of Cuenca (Spain), emerges the municipality of Alarcón, declared a Historic-Artistic Site because of the beauty of its monuments and surroundings. It is the historical link of the Júcar.
Its imposing castle, scene of important historical episodes in times of the Reconquest and today a Parador de Turismo, dominates the sharpness of the rock on which this medieval town sits.
It is not surprising that it was chosen from an ancient settlement; its natural moat and watchtower designate it as a strategy at first glance.
Some authors claim that the town's name comes from the Gothic king Alaric, who apparently built the fortress on the mountain here. Others, however, disagree and consider that the place's name comes from the Arabic fortress'.
It was in this castle that the Infante Don Juan Manuel wrote his tales of Count Lucanor and formed the Marquisate of Villena. Alfonso X granted the village the jurisdiction of Cuenca. And in the old rooms of the fortress the fearsome thirds of Alarcón were founded, which fought in the battle of Navas de Tolosa.
The homage tower, surrounded by battlements and frisée of matacanes, embraces the panoramic view of Alarcón. Around it, the powerful fortress, devoid of windows, is flanked by towers at the corners. It was built by the Arabs in the 8th century and taken over by King Alfonso VIII 400 years later.
Beneath the rock and the fortress, climbing up ravines and escarpments, there is an acceptable amount of vegetation that rises up from the Júcar. This is how the traveller arrives at the medieval old town of La Mancha, which has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
