Logbook · 7 places

What to see and do in Ruidera

What to see and do in Ruidera (La Mancha, Ciudad Real): 7 places across monuments, nature, activities and curiosities, with a photo and a Google Maps location.

1 Villages · 1 Monuments · 1 Nature · 3 Activities · 1 Curiosities

When to go to Ruidera: festival calendar

February: The Candlemas of Ruidera (February 2)
August: Fair of la Virgen de la Blanca (13 al 17 de agosto)
September: Independence Day of Ruidera (September 21)

How far each place is from the centre of Ruidera

Ruidera Lagoons Natural Park 2.4 km

Towns near Ruidera

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What to see in Alhambra 16 km · 7 places
What to see in Carrizosa 18 km · 7 places
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What to see in Argamasilla de Alba 24 km · 9 places
What to see in Villahermosa 26 km · 12 places
What to see in Fuenllana 26 km · 7 places
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Spain › Castilla-La Mancha › Ciudad Real › La Mancha › Ruidera

What to see and do in Ruidera

Ruidera
Village
Municipality of the comarca of La Mancha, in the province of Ciudad Real, which gives its name to the Lagunas de Ruidera Nature Park, a string of lagoons chained together by travertine barriers at the head of the Guadiana and the most visited natural area in the province. Beside them stands the Casa del Rey, an eighteenth-century building designed by Juan de Villanueva for the infante Don Gabriel, and there remain vestiges of a royal gunpowder works that made use of the water's energy; it became independent from Alhambra in 1990, an anniversary it celebrates every 21 September.
Ruidera Lagoons Natural Park
Nature
A string of lagoons linked by travertine barriers at the headwaters of the Guadiana, among which the Laguna del Rey and the Laguna Colgada stand out. It is the most visited natural area in the province. There are sixteen river pools in all, separated and joined to one another by these tufaceous barriers, through which the water leaps from one lagoon to the next in waterfalls and streams; the Peñarroya reservoir, a man-made structure, is also part of the park because of its role in water management. Within its boundaries are also found the castle of Peñarroya, the ruins of the castle of Rochafrida and the Montesinos cave, where Don Quixote descends in Cervantes's novel.
King's House of Ruidera
Monument
18th-century building built by the architect Juan de Villanueva on the orders of King Charles III as a residence for his son, the Infante don Gabriel, beside the lagoons of Ruidera. It had to be repaired in 1800 after an explosion at a nearby gunpowder factory, and during the first Carlist war it came to be used to store artillery.
The Royal Gunpowder Factory of Ruidera
Curiosity
Ruidera was home to a royal gunpowder factory that harnessed the power of the water from the lagoons, an activity of which traces still remain in the area. In 1800 an explosion at the factory forced the renovation of the nearby Casa del Rey. The Casa del Administrador, built in 1783, belonged to the manager of the royal gunpowder factory and mills.
Fair of la Virgen de la Blanca
Activity
Ruidera's main festival, in honour of its patroness, the Virgen de la Blanca, is celebrated from 13 to 17 August. On the 15th the procession with the image of the patroness takes place, and during those days the toros de fuego follow one another each night, along with other cultural activities that round out the town's festive programme.
Independence Day of Ruidera
Activity
Every 21 September Ruidera commemorates its independence from Alhambra, obtained in 1990, which makes it one of the youngest municipalities in the province.
The Candlemas of Ruidera
Activity
Ruidera's winter celebration in honour of the Virgen de la Candelaria, held on 2 February. On the night of 1 February bonfires are lit in the streets of the town, with dinners and dances, following the same traditions as the feast of San Antón. The custom dates back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when the building of the gunpowder mills in Ruidera drew workers from other towns, who brought their own festivals and traditions with them.