Logbook · 6 places

What to see and do in Castellfort

What to see and do in Castellfort (Els Ports, Castellón): 6 places across monuments, nature, activities and curiosities, with a photo and a Google Maps location.

1 Villages · 1 Monuments · 1 Nature · 1 Activities · 1 Historical milestones · 1 Food and drink

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Spain › Valencian Community › Castellón › Els Ports › Castellfort

What to see and do in Castellfort

Castellfort
Village
Castellfort is a municipality in the comarca of Els Ports, in the interior of Castellón, perched on top of a rocky spur surrounded by terraces at 1,180 metres of altitude, which makes it one of the coldest towns in the Comunitat Valenciana, with winters dropping below -10 and -15 degrees. The Arabs fortified a castle here that they called Galintort; Blasco de Alagón conquered it on 1 August 1237 and entrusted its repopulation to Ferrer Segarra. In 1361 Peter IV of Aragon restored the castle and fortified the town, which came to have five gateways with doors bearing large locks. It was a hamlet dependent on Morella until Charles II granted it independence in 1691. Its 178 inhabitants live from livestock farming, agriculture, knitwear manufacture and rural tourism.
Landscape of Els Ports in Castellfort
Nature
Castellfort, at 1,180 m in Els Ports, stands on a plateau amid natural dry-stone walls — protected by UNESCO — surrounded by ravines and peaks exceeding 1,300 m, such as the Tossal de Folch (1,301 m) or the Lloma de Sant Pere (1,275 m). The Rambla de Celumbres, between Cinctorres, Castellfort and Portell, adds a distinctive landscape of rocky cliffs.
Festivities of Castellfort
Activity
Castellfort's patronal festival is in honour of Sant Roc and the Mare de Déu de la Font, held at the end of August over nine days with bous al carrer (bulls running through the streets); on 8 September the day of the patron saint is also celebrated.
Shrine of la Mare de Déu de la Font
Monument
The Sanctuary of the Mare de Déu de la Font, in Castellfort (Els Ports, Castellón), is a complex built beside a spring in the middle of the forest, made up of the church, the hostelry and the stables. Its construction began in 1476, and the complex took on its present appearance in the 17th century. Notable is the so-called Sala Pintada, created in 1566, with 1597 murals depicting scenes from the life of Christ. It was declared a Monumento Histórico-Artístico (a former heritage protection designation, forerunner of the Bien de Interés Cultural) in 1979. Every 8 September it hosts the pilgrimage in honour of the Mare de Déu de la Font, patroness of the municipality.
The conquest of Castellfort by Blasco de Alagón
Historical milestone
Blasco de Alagón took in 1237 the Andalusi fortress that dominated the plateau and entrusted the resettlement to Ferrer Segarra; the place was integrated into the extensive territory of Morella, on which it would depend for more than four centuries.
Pumpkin pastissets
Food and drink
Sweet turnovers of thin dough filled with pumpkin jam or angel-hair squash jam, baked for the village festivities; they share the table with the pulse stews and the cured meats characteristic of high-altitude cooking.