Albarracin

Albarracin is a unique town.What makes it so?First of all , It's geography, then it's history,and finally its delightful surroundings.For this reasons,in 1961 the Spanish government declared this small town in the province of Teruel a national monument. And in 2005, a group of tourist representatives selected Albarracin as "the most beautiful town in Spain."

Nestled in the mountains of central Spain, Albarracin is an ancient town of some 1,000 inhabitants. Surrounding it are green meadows watered by several rivers and a mountain range that shares its name-Sierra de Albarracin.

A source of food and water
In ancient times, the abundance of game in the Albarracin area attracted settlers, whose cave paintings show that they were fine artists and keen observers of nature.They drew many huge bulls and other animals, which they colored using a white pigment that has been seen only in this area. Scholars think that these caves, where scenes of daily life were portrayed, were used as meeting places for religious or social activities.

Even today, deer, wild boar, and small game abound in the nearby reserve of Montes Universales. And thge Guardalaviar (Arabic for "White River" ) is one of the best trout rivers in Spain.

In 133 B.C.E., the Romans subjugated the local Celtiberian tribes and founded several villages in the Albarracin region. In the first century C.E., Roman engineers built a a2 mile- long aqeduct. It is considered to be one of the most complex of the Roman religion too left its mark. A carving on a Roman gravestone found in the town of A;lbarracin indicates that emperor worship was practiced here.

Albarracin is an important historic monument, an ancient village which won an international award for historic preservation. Walking through the narrow streets is like taking a step back in time to another.