LA MATA
OLOCAU DEL REY
STAGE 4
LAS CALDERETAS Y LAS ERMITAS
LA MATA - OLOCAU DEL REY
Els Ports hosts an interesting religious architectural heritage, with numerous hermitages scattered across the municipalities of La Mata and Olocau del Rey. The Calderetas, curious natural formations, are also notable and are located along the Cantavieja River.
SEAL POINTS:
- Vilafranca: Tourist office and Town Hall.
- Cinctorres: Tourist office and Town Hall.
- Forcall: Tourist office and Town Hall.
- La Mata: Town Hall.
- Todolella: Town Hall.
- Olocau del Rey: Tourist information point.
- Villores: Town Hall.
- Morella: Tourist office.
- Vallibona: Tourist information point.
- Portell: Town Hall.
- Herbés: Town Hall.
For more information, please contact any registration point or the Els Ports Regional Commonwealth:
Tlf. 964440306 / 964441266
E-mail: info@mancomunitatelsports.es
Peiró of Canals
Architectural/natural heritage
Peirons (pedestals) or monumental crosses, stood at the entrance to towns, at crossroads and/or other relevant locations. This type of construction could be used to limit the administrative boundary of a region, or they could be religious and devotional. La Mata has 4 peirons: Santa Quitèria, Sant Pere, Sant Gil and Canals.
The Peiró de Canals is a devotional-religious cross built on polygonal steps with a capital and platform supporting the carved stone cross. The Gothic cross features an image of Christ on one side and the Virgin on the other.
The cross found on this peiró is a copy of the original that is kept in La Mata Town Hall, and which dates back to the 16th century.
Caldereta Gran
Architectural/natural heritage
In the area known as Les Calderetes due to the abundance of natural pools (calderetes) in the Cantavieja River bed, there is a larger pool called Caldereta Gran. The water here is crystalline even in summer, when it is a popular bathing area among locals and visitors.
This is an area of great botanical and ethnological value and nearby there is an irregular, elongated irrigation pool that is still in use today. Other highlights include Torre Guillermo tower, Molí de la Punta mill, and the dry stone farming terraces.
Les Calderetes
Architectural/natural heritage
Dry stone is extremely common in Vilafranca. Over the centuries the town’s inherent, simple, popular and ecological architecture has transformed its landscape wisely and in tune with the environment.
The need to increase the area and quality of arable land meant large quantities of stone were extracted; the stone was left close to the transformed land and given new use. The townspeople used the stone to create hundreds of kilometres of dry stone walls, homes, ponds, wells, farming terraces, drinking troughs, etc.
The view of the plain, known as the Devesa, between Vilafranca and the peiró (cross) of Sant Pere is captivating as it seems to be a sea of dry stone thanks to the many stone walls and homes built along the road. Mas de la Blaia is another highlight on this section of the route.
Molino Royo
Architectural/natural heritage
This old hydraulic mill stands on the left bank of the Cantavieja River, between the municipal districts of La Mata and Olocau del Rey, and uses the force of the water to grind grain.
Els Ports has historically been a farming and livestock region. Masies or masos were the traditional country homes; they were used for farming and livestock activities as well as living quarters. This mill, which stood close to various masos and was well connected with Olocau del Rey and La Mata, served the local population.
Note that there are numerous fortified masos along this section of the GR-331: Els Ports-Camí de Conquesta, which runs between La Mata and Olocau del Rey.
Old hydraulic mill fully restored and converted into a mas for rural tourism.
Hermitage of San Marcos
Architectural/natural heritage
Of the five chapels found in Olocau del Rey, the chapel of San Marcos is the largest one. It was built in the late 16th century and, according to tradition, Saint Mark appeared before a resident of Olocau del Rey asking him to build a chapel. After the work was completed, due to an increased devotion to the saint and a rise in popularity for the annual fair held in honour to Saint John, the chapel was enlarged in 1769. It comprises a series of buildings: chapel, eremite’s home, hostel and sheds. They are built in the shape of a closed triangular space, forming a cobbled plaza that is crossed by the old road between Teruel and Morella.
The chapel stands out for its majestic nature and the main features to look out for are the generous, elegant main façade crowned by a bell gable. It features a Greek cross floor plan and a drum -or dome base- resting on pendentives that stands 27 metres high. There are two pilgrimages to this chapel each year: on 25 April (Saint Mark) and 24 June (Saint John), but the most important festivity honouring the patron saint is held every four years on 24 November.