Muro De Aguas: Pyrite, Nature and Cultural Heritage

Between the Torre Fuerte, church ruins and viewpoints, Muro de Aguas offers a range of historical highlights. In Ambas Aguas, pyrite crystals and a guided mine visit add to the experience, while several dinosaur sites provide another point of interest. When planning your trip, it is worth considering each place and its visiting conditions separately.

Buildings and viewpoints

The Torre Fuerte is the surviving part of a larger rectangular defensive complex dating from the 15th century. Two sandstone masonry walls meeting at right angles remain from the complex: one is 9 metres high and the other 4.50 metres. The Torre Fuerte stands on Cerro Testigo and offers sweeping panoramic views of Muro de Aguas.

Another viewpoint is the Mirador del Castillo. It is next to the ruins of the Iglesia de Santa María and just a few metres from the Torre Fuerte. From here, the panorama takes in Muro de Aguas and the entire valley. From the Mirador de El Cerrillo, you can see the Torre Fuerte on the northern hill above the town.

The ruins of the Iglesia de Santa María are the remains of a 16th-century church built of ashlar and rubble masonry. Remains of an earlier fortress or the Torre Fuerte were probably reused during its construction. The ruins also preserve a ribbed vault with lunettes resting on corbels. The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción is different: it is a late Baroque church built in the 18th century.

The Fuente de los 16 caños also brings together architectural history and engineering. This 18th-century hydraulic structure was rebuilt or renovated in 1902. It has 14 bronze fish-head spouts and two overflow outlets. The spring is fed by an aquifer formed by the permeability of the region’s limestone.

Landscape and birdwatching

Muro de Aguas and Ambas Aguas are both entirely within the Valle del Alhama-Linares protected area. Muro de Aguas has holm oaks, elms and pines, as well as rosemary, lavender and thyme. The town is also in an area where truffles are cultivated or harvested; this does not imply that any particular visitor service is available.

Griffon vultures, buzzards and other birds of prey can be observed above Muro de Aguas throughout the year, although individual sightings are not guaranteed. At the Mirador de La Cruz del Palo, you can watch griffon vultures and buzzards in particular as they fly above the town. The viewpoints therefore differ in what you can focus on: birds above the town or the Torre Fuerte on the northern hill.

Pyrite and dinosaur tracks

The pyrite deposits near Ambas Aguas are known for their varied crystal forms. These include oval and spherical shapes formed by clusters of crystals. Guided visits are offered at the Piritas de Ambas Aguas mine, where you can dig up and uncover pyrite samples yourself. Advance reservations are required for these visits.

The dinosaur sites differ in their locations and the tracks preserved there. Chorrón del Saltadero is 2.5 kilometres from Muro de Aguas, along the irrigation channel path towards Cornago. Valdeté is five kilometres away, towards Ambas Aguas, on the municipal boundary with Préjano. The footprints there are attributed to an injured ornithopod that left them behind. The Perosancio site is 2.9 kilometres from Muro de Aguas, about 100 metres from the path to Ambas Aguas; it is difficult to access. Four isolated, poorly preserved footprints attributed to iguanodontids are preserved there. Check access and protection requirements before visiting the sites.

Plan your routes and journey

A waymarked hiking trail leads from Ezcaray through Ambas Aguas and continues towards Cornago and Cervera del Río Alhama. Check the waymarking locally. A mountain biking route starts in Muro de Aguas and loops back to the starting point via Ocijo, Navalsaz, the Cuesta de Andorra and Ambas Aguas. Another route leads from Muro de Aguas to Peña Isasa. The destinations described therefore differ both in their starting points and in their routes.

Buses do not serve Muro de Aguas. Check the latest transport information before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Azofra, Alcanadre, Laguna De Cameros, Abalos, Torrecilla En Cameros, Ausejo, Las Ruedas De Ocón, Enciso.

For the broader travel overview: La Rioja.