What to see in Hita (Guadalajara), medieval town of the Arcipreste

hita It is one of the many historic and very interesting towns in the Guadalajara province.

It is very likely that the name is familiar to us Juan Ruiz, the famous archpriest of Hita, author of Good love book which is one of the most important literary works of medieval Castilian literature.

But it is also likely that many have not thought that this population exists today and that it is heir to a long historical tradition.

Poco a poco hita is standing out as a good destination within a Weekend getaway awarded by the Guadalajara province.

It may even be the goal of a day trip if we come from Madrid since it is located less than 100 kilometers away and is easily accessible by highway A-2.

But the best thing would be to spend more time in the area and take the opportunity to visit other nearby places such as Sigüenza, start and Río Dulce Natural Park.

In addition, in the area there are many other small towns with small treasures to discover, whether Romanesque churches, centuries-old salt mines, imposing castles, walled villages and some little-known natural sites.

We can say that this area of ​​the northwest of the province of Guadalajara It is a small treasure full of surprises and well worth a trip of several days.

hita It is, of course, one of the main stages of this journey.

Curiosities of the history of Hita

As often happens with the towns in this area, hita It stands on the side of a steep hill that would have been easily defendable in other times.

The Romans took advantage of this circumstance and fortified the rock from which they controlled the road that linked Augusta Emeritus (Merida) with caesaraugusta (Zaragoza), which passed at their feet.

There was also a Muslim population in this place until the conquest in 1085 by Alfonso VI.

The place acquired great importance in this border area between Castile and the Muslim taifas.

Authors and books where Hita is mentioned

This is how it appears in the Sing of Mío Cid and in the Legend of the Seven Infants of Lara. We also find it named in the Life of Saint Dominic de Gonzalo de Berceo.

For a time Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together here. The Jews controlled economic life and even collected taxes by royal order.

And it was in Hita where Juan Ruiz, being archpriest, wrote the Good love book in the fourteenth century.

Another important writer related to hita es Íñigo López de Mendoza, Marquis of Santillana, who in addition to being a poet was a powerful nobleman who fortified the town in the 15th century.

 

The expulsion of the Jews in 1492 marked the beginning of the decline of hita.

More recently, another terrible time for hita was Civil War since one of the front lines was located in this area. The destruction was considerable and much of what we see today is the reconstruction carried out in recent decades.

What to see and do when visiting Hita

In addition to the architectural complex, where we find some canvases of the Walla iglesia and a very wide castilian square, some of the attractions of Hita They are excavated in the rock on which it sits.

Guided tours of the wineries and wineries of Hita

Like these places, both wineries as the “bodegas”, are not normally open, it is advisable to sign up for a tour of those organized in the tourist office.

These tours allow you to learn about an important aspect of the Hita traditional life and that is almost unique. These visits take place on weekends And they had a price 3 euros per person.

You can consult the visiting hours by calling 949 852 763.

These tours are also the only opportunity to visit the interior of the church of San Juan.

Upon reaching the entrance to hita we will find a large esplanade that serves as free parking. Please note that access to the historic center by private car is prohibited on weekends.

El Palenque de Hita, festival and medieval tournaments

Right next to the parking lot we will see the Palenque.

Built half a century ago at the foot of the wall, it is the scene of the jousts and knightly tournaments of the Hita Medieval Festival, whose date celebration every year is the first saturday of july.

At the entrance we will see a statue which represents Alvar Fáñez de Minaya, a prominent character of the Sing of Mío Cid, which reminds us that hita is included within the great Camino del Cid route.

If the door is closed you can see, the palenque from the top of the wall.

How to visit the Hita Wall

We will see several sections of wall as we tour Hita.

It is known that it was built in the 15th century in part by the Marquis of Santillana and that surrounded the historic center and reached the castle that stood at the top of the hill.

Near the gate of the palenque there is a ramp that allows you to climb to the top of the wall and from there start wandering around.

Door of Santa María in Muralla de Hita

Another option is to continue along the lower part of the wall and thus reach the Gate of Santa Maria, which is the most attractive part of the defensive construction.

The reconstruction carried out a few years ago has recovered its original appearance. gothic military architecture. The complex is presided over by the coat of arms of the Marquis of Santillana.

Plaza del Arcipestre in Hita

Upon passing through the door we enter directly into the Archpriest Square, the most prominent space in all of Hita.

In the 15th century it was the center of the Jewish quarter and here the synagogue was located and the market was held.

Here we can see a house with arcades, one of the best examples of the Hita folk architecture.

We will also see many brick facade houses of Mudejar tradition, which is the style that predominates throughout the whole

One of the sides is occupied by a wall that separates this plaza from that of Dona Endrina, which is several meters higher.

This difference in level warns us that all of Hita is uphill and that we should take the visit calmly and, of course, have good footwear.

Archpriest's House Museum in Hita

Very close to this square is the House of the Archpriest, a museum that shows the archaeological and ethnological wealth of Hita and its region. The importance of the figure of the archpriest is also reflected.

At the entrance of the House of the Archpriest is the tourist office, where the guided tours depart to visit the church, the wineries and the “bodegos”.

At the beginning of the route you pass by the ruins of St. Peter's church. Now there is little to see but it is worth knowing that for centuries it was the most important in Hita.

In the time of the archpriest there was another church, that of Santa Maria, in the upper neighborhood. The temple was demolished when this area, at the foot of the castle, became depopulated.

Church of San Juan Bautista in Hita

The current church is that of San Juan Bautista, which is from the 15th century. Inside, the roof stands out, especially the coffered ceiling of the Chapel of the Virgin.

We will see quite a few tombstones all over the pavement. Are the sepulchral slabs of the Hita noblemen and they were originally in the church of San Pedro.

They also brought the baptismal font of this temple and that is why in San Juan Bautista there are currently two fonts.

We leave the historic center through the upper part and follow a path.

In this part of the hill was the upper neighborhood of Hita, disappeared long ago when the population preferred to look for more comfortable places down the slope.

Here was the church where he practiced Juan Ruiz, the famous archpriest.

How to visit the Hita wineries, cave houses of medieval origin

Here we find the “bodegas”, which are cave houses of medieval origin and which have this name here. They are dug into the hillside, taking advantage of the fact that the rock is not very hard.

In the tour we can enter two “wine cellars”.

Its distribution is similar, with a central hallway from which the bedrooms and the kitchen emerge. The large room at the back was used as a barn and stable.

Although they were abandoned centuries ago, some residents of Hita returned to them after the destruction of their houses during the Civil War. They remained there until the early 60s.

Looking up, on top of the hill some stand out remains of the castle. The main reason for facing the climb is to enjoy the view from the top.

La tour ends in the Wall winery. There were once a hundred wineries dug into the rock, where the Jews raised and stored the wine produced in the region.

In the wineries the degree of humidity is high but the temperature is constant, which favors the conservation of the wine.

En the “bodegas” The temperature is more variable, but the humidity is low, which made them tolerable for habitation.

Map: how to get to Hita in Guadalajara

Hita is located 90 kilometers northeast of Madrid, just over an hour, and very close to Guadalajara.