When you have reached the highest point of Onda you understand, but you understand it because you see it . The location is a spectacle and so are suddenly justified the past and the location. Behind a mantle of mountains, a mountain range in saw teeth that extends throughout its width; facing the Mediterranean, after the flat of Castellón. In just twenty kilometers the peaks and hills of the Sierra de swordsman with the blue of the sea. And the view suffices it all.
wrapped in mountains –from Tossal del Ferrer to Peña Parda; del Espino al Montí–, Onda perfectly preserves the structure of the old medieval village : narrow, cobbled and steep streets (it has the three essential “e's” for a good visit) that lead to the castle.
Almudín Square, Onda (Castellón).
But in the way up is the prize , because behind a corner a small square appears or after passing the arch of a street, the surprising gurgle from a fountain that was the gateway to the three neighborhoods of the city. And so in that hubbub of streets is entangling the old town up to the crown of walls on top.
WHAT TO SEE ON ONDA
The visit –or at least the official route– starts in the Plaza del Almudin , a square that in its day was the heart of the town thanks to the grain trade and that continues to be so today thanks to the terraces and the bars under the porches . Originally a closed square, it was accessed through the four streets in the four corners and inside trade bustled: grain, meat, spices, etc.
The pointed arches they saw deals and haggling for sales until the 19th century; Today, as a witness of time, it remains intact the fountain in the center of the square. But it is in the details that history (and stories) is savored, and in the square there are signs that describe the passage of time, such as the gothic chairs on the facades of the houses or the perimeter of the cells in the old prison under the Clock tower.
A VILLA WHERE THREE CULTURES MEET
The route continues through a tangle of alleys full of doorways, balconies covered with colored tiles and niches and images on the facades that serve as chapels , and between fountains and churches a few meters separate the Jewish quarter from the old Arab quarter. Impossible not to notice the church of San Vicente; emblem of the neighborhood that once welcomed the Muslims who decided not to go into exile.
Onda Castle, Castellón.
Over a winding path and crowded with houses , stands a picturesque enclave that adds history and character to the city and is crowned by the church, built in its day on what was an old mosque . Nearby is the Plaza de la Sinagoga, erased from the map by the passage (and weight) of the years, but the proportions of the temple are intuited thanks to the secondary entrances and the south gates of the old wall of Onda.
And we continue on the route overcoming concentric rings, because the end of the walk ends at the top of the castle, but as we warned: the prize is to get to the top, and go deciphering the old town . Narrower, cobbled and steeper, Escutcheons of the Gats they are the last entrance before the castle. These access stairs that run parallel to the old Islamic wall served shelter and collection for the people who lived in farmhouses outside the walls, and came to Onda in search of protection against any attack.
A strong aroma of rosemary and thyme marks the final point. In small compact bushes that sprout from the stones, the smell is intense before sighting the alcazaba from a position of privilege. The dimensions of the old castle and the spaces occupied by each room can be seen and distinguished perfectly, and looking at the remains of the old castle today is like reading a map of fortified architecture.
Sitjar Reservoir, Castellón.
A HAVEN OF CALM AND PEACE
Enjoying seeing historical constructions is fine, reviewing (and imagining) the historical and aesthetic journey that has taken us to where we are; but get carried away the peace and calm of nature may be even better . And in Onda, you can also because in the direction of Ribesalbes lies a reservoir as large as it is beautiful, surrounded by mountains and pine trees: the Sitjar reservoir . The land that surrounds it is privileged in clay, and hence the pottery tradition characteristic of the area, which has given (and gives) a fantastic quality to the material.
From here they open so many possibilities as the desire to explore and explore the environment, because before our eyes appears the natural park of the Sierra de Espadán and getting lost in a forest of pines, cork oaks and holm oaks is as pleasant as doing it among thickets of rockrose, heather or hawthorn. That is letting nature catch you and make you part of the environment; it is ultimately to merge with the environment . On foot or on horseback, the decision is up to the consumer, but the pleasure and feeling of well-being just as indescribable.