Jaca Old Town, Cathedral & Citadel
Jaca
The early capital of the Kingdom of Aragon, with the Romanesque Cathedral of San Pedro and a five-pointed star-shaped citadel.
Jaca is the central city of the western Aragonese Pyrenees, at about 820 m above sea level. It was an early capital of the Kingdom of Aragon and an important city on the Aragonese stretch of the Camino de Santiago. The Cathedral of San Pedro was begun under King Sancho Ramírez in the late 11th century and is regarded as one of Spain's earliest Romanesque cathedrals. The Christ symbol on its south portal and the chessboard motif of Jaca later spread widely along the pilgrimage route. The diocesan museum in the cloister houses Romanesque and Gothic murals. The citadel was begun in 1592. It is star-shaped with five arrow-shaped bastions and a moat, where deer live, and inside is a museum of military miniatures. Tickets cost about 8–10 euros, and guided tours are available. The main street, Mayor Street, leads to the bell tower and can be walked end to end. Nearby you can visit the San Juan de la Peña monastery.
Opening hours
Old town open all day; castle and diocesan museum hours vary by season, check official website
Nearby sights
- Loarre Castle
- Hecho Valley & Selva de Oza
- Cascada del Sorrosal
- Valle de Otal
- Torla
- San Nicolás de Bujaruelo
- Ordesa Valley
- Mirador de Calcilarruego