Hornos de Segura

About Hornos de Segura

Hornos stands at 865 metres on a rock spur in the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, its cliffs falling towards the Tranco reservoir. Parts of its Moorish walls survive, with a bent gateway probably of Almohad date. Rodrigo Íñiguez, master of the Order of Santiago, took it in 1239. It became a Conjunto Histórico in 1985 and has about 560 residents.

The castle, built by the Order of Santiago around 1300 over Moorish work, keeps its keep, three square towers and an Arab cistern; it now houses the Cosmolarium astronomy museum and planetarium (€3–6). The Iglesia de la Asunción (1523–1549) has an early Plateresque doorway and Gothic vaults. Walk the Puerta de la Villa, the Parchel quarter and the Mirador del Aguilón beside the town hall.

Hornos is about 85 km east of Úbeda (1 hour 20 minutes) and 11 km from Segura de la Sierra; there is no practical bus. Park at the entrance below the walls: the steep, cobbled lanes rule out wheelchairs. An hour or two covers the village, more with the Cosmolarium. It suits walkers, families and stargazers.

Visit from April to June or in autumn; summer days are hot but nights cool. The San Roque fiestas in the second half of August bring vaquillas, young bulls, into the streets. Eat ajo pringue, gachamigas, chacinas and Sierra de Segura olive oil. Book the Cosmolarium's night-sky sessions ahead; a river pool on the Arroyo de los Molinos lies 2.5 km away.

Hornos de Segura in pictures

What you’ll find

• Car parkParkingFree
• CastleCastle entry (€3–€6, 10:30–18:30)Ticket
• ChurchChurch visitFree
• FestivalAnnual festivalFree
• Historic centreOld town walkFree
• Local foodLocal cuisineBuy
• Moorish quarterMoorish heritage walkFree
• Natural poolWild swimmingFree
• ViewpointSightseeingFree

Nearby places to visit

To the north, the Castillo de Segura de la Sierra (11 km) crowns Segura de la Sierra (11 km), the larger of the two Santiago strongholds. South along the Tranco reservoir, the islet castle of Bujaraiza rises from the water when levels are high, and the Collado del Almendral park shows deer in semi-freedom. Further on, the Río Borosa and Cerrada de Elías (26 km) trail starts near Torre del Vinagre, and the Cerrada del Utrero (37 km) faces a waterfall near Vadillo Castril. Iznatoraf (28 km), a walled hilltop village, lies to the west towards Úbeda.