Attractions and Places To See around El Carpio De Tajo - Top 17

The Melque Complex is a historical and archaeological site located near San Martín de Montalbán, in the province of Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha. This complex includes the church of Santa María de Melque, which is one of the best preserved Visigothic churches in Spain. The monastic complex of Melque was built at the end of the 7th century or beginning of the 8th century and has gone through various historical stages, including its use as a fortification during the Islamic period. The church and its surroundings were declared a Site of Cultural Interest, with the category of Historical Site. To visit the Melque Complex, you can do so from Tuesday to Sunday, with hours that vary depending on the season. In addition, there is an interpretation center that offers detailed information about the history and evolution of the site.

Malpica Castle is the most emblematic construction of the Toledo town of Malpica de Tajo. It is an impressive fortification of Arab origin built in the 14th century. Made of brick and surrounded by several moats and the waters of the Tagus, it stands out for the solidity and strength of its structure.

No place on the peninsula like Santa María de Melque takes us back to the High Middle Ages. Its architecture not only shows us the last example of the Roman world, but also has elements of oriental buildings from Syria and Jordan. Walking through its floor, chapels and rooms, going through its horseshoe arches and contemplating the remains of the decoration and the founder's sarcophagus constitutes a true journey through time. The Church of Santa María de Melque is built in irregularly cut granite masonry, with angled pieces to solve some adjustments. The walls, made of ashlars of unequal size, but very well worked, are extremely robust, reaching thicknesses of 1.40 meters.

This castle, privately owned by the Duchy of Arion, is not open to the public and cannot be visited inside, although it is probably worth it since it has the peculiarity of having been continuously inhabited for centuries. The most we can do is surround it or observe it from the opposite bank of the river, which gives it an unusual atmosphere in the medieval architecture of the Iberian Peninsula.

Built by the Arabs in the 10th century as part of a set of defensive fortifications and later converted into a residential palace, the Malpica castle is one of the few in Spain that is located on the banks of a river, and in this case nothing less than the Tagus. Unfortunately it is private property and you cannot enter it, but it is nonetheless an attractive building that stands out when you cross the bridge to enter the town from where you will have the best views of it.

This section of path that joins the Cambrón and Enebros viewpoints located at the southern end of the ravine path, offers privileged views of the entire ravine, its curious natural formation and the Castrejón reservoir, a whole dream complex.

Next to the church of Santa María de Melque is the oldest monastic site in the Iberian Peninsula. Its ruins date from the 7th century and were built on the foundations of an ancient Roman villa. It is a site full of history that deserves to be visited and its access is free of charge.

The parish church of San Cipriano stands on top of the hill where the town lies, standing out among olive and cereal fields irrigated with the waters of the nearby Tagus riverbed. Cebolla is part of the region of Talavera de la Reina and, among its narrow and twisting streets, you can find a variety of services for the intern.