This village is one of the main stopping points on the Aragonese section for the Santiago Pilgrimage Route. It is situated in the lower part of the Upper Aragon Valley at an altitude of 921 metres and its Romanesque church of St Michael is at the heart of its historical importance.

The remains of a medieval cemetery with headstones can still be seen next to the north wing, along with those of the old rectory, a small meadow to the south, the sill of the doorway and the top section of the belltower. Next to the church are the remains of a medieval fortress. It was initially built as a signalling tower in the late Roman period, to defend the Somport road. It was inherited by the Visigoths and later became the frontline against the Moors and crucial to the valley’s defences together with its castle. In the 18th- and 19th-century travelogues of journeys through romantic Spain, one of the essential stopovers between the frontier and Jaca was the “Venta de Carruajes” or Carriage Inn in Castiello de Jaca. It was a meeting point for travellers, merchants, pilgrims and residents of the surrounding valleys. Even today the inn si still a popular meeting point.

Castiello de Jaca is known on the Santiago Pilgrimage Route as the “place of one hundred relics”. These have been kept here since the beginning of Christianity. They are kept in a silver chest next to the sagrarium of the main altar of the church of St Michael. The legend states that a pilgrim from Valencia was unable physically or spiritually to continue his journey to Santiago and in thanks to the people of Castiello, gave all his belongings to the town hall and the families that had helped him. The mayor still keeps the key to the chest of relics which are only shown once a year, on the first Sunday in July.

Sporting events
Castiello was one of the first villages to host an international cycling race which took place every year over the course of ten years. At present, on the weekend closest to St Michael’s Day (september 29), it holds a half marathon race which enjoys a certain prestige in the national calendar. Its sporting facilities include a footbal pitch, a swimming pool and riding stables.

La Garcipollera
Castiello de Jaca, on the confluence of the Ijuez and Aragon rivers, is the natural, historical and geographic doorway to the Garcipollera valley. After a process of compulsory purchase by the state for reforestation, all the villages in the valley except Bescós and Villanovilla were abandoned and lie presently in ruins. Nevertheless, the Garcipollera valley has a number of tracks and paths which can be explored on foot, on mountain bikes or on horseback. In this way we can enjoy the old stands of oak and pine amidst the new plantations, the magnificent herds of grazing deer, the famous wild boar of Acín and a multitude of other species that live in this natural environment. At the head of the valley we come across the ancient monastery of Santa María de Iguacel of which only the beautifully-restored 11th-century Romanesque church remains.

Other villages in the municipality: Aratorés

Text taken from the Jacetania Area Signposting Plan. 2001-2006