Biar: the castle, the Asunción church façade and the old town gates

Biar’s castle stands above the historic centre, but the climb is not the only reason to visit. The church in the square and the former town gates reveal different periods in the town’s history, rather than forming a list of interchangeable «medieval monuments».

A castle built in stages

Biar’s heritage catalogue dates the lower part of the keep to the twelfth century and its upper section to the fifteenth. Inside, the intersecting-arch vault follows an Almohad tradition. Looking at differences between the tower and walls is more revealing than assigning the whole complex to one period.

From the square to the gateways

In Plaza de la Constitución, the Asunción church combines a Gothic structure with a Renaissance entrance. Look for shells, niches and small figures in its decoration. The Baroque Communion Chapel, associated with Pérez Castiel, adds a third layer to the building.

The gateways have alternative names that can be confusing on a map: the Castile gate is also the Arch of Jesús, while the Xàtiva gate is known as the Arch of San Roque. The surviving Torreta stands beside the former. The municipal arches route also includes the aqueduct, a piece of water infrastructure rather than another entrance to the town.

Our suggested approach is to locate the church and both gateways on the map first, then decide whether to add the castle interior. That leaves you with a town walk even if a castle visiting slot does not fit your plans. Extending the walk to the aqueduct means locating that separate landmark.