The colour of the land, the colour of wool
To the north-east of the province of Segovia, on the border with Soria, Guadalajara and Burgos, lies the town of Ayllón, next to the mountain range of the same name and which gives the region its characteristic tone. Surrounded by land that is suitable for growing fruit and vegetables, as well as meadows, it is situated between the basins of the tributaries of the Duero ’ the Riaza and Aguisejo. Only one of the three gates, known as ‘El Arco’, remains standing, a testimony to its past as a fortified town.
The presence of the Moors in the town is referred to in the Cantar del Mío Cid. Following Alphonse VI’s victory over the Moors, the town enjoyed a period of great prosperity: the castle and walls were rebuilt, monasteries were founded and it became the capital of the borough.
Sites of particular interest include the main square, with its wooden arches, the Town Hall, the former palace of the Marquises of Villena; the Palace of the Bishop of Vellosillo and other noble homes that belonged to the Contreras family and Eugenia de Montijo; as well as religious buildings such as the ancient Romanesque Church of San Miguel or the Church of Santa María la Mayor.