Badón Castle and Tower of the Old Church of Fayón

About this heritage

Badón Castle, also known as Mequinenza Castle, is a medieval fortress located in Fayón, in the Bajo Cinca region, in the province of Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain. This castle, although less known than others in the region, has a rich history and was an important strategic point during several periods of conflict on the Iberian Peninsula.

Right in front is the old tower of the church of Fayón, one of the few remains left of the old town of Fayón. The old Fayón was abandoned and partially flooded due to the construction of the Riba-roja reservoir in 1967, which forced the urban center to be relocated to a new site at a higher elevation.

To learn more

This is a castle located above the old Fayón, not far from the hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, situated on a higher elevation. It consists of a rather narrow and elongated walled enclosure as it adapts to the mound on which it stands. At its highest point, the ruins of a rectangular-plan tower can be seen, already very reduced, with 8 arrow slits. Inside, remains of a wall that would divide it into two distinct spaces stand.

On the lower floor, the perimeter enclosure of the castle is preserved (width of 70 – 80 cm). The best-preserved walls are located in the north and west areas. Some of them exceed 2.5 m in height, showing about six arrow slits, which have been transformed into cannon embrasures, probably during the Carlist Wars to monitor the old access road to the secular Fayón. The rest of the walls do not rise more than 1 m. On the east wall, 5 arrow slits are still documented at the 1.5 m height it maintains.

The castle would have two access doors, a small gate on the north face (1 m wide), under the keep tower, and a second door, very degraded, on the south face. Access to the castle would be from the old town of Fayón via a narrow stepped path carved into the natural rock.

In the lower areas, remains of other defensive enclosures can be seen that may have been built during the Carlist Wars for the surveillance of the Ebro River.

The tower of the church of San Juan Evangelista of the old town that emerges from the waters of the Ribarroja reservoir is Renaissance style, with a third square stone body featuring a pair of projecting columns on each side and semicircular arched openings where the bells were housed. At the top, a fourth octagonal brick body with smaller semicircular arched openings on four of the eight sides. It is topped by an octagonal metal spire with a weather vane. It preserves a wooden yoke hanging from one of its windows and the clock face, which appears to have lost one of its hands.

To know it better

The tower of the church of Fayón is more than an architectural structure; it is a monument to the history and resilience of a community. Its solitary presence in the landscape transformed by the Riba-roja reservoir serves as a constant reminder of the changes that can occur in the name of progress and the importance of preserving historical memory.

Meanwhile, although not as well known as other castles in Aragón, Badón Castle has significant historical value and is a point of interest for history and archaeology enthusiasts. Its location on a hill overlooking the Ebro makes it a picturesque and evocative place of the region's medieval past.

The castle is accessible to visitors interested in exploring historical ruins and enjoying panoramic views of the surroundings. Visitors are advised to exercise caution due to the ruinous state of some parts of the structure.

Occasionally, guided tours and special events are organized highlighting the castle's historical importance and allowing visitors to learn more about its past and role in the region's history. These events are an opportunity to relive history and better understand the context in which the castle was built and used.

Badón Castle in Fayón is a silent testimony to the centuries of history that have shaped the Aragón region. Through its preservation and study, the memory of medieval times and the various peoples and cultures that inhabited and defended these lands is kept alive.