Galisteo Historical Site

Galisteo is a town located 90 kilometres from Cáceres, by the River Jerte.

Its origins date back to the Roman and Moorish periods, although its golden age was between 1229 and 1837, when it was the village capital of the Galisteo Estate, whose territory included villages such as Pozuelo de Zarzón, Guijo de Galistero, Montehermoso and Carcaboso.

Remnants of its important past that still stand today include its wall, which still completely surrounds the old part of the town, next to which is the keep known as ‘La Picota’, considered the town’s greatest symbol.

The town, part of the Alagón Valley, still preserves the Almohad-period wall built using logs and pebbles from the river. It is known for its good state of repair and for the layout that remains intact, and it surrounds the entire historic centre of Galisteo.

In fact, the vast majority of the houses in this town are inside the wall. The Mudéjar apse of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción is also within the wall, built in the 13th century following Romanesque Mudéjar plans from Castile-León. The apse is formed by two sets of superimposed blind brick arches. The church’s nave was remodelled in the 16th century.

The Picota Tower is also a must-visit. This is the keep from the fortification the Christians built in the 14th century as part of the palace over the Almohad fortress. It gets its name – ‘picota’, or ‘peak’ – from the sharp point formed by the pyramid on an octagonal base featured on the top.

Besides locals and tourists, it is also common to see pilgrims around the town, since Galisteo is crossed by the Silver Route on the Mozarab Route to Santiago de Compostela.

In 1991 the municipality was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the Historical Site category.