<p><strong>Heritage</strong></p>
In the square of the Church of Santa Bárbara were once located the centers of power and urban life in Gúdar, although its location has not always been this one. Gúdar originally stood atop the Peña Magdalena. Possibly at the end of the Middle Ages, the first suburbs and houses began to appear.
Along the ascent, one would find the first gateway to “Medieval Gúdar.” These rocky layers would have served as the wall or palisade protecting the settlement. The rear of the houses stood on the edge of this rocky outcrop. Beyond this first defensive line, on the left side, some of the village houses began to appear.
The most important defensive structures were those of the Castle—strategically located on an isolated rock with a moat, later used as a quarry to build houses and other structures.The castle was of Islamic origin and later became Christian. Its stones were reused for the construction of the current village.
The Church is built on the remains of the old cemetery. It is a single-nave church, currently smaller than the original. This is evident from the walled-up archway at the entrance, on the left side, now occupied by the cemetery. Clearly, as was the case in many other places, the church was one of the last elements to be moved downhill. The present church dates from the 18th century, so religious services were probably held in the original location until its construction.
Gúdar’s importance during the Islamic and early Christian periods was likely due to its location near an important route crossing the Sierra, which had two branches.