ARCHIVED - Sunday 15th March a full day in Lorca for 12€ exploring its Jewish, Moorish and Christian roots

Lorca Judía, Cristiana y Califal includes the 15th century synagogue, a 10^th century Moorish palace and the church of San Patricio

A full day in Lorca with entry fees paid for just 12 euros!

On the first Saturday and third Sunday of every month visitors to the historic city of Lorca are invited to join a series of visits which illustrate the multi-cultural and multi-religious nature of life in the city during the Middle Ages, focusing on its Moorish, Jewish and Christian past.

Buildings in the city we see today show the fusion of more than 2,000 years of habitation and those interested in stepping inside the doors of the municipal archaeological museum as well can travel back several thousand years more!

However, this visit focuses on the period which began when Moorish forces from northern Africa arrived in Spain in 711 AD to assist feuding Visigoth invaders to resolve their leadership dispute, but rapidly took advantage of the unstable situation encountered to claim large swathes of Spain, including what is now the Murcia Region, as their own.

It took 500 years to eject them from the Murcia Region, and their place was taken by the Christian troops of northern Spain, who claimed Murcia and consolidated their fortifications in Lorca in order to continue the fight against the last Nazrid troops in their Granada stronghold.

The visits start at the Palacio Califal, a Moorish palace of which the remains have been found beneath the convent church of the Virgen de las Huertas, and which dates from before the Christian “Reconquista” of what is now the Region of Murcia in the 1240s.

The presence of an important Jewish community in medieval Lorca is reflected by the discovery of the remains of a 15^th-century synagogue within the walls of the castle, and this is another of the sites included in the “Lorca Judía, Cristiana y Califal” tour, while the Christian element is provided by the former Collegiate Church of San Patricio, where restoration work has now been completed following the extensive damage suffered in the earthquakes of 2011.

The timetable for visits is as follows

Between 11.00 to 12.00 visitors are free to visit the former Collegiate Church of San Patricio without a guide (approximately 30 minutes).

12.30: Guided tour of the Palacio Califal beneath the Convento de la Virgen de las Huertas (lasts approximately one hour and a quarter: in Spanish).

10.30 to 17.30: Lorca castle is open to all of those registered to take part in the tour (without a guide, although there is an audioguide in English, which takes approximately one hour and a quarter). Last admission at 16.30. During this time it is also possible to visit the archaeological museum which contains an interesting collection of artifacts from all three periods. Click Lorca Archaeological Museum

16.30: Guided tour of the 15^th-century synagogue inside the castle (approximately 40 minutes in Spanish).

(NOTE: participants are required to make their own way from one venue to the next).

The cost of joining this event is 12 euros for adults and children aged 13 or over with entry fees paid for all three locations and the guide fees for the Convento de la Virgen de las Huertas and the Jewish Synagogue inside the Lorca castle complex. Younger children may accompany adults free of charge and children aged between 5 and 12 years of age pay 5€.

For those who hold an “Amig@ Lorca Taller del Tiempo” card the price is reduced to 4.75 euros.

The commentary is in Spanish, but an English audioguide is available inside the castle downloaded onto mobile phones within the price of the package.

To book. Click here for link, NB Click Comprar entrada individual to purchase ticket and make a reservation.) or via the tourist office. Call 968 47 90 03 or 968 441 914 with any queries.

Click here for further information about visiting the Lorca municipality, the venues mentioned above and its tourist attractions: LORCA TODAY

Click here to see all what's on and tours in the Lorca municipality.