Castro de Hocincavero (Anguita)

A small, well-defended hillfort

In the municipality of Anguita, perched above a steep ravine, lies the castro de Hocincavero, locally also referred to as Los Castillejos. The occupied area does not reach one hectare, but its setting on one of the highest and most naturally defended heights afforded comprehensive observation over arable fields and rich pastures.

Defensive layout

The terrain slopes naturally. To the west, the sheer ravine drop provides natural defence; consequently, constructed defences were concentrated on the south and east sides. It has been studied in comparative context with two other hillforts of similar architecture in the province, located some 20 kilometres apart.

Archaeological excavations

The site was excavated by Barroso and Díez Rotea, who published their findings in 1991 and 1998. Nearby landmarks include the La Cerca Roman camp and La Cava. Read more in Celtiberia.

Visiting

A clear distinction must be made: among all the Celtiberian hillforts in the Señorío, only two are genuinely prepared for visitors, El Ceremeño in Herrería and Peña Moñuz in Olmeda de Cobeta. Hocincavero has received little conditioning for the public: it is unadapted, virtually unsignposted, and what remains visible on the surface is very difficult to interpret without specialist guidance. If you visit, stay on the paths, do not climb on the walls, and do not remove anything from the ground.