Teruel - Iglesia de San Pedro

The place, once inhabited by Celtiberians, was taken by the Romans. In the 8th century, the Arab-Moorish armies advanced into the area and gave it the name Tirwal. In 1171, the Aragonese king Alfonso II conquered Tirwal with the intention of strengthening his kingdom's southern border after the Almohads captured the city of Valencia. He “founded” Teruel what empowered him to facilitate the repopulation of the region.

After the inhabitants took part in the conquest of Valencia, Teruel was granted the title of city in 1347 by Pedro IV of Aragon. In the Middle Ages, the Jewish and Mudejar communities gained significant importance in the city's social and economic life.

During the Spanish Civil War, the city changed hands several times and was virtually destroyed. The German Junkers Ju-87 dive bombers were used for the first time in the Battle of Teruel. After the final conquest by Franco's troops, the infamous Condor Legion also briefly used the airfield. It is estimated, that the two sides suffered up to 140,000 casualties between them in the three-month battle.

Today Teruel is a thriving town with a population of about 36.000.

In 1220 disciples of Saint Francis of Assisi founded a Franciscan monastery in Teruel, whose hermitage was demolished on the orders of the Archbishop of Zaragoza to begin building of this church in 1392.

Los amantes de Teruel

The "Lovers of Teruel" is a romance story that is alleged to have taken place in 1217. There were two wealthy families, Marcilla and Segura. Diego Marcilla and Isabel a Segura were in love but Isabel's father forbade the marriage. Diego, however, was able to make an agreement with the father in which he would leave Teruel for five years to try to build his fortune. If Diego was able to gain wealth within those five years he would be able to marry his love, Isabel. During those five years, Isabel's father pestered her to marry someone. She replied to him by saying that God wished her to remain a virgin until she turned twenty. Because her father loved her dearly he agreed, and for five years they waited for Diego's return.

Diego was not heard from in those five years and so on the day of the five years' close Isabel's father married her to Don Pedro de Azagra. Right after the wedding ceremony there was a commotion at the gate. The watchmen informed the village that Diego Marcilla had returned with great riches and with the intent of marrying Isabel. Diego had not counted the day in which he petitioned Isabel's father whereas the Seguras had.
That night, Diego sneaked into the bedroom of Isabel and her husband and gently awoke her. He pleaded to her, "Kiss me for I am dying" and she refused, saying "God would not wish me to deceive my husband".

He begged her one last time, saying that he was dying and wished for a final kiss. But still she refused, so with a sigh he died on her feet. When she realized that he died, she woke her husband, telling him and how he lay dead beside the bed. They agreed on burying him in the San Pedro church. During the funeral Isabel showed up dressed in her wedding dress. She proceeded to walk to the front of the church and place a kiss on the man whom she had refused but in doing so Isabel died, falling prostrate on the body of the man whom she loved.

The two deaths caused by love got buried side by side so that at least in death they could be together. The fame of the couple soon spread through Spain and in 1560 their mummies were exhumed and placed in the tombs where they now rest.

The lovers´ hands don´t touch each other