Castillo de los Moros, Falces

Between the Pilón and Busierra ravines, at the foot of the Salvador hermitage, are the ruins of the Falces castle, one of the oldest fortresses in Navarre.

Its history seems to go back to the 8th century. However, the first written reference to the castle dates back to the 9th century; in a story by the writer Ibn al Athuir, before the advances of the emir Muhammad I in the year 860 in the kingdom of Pamplona, ​​against García Iñiguez, it is mentioned as Falhasan. Between the years 714 and 850 Falces was a Muslim place, so the aforementioned advance meant its occupation again until the year 914.

Subsequently, due to its strategic and border location in the Ribera Alta, the town remained a Christian tenure against the Muslims who controlled the lands south of the Ebro until the beginning of the 12th century, installing the Navarrese kings in the castle with their barracks-palace. .

In 1380, after the first Castilian invasion, the castle was fortified; in 1512 it underwent a new remodeling; and it remained in force until the 16th century, even after the incorporation of Navarre into Castile. From then on its decline began. In the 18th century, faced with the danger of collapse, a partial demolition was carried out; In the 19th century, only the primitive tower that crowned the hill remained standing; Currently it is an example of a rock castle with caves and galleries.