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The municipality of Sos del Rey Católico, in the northwestern region of the province of Aragon, is situated in the sector of the "Five Towns", just before the Onsella Valley. Its population has declined from 3,700 inhabitants in 1930 to just 1,000 inhabitants today.
The Pierre Feliciana, the rock on which the village is built, bears witness to the town's evolution from the original castle which was later transformed into the fortress, still visible today. In the 10th century, this building was part of a defence system between Christian Spain and the Upper Border of Al-Andalus.A Royal seat in 975 and assimilated, in 1044, to the Kingdom of Aragon by King Ramiro I, in 1452, Sos del Rey was the birthplace of King Fernando II of Aragon, known as Fernand the Catholic, one of the most important monarchs in the history of Spain.
Sos del Rey Católico, classified as a historic and artistic site in 1968, is a symphony of stone and a lesson in Romanesque art and Renaissance architecture. On its 23,000 hectares of land, agriculture and mountainbased animal husbandry have gradually given way to a service sector in construction and tourism.Currently, the municipality is following an ISO 14001 certification procedure.
In partnership with public and private bodies, the municipality has collected sufficient funds to promote a number of different projects, notably:
- rehabilitation of buildings by reclaiming ruins and favouring the creation of principal residences and services (health centre, youth hostel, media library, congress centre and interpretation centre).
- participation in the Pre-Pyrenean network of museums, "TerritorioMuseo", which combines heritage management, employment creation for young people and quality tourism.
- Social and cultural actions such as the "Fair of rural alternatives", an annual meeting place on the subject of crafts and an environmentally friendly economy and the Festival "Luna Lunera", host to local and internationally renowned artists.
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