The Lonja, la Presoneta and la Botera: a historic legacy in Beceite

At the beginning of Villaclosa street, also known as la Botera, we find two buildings of great historical significance: the town hall's "lonja" (porticoed hall) and la Presoneta, which currently houses the Beceite Visitors Centre.

This architectural ensemble has witnessed significant transformations throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Originally, this site functioned as a fortified gateway with a tower, serving as the main entrance to the town's ancient castle.

La Presoneta stands out in particular for its past function as a defensive tower protecting the entrance of the gateway. Architectural features such as its arrow slits and an arch connecting its façade to that of the former lonja are clear vestiges of its strategic importance in the defence of the village.

Positioned strategically at this gateway, the town hall's lonja stands to the left, while the former square extends to the right. Facing them, a street stretched in a straight line until it reached another defensive structure, known as "La Torreta".

During the 17th and 19th centuries, la Presoneta progressively lost its defensive role to become a jail. Its function was particularly notorious during the first of the Carlist Wars. During this turbulent period, the Carlist general Cabrera imprisoned three liberal women as brutal reprisal for the execution of his mother. Two of them met their tragic end at la partida del Martinet in Valderrobres, while the third obtained her freedom thanks to the pleas of her father, an influential Carlist officer from Beceite.

Villaclosa street, popularly known as the la Botera neighbourhood, has a fascinating history and a revealing etymological meaning. Its name, "Villaclosa", means enclosed village, a detail that connects directly with a curious tradition from Beceite's past.

In former times, some of the houses on this street had their main façade facing the square, closing off the space. Most peculiar of all is that every inhabitant of the village had the right of passage through the interior of these houses to reach the Plaza Mayor, a practice that underscores the tight-knit community and interconnection in the Beceite of old.

Visiting the Presoneta visitors centre requires prior booking at Beceite town hall.