Mas del Labrador: A historical legacy in Valjunquera

The Mas del Labrador is a former municipality with a documented history dating back to at least 1585. For centuries, it functioned as an independent municipal entity, housing around a hundred inhabitants from the 17th century until the early 20th, albeit with population fluctuations.

However, in the mid-19th century, the Mas del Labrador was annexed to the neighbouring town of Valjunquera. The ravages of the Spanish Civil War left the village practically destroyed by fierce fighting. After the war, only two or three families held on, until in the 1960s the village became completely deserted, becoming a silent testament to its past.

The current ruins of the Mas del Labrador are arranged around the imposing parish church of San Juan Bautista, which still presides over the ensemble. Despite the deterioration, some of the former dwellings retain notable architectural features, such as ashlar masonry facades and voussoir doorways, reflecting the traditional construction of the era.

The history of the Mas del Labrador is also marked by its resilience and its role in significant events. In 1834, during the first Carlist Wars, the population suffered the direct consequences of the conflict, with the arrest of the mayor and a councillor for refusing a financial demand. More recently, in the 1990s, the charm and historical atmosphere of the Mas del Labrador made it an ideal setting for the filming of "Libertarias", directed by Vicente Aranda and starring figures such as Ana Belén and Victoria Abril, recreating key moments of the Spanish Civil War.

In the late 1990s, the Mas del Labrador also regained a sense of community through the tradition of a romería de hermandad held every August, bringing together the neighbouring localities of Valdeltormo and Valjunquera in this place of deep history.