Trasmoz, a medieval village in northwestern Spain with fewer than 100 permanent residents, has transformed its historical reputation for witchcraft into a thriving cultural identity and tourist attraction.
Witchcraft Rooted in Rumor and Rebellion
Near the Aragonese town of Tarazona, clinging to a rocky hill crowned by a castle and backed by the snow-capped Moncayo mountain range, Trasmoz stands as Spain’s only village officially excommunicated and cursed by the Catholic Church. The village’s ties to witchcraft trace back to the 13th century, when castle residents were accused of counterfeiting coins. According to legend, they spread rumors that hammering sounds came from witches forging cauldrons, diverting suspicion from their illicit activities.
The first clash with the Catholic Church occurred around 1252, when the Monastery of Veruela excommunicated the village over disputes regarding timber harvesting rights. A second conflict erupted over 250 years later, when the monastery was accused of stealing Trasmoz’s water supply. After armed conflicts ended in Trasmoz’s favor, the monastery retaliated with a rare papal curse. Though technically barring residents from communion and sacraments, neither excommunication nor curse halted daily religious practice.
Witchcraft in Context: Comparing Regional Histories
The author traveled from Norfolk, England, known for its own witch trial history, to Trasmoz via Aragón. Aragón’s wild mountains and badlands contrast sharply with southern Spain’s coastal regions.
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While Trasmoz was home to two 19th-century families of healing women—the Cascas and Galgas—there was no history of mass hysteria or witch hunts. Local conversations revealed the village’s witch reputation stems mainly from rumors, politics, and tourism rather than documented persecution.
From Outcast to Celebration
Today, Trasmoz wears its rebellious past as a badge of honor. In 2000, locals founded the Asociación Cultural El Embrujo de Trasmoz to organize annual events celebrating the village’s magical heritage. These include Luz de las Ánimas on October 31, featuring pumpkin-carved skulls guiding spirits, and the Witchcraft Fair held each first Saturday of July.
Rubén Sola, who manages the vacation home Casa Rural El Horno, notes that the fair draws around 6,000 visitors for medieval-style reenactments of witch captures, trials, and the Curse of Trasmoz. During an off-season visit in January, the narrow stone streets remain quiet, lined with weathered buildings and decorations that blend whimsy with folklore rather than horror.
Residents like Lola Ruiz, the ninth “Witch of the Year,” see the title as a mark of pride. Her souvenir shop, Tiempo de Brujas, attracts visitors with playful signs and offerings such as protective seven-knot bracelets. Ruiz, whose daughter Nekane shares the distinction, emphasizes that being a witch in Trasmoz means contributing to the community and promoting local heritage.
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The modern celebration reverses a darker narrative rooted in female persecution. A monument in the castle courtyard honors La Tía Casca, a 19th-century herbalist murdered by an angry mob during an epidemic. As 2026’s Witch of the Year Noelia Macaya reflects, “Being a witch means being different,” echoing the autonomy once punished in women who healed and observed nature’s rhythms.
Healers, Herbs, and Hidden Histories
Within the castle’s keep, the Museo de la Brujería preserves artifacts tied to local traditions, including tools once used by the Cascas and Galgas families, two 19th-century households known for their knowledge of plants and healing practices. Though labeled witches by neighbors, their work centered on treating illness and aiding childbirth, skills passed down through generations.
Seasonal Rhythms and Shifting Populations
In January, foot traffic slows to a trickle, with only a handful of guests checking into Casa Rural El Horno, where Rubén Sola prepares meals using recipes inherited from his grandmother. She once sold herbal teas at the fairground, he recalls, long before the event became a reenactment spectacle. Now, her great-niece manages the cheese stall at monthly markets, offering varieties infused with wild thyme and rosemary gathered from nearby hillsides.