In 2014, the Atalaya de Quintanilla was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest with the category of monument. In addition, a protected area has been delimited due to its location from where it dominates a wide landscape, which includes the Castle of Gormaz, Alcubilla del Marques and San Esteban.

The site where the watchtower is located enjoys an excellent panoramic view, which makes it a scenic viewpoint of great spatial projection. To visit it from Quintanilla, take a road heading south (towards Pedraja) and, after about 2 km, turn off to the west up a hill where the watchtower is located. It is a cylindrical tower 4.8 m in diameter, 10 m high and with walls 1 m thick. The gate is located at a height of 2.5 m and is accessed by a staircase. It consists of three distinct floors and at the top you can enjoy an unbeatable view. The Duero River, Quintanilla, San Esteban de Gormaz, the watchtowers of Osma and the Castle of Gormaz will transport the visitor to the past, to a time when Extremadura was one of the most important areas of the Peninsula.

The watchtower is more than a millenary symbol or the architectural reference of the town. It has history and tradition. In its beginnings, after the irruption of the Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula (year 711), its territory was quickly controlled. There is hardly any news about this area during the first years of its establishment, but the desire for occupation led them to establish a border line that coincided precisely with the Duero valley. This meant the creation of an unpopulated area as a strategic operational strip, although this does not mean that there were not still some strongholds dedicated to agricultural work.

Throughout history, the Watchtower has witnessed various battles and disputes. Battles that took place on the ground and in the courts. Its terrain was marked by the passage of a branch of the Cañada Real.

La Atalaya is also the meeting place of the oldest tradition known in the village. This is a pilgrimage that used to take place on the eve of the Ascension and has now been moved to the Saturday before this commemoration. It is customary that only men go in procession from the village hermitage, where they have previously heard mass, to the Atalaya carrying the banner, the standard and the Cross. All of this takes place amidst prayers, litanies and bell tolls. At the meeting point, a lunch is held among those present in harmony and cordiality until the subsequent return to the village.

The inside of the church can be visited. To access the upper area and enjoy the marvellous views of the Ribera del Duero in Soria, you have to go up (and down) two flights of steep stairs.

Treat yourself to a climb to the top of the Atalaya! Play at recognising everything that can be seen from this strategic point… The panoramic view is spectacular!