A gaol at the heart of the town
For centuries, the Prison Tower was Onda's gaol. The building, which forms part of the historic complex of the Plaça de l'Almudí, served as a place of detention from the medieval period until relatively recent times. The image of a gaol in the middle of the town's main square was not unusual in medieval urban organisation, where civil authority and the maintenance of order were exercised from the very centre of the community.
It is one of the few examples of this kind preserved in the Valencian Community. Many medieval towns had their prisons in similar towers, but few have survived in a condition that allows visitors inside. The restoration of the Prison Tower of Onda, which began with the 2020 museological plan and the 2021 building works, was a determined commitment to recovering this singular heritage.
When later additions were removed during the restoration, engravings appeared on the walls: messages and drawings left by those imprisoned here, centuries ago.
What you can see
The tower has three floors, each with its own character. The restoration recovered the original elements and added an interpretation that helps to understand how the building was used over time.
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First floor
The window and the square
An 18th-century carved wooden window looks out over the Plaça de l'Almudí. From here you can appreciate the building's position within the historic ensemble.
Source: Onda Town Council. -
Second floor
The cells
The space where prisoners were confined. It retains the appearance of a gaol cell and is the heart of the visit. One of the best examples of medieval penal architecture in the Valencian Community.
Source: Onda Town Council. -
Third floor
The clock room
A more recently built room housing the machinery of the square's clock, installed in 1940. A curious contrast between the building's prison history and its function as a civil bell tower.
Source: Onda Town Council.
The visit also includes a recreated 17th-18th century cell with period furnishings, helping visitors to imagine conditions of imprisonment during that era.
The permanent exhibition also holds a unique copy of La sentència dels cinc jutges, printed in 1597. A piece of considerable heritage value: it sheds light on how justice worked in Onda, what laws governed daily life, and what the town's economic and social fabric looked like at the time.
Theatrical guided tours
In addition to the free-roaming visit, the Town Council periodically organises theatrical guided tours combined with the Castle of Onda. These are guided walks in which actors re-enact historical scenes in the actual spaces. It is worth checking the Onda Turisme programme before your visit to see whether one of these activities coincides with your stay.
Where it is and how to get there
The tower is at Plaça de l'Almudí, 9, in the very heart of Onda's historic quarter. It is unmistakable: it is the building with the clock on the corner of the arcaded square. There is parking in the streets of the newer town and along the boulevard, from where you can walk there in under ten minutes.
For information and bookings for theatrical tours: 964 60 28 55 or [email protected].