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Sacedón is situated in the Castilla-La Mancha heartland of Spain, in the province of 
Guadalajara, some 100kms from Madrid. The village has been inhabited for centuries,perhaps from as early as Roman times.
It's likely that the name Sacedón comes from Sauces-on and means Place of the Willow Trees.
The village is surrounded by three man-made reservoirs: Entrepeñas, Bolarque and Buendia, among rosemary scented hills, dotted here and there with olive groves, pine trees and vineyards.
Today, Sacedón is a popular inland tourist resort. Just over 1,600 people live in the village for
much of the year. But that number doubles during the summer with an influx of tourists.
Visitors can enjoy the spectacular surroundings with a range of outdoor activities - such as fishing, sailing, canoeing, swimming, hill walking, rock climbing and pony trekking.
Our Lady of the Assumption Church was built in the 1600's. Much of the inside of this
Renaissance-style church was damaged during the Spanish Civil War.
The Monument of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands overlooking the village and reservoir. It was inaugurated in October 1956, and once contained plaques with the names of those who died during the construction of the dams.
The Mariblanca is the ancient white marble statue that stands near the church. It's thought to be of the Roman goddess, Victoria, deity of victory, and was donated by the Prado Museum in Madrid to adorn the gardens of the Royal Palace of Isabela. The statue was moved to Sacedón in 1957, after the palace
and grounds were flooded.
The Holy Face of God Hermitage was built in 1744 on the exact spot where a vision of Christ's face is said to have appeared on the wall of a former hostel on 29th August 1689.
The local bullring was opened in 1910, and is one of the oldest in the Province of Guadalajara. It can hold just under 4,000 spectators.
The local wine (Viña Sacedón) has been made in the village since the 16th Century. Around 450,000 litres of this Tempranillo wine are produced each year.
The Entrepeñas Reservoir, with its aquamarine waters, was formed after the construction of a dam in 1956 across the River Tajo. Stretching for 50km north, the surrounding farmland, a small village and one of the Spanish royal family's summer palaces, were submerged.Looking down river from the dam is the lush mountain gorge, known as the Throat of Hell, and the River Tajo, the longest river in Spain, meandering lazily through poplar lined meadows below. Legend has it that this ravine was formed when the ground opened up to swallow the Roman goddess Diana, who was enraged after realising the countryside was more beautiful than her.
Spanning the River Tajo, is the so-called Roman Bridge. It's not that old-and was really built in 1461. The bridge featured prominently in the War of Independence, when the Spanish were fighting the French Napoleonic troops.
Further afield, the Royal Palace of Isabela and Baths of Sacedón can still be visited 
when the level of the reservoir drops. The baths were opened in 1827, and became renowned in Spain for the healing medicinal properties of the rich mineral water - reputed to be able to cure nervous disorders, upset stomachs, rheumatism and breathing illnesses. In 1861, over one-thousand people visited the baths in that year alone. The palace and gardens were abandoned in March 1955, before being flooded following the construction of the Buendia dam.
- Sacedón is situated 740m above sea level, and the hill that overlooks it is 948m above sea level.
- In the 1970's the man who later became the promoter and creator of Benidorm came up with the idea of building apartment blocks around the lakes near Sacedón. But it never took off. Undeterred, he took his idea to the east
coast of Spain, where he had greater success. - The waters of the River Tajo are used by the metal-smiths of Toledo to apparently give added strength to the swords they forge. The weapons have been used in Hollywood films: Lord of the Rings, The Last Samurai, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
- The main week long fiestas in Sacedón are held at the end of August, in honour of the Holy Face of God. People come from far and wide to take part and watch the religious parades, bull-fights, bull-runs, parties, and fairs.
