Maestrat

Maestrat, sometimes rendered Maestrat or Maestrazgo, is a historical and geographic region in eastern Spain. The name is traditionally used to describe the borderlands associated with the Maestrazgo and, in modern usage, the northern part of the province of Castellón in the Valencian Community and the adjacent cross-border area. The core landscape is mountainous, part of the Sistema Ibérico, with rugged hills, deep valleys and extensive plateaus. The region experiences a Mediterranean climate with sharp seasonal contrasts.

Etymology and history: The term derives from maestre (master) and reflects the historical administration of medieval military orders and frontier rule. Across the Middle Ages and early modern period Maestrat functioned as a border zone of the Crown of Aragon and Valencia, with fortified towns and castles that controlled routes between the interior and the coast.

Economy and culture: Traditionally based on agriculture, grazing and small-scale forestry, the area has diversified into tourism, crafts and heritage services. Its towns preserve medieval and Gothic architecture, hilltop fortifications, and parish churches. The cultural landscape shows influences from Valencian and Catalan-speaking communities, and traditional festivals and cuisine remain part of daily life.

Notes: The Maestrat region is not an administrative unit in all current maps; it survives as a historical and cultural concept used to describe the northern Castellón landscapes and the broader Maestrazgo cultural area that extends into Aragon.