Dating back to the times of Al-Andalus, Vilafamés Castle perches above the village. The original structure is still standing with its oldest parts dating to the 14th century. There are, additionally, ruins from the Roman, Muslim and Christian periods as well as examples of rock art.
The fortress acquired its current appearance during the Carlist Wars in the 19th century. At this time, the central circular tower was built, making it one of the few examples of Carlist architecture in the Region of Valencia.
The Castle, sections of the walls and La Sangre Church site in Vilafamés includes a stretch of the walls that once encircled the town. These were once the destination’s first defence enclosure. The curtain walls surrounding the castle, however, are still practically intact.
La Sangre Church was the first monument to be built in Vilafamés following Jaume I’s Conquest. In later periods, a number of features in different architectural styles were added to the place of worship.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.