12 August solar eclipse brings thousands of tourists to Gormaz fortress in Soria

The caliphal fortress of Gormaz in Soria becomes a prime vantage point to view the total solar eclipse, drawing crowds of visitors from Spain and abroad to this Castilian town. Since it was built in the 10th century, the 28 towers and 1,200 metres of walls of the caliphate fortress of Gormaz, perched on a promontory overlooking the Castilian plateau, have witnessed six total solar eclipses. The one on 12 August 2026, the seventh, is for the first time drawing large numbers of domestic and international tourists who have travelled to Gormaz to observe this astronomical event, as the path of totality runs very close to the thousand-year-old monument. It is estimated that the first total solar eclipse visible over the Iberian Peninsula since 1912 could prompt between 400,000 and 1.5 million additional car journeys to the areas of totality, bringing up to 164,000 visitors from abroad and 282,700 from within Spain. The event represents a prime showcase for towns like Gormaz, in the province of Soria and far from the coastal sun-and-beach destinations that traditionally draw foreign tourists.