Historically, both locations belonged to the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.
Its urban layout focuses on two streets lined with 16th- to 18th-century homes, including the house of General Perena.
And the center of the village, standing out above the historic rough ashlar houses, is the Parish Church of San Gil Abad. This Romanesque church was later expanded between the 16th and 18th centuries, to adapt it to changing tastes and the village’s needs.
Like other villages in the area, Ortilla features cellars carved out from the western area of the hillside.
Nearby are a number of historical points of interest: on the one hand, the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Garganta, featuring traditional workmanship and a beautiful altarpiece of the Virgin, and on the other, the ruins of a Roman villa in the vicinity of the “La Mezquita” farm.
Ortilla celebrates its annual festival on September 1st in honor of St. Giles.
