Spain

The Royal Castle of Olite (Palacio Real de Olite) is a former castle of the kings of Navarre, situated in northern Spain. Royal Palace of Olite History Olite castle symbolizes the unique character of the Navarre monarchy in the late medieval period, open to Europe through its interests in France and in contact with the […]

Castillo de Javier History The Castillo de Javier is situated in the small town of Javier, less than an hour’s drive from Pamplona, the capital of the province of Navarre. In the 10th and 11th centuries, prior to the construction of the castle, a watchtower stood here, to which new buildings were gradually added. In

Royal Palace of Aranjuez History The Royal Palace of Aranjuez stands beside the rivers Tagus and Jarama in the province of Madrid, 47 km south of the capital. The palace was intended as a spring and summer residence for the royal family and is renowned for its gardens and fountains. The summer residence built at

Real de Madrid Palace (Palacio Real de Madrid) is the first royal palace in Madrid known as the Alcázar. Royal Palace of Madrid History Palacio Real de Madrid was initially a fortress built around 875 by Muhammed I on a promontory that was soon incorporated into the northwest corner of the city walls. The Trastámara

Buen Retiro is a former royal palace in the east of Madrid, built-in 1630 on the site of the Hieronymite monastery; the buildings are mostly no longer extant, and the extensive gardens are now a public park, the Parque del Retiro. Buen Retiro Palace History Lying at the city’s eastern gate, the monastery had played

Vimianzo Castle History Vimianzo Castle was built in the 12th century and it was the property of the Moscoso family. In 1467 it was conquered and destroyed by the Irmandinos, but later it was rebuilt under Archbishop Fonseca. After the Vimianzo Castle came back to its original owner, the Moscoso family, Archbishop Fonseca became the

Torres de Mens was built in the 15th century by the Moscosos. The castle consists of an L-shaped domestic building surrounded by a circular enclosure, and it is protected by 3 square towers. The Castle TodayThe entrance to the inner yard is made through a pointed arch gate in one of the towers. Torres de

Torres de Altamira Castle History Built over the remains of a previous fortification in 1471 by fon Lope Sanchez de Moscoso, Torres de Altamira played an important role in the conflict between the Moscosos and the Mitra of Compostela in 1554. Today, little remains of this once important stronghold apart from a corner tower and

Located not far from Ponte Sampaio, Pontevedra, the origins of the Sotomayor Castle dates back to the 12th century and the name of Don Pax Mendez Sorrede. Its plan is oval with a double line of defenses and it is situated on top of a rocky promontory. One of its most famous owners was Pedro

Sobroso Castle History The oldest reference to Sobroso Castle dates back to 1096. Back then, the castles were the property of the Counts of Galicia, Dona Urraca, and Don Raimundo of Burgundy, the Mitra of Tui. The Sobroso Castle that stands today dates back to the 14th or 15th-century construction consisting of 2 enclosures. The

San Paio Castle History The San Paio Castle (Spanish: Fortaleza de San Paio de Narla) was probably built by Gonzalo Ozores in the early 15th century. Like nearly every castle in Galicia, it suffered from the Irmandinos uprising. Reconstruction began shortly after the war, by nobleman Vasco das Seixas. The San Paio Castle consists of

Pambre Castle History Pambre Castle was built in the second half of the 14th century by Gonzalo Ozore de Ulloa. It is one of the few castles in Granada that wasn’t destroyed during the Irmandinos uprising. Thus it is one of the best-preserved examples of medieval military architecture in Spain. The Pambre Castle has a

History of Monterreal Castle Monterreal Castle’s origins date back to the Catholic Kings (hence the name “Mount Royal”) when they built it as a protective enclosure for the villagers of Bayona in times of danger, although much of it was re-built between the 16th and the 18th centuries. Its walls spread on top of an

Moeche Castle was built in the 14th century by the Andrades Family. It has an octagonal ground plan, and its walls are 10 m high and 3 m thick. Its gatekeep is 18 m tall and it is the only part of the castle protecting its walls from the outside. It was under siege and

Maceda Castle History Originally built in the late 11th century, the Maceda Castle that we see today is a mixture of very different styles of construction. It comprises two concentric enclosures. The other one was finished in the 16th century and was adapted for firearm use. It is believed that it was at Maceda where

Built-in 1396 by Fernan Perez de Andrade on lands owned by the Monastery of Sobrado, Los Andrade Castle is a perfect example of a Galician rock castle. From its high location, the castle dominates the sea entrances of Pontedeume, Ferrol, and Betanzos. It comprises of a 20 m high keep and an irregularly shaped enclosure

This once-powerful fortification is currently in ruins. Only two towers and a chapel left. Catoira Towers of the West History The Catoira Towers were built by the government of the city of Compostela to guard the sea entrance and prevent Moorish or Norman pirate attacks. Originally it comprised 7 towers linked by a wall and

The Palacio del Infantado is a former aristocratic residence in the town of Guadalajara in Castile, Spain. Palacio del Infantado History The Palacio del Infantado is a fine example of the Isabelline style, showing a harmonious blend of Mudéjar and Flamboyant Gothic forms. It belonged to the House of Mendoza, the most influential family in

Villafranca del Bierzo Castle History The Villafranca del Bierzo Castle was built in 1515 over the remains of a previous fortification. Its first owner was Don Pedro Alvarez de Toledo (second marques of Villafranca) and since 1850 by Don Joaquin Caro y Alvarez. More of a fortified palace than a castle, it was ransacked in

Torrelobatón Castle is situated in the province of Valladolid in Castile, Spain. Built as an expression of the strength of the influential Enríquez family, whose capital was at Medina de Rioseco, the castle is one of the most important and best-preserved fortresses in Valladolid. Torrelobatón Castle History The castle was begun in 1406, when Don

This templar castle (also knowns as Castillo Templario) dominates from high above the crossing of the river Sil in the city of the same name. Built by the templars in the 12th century, what we see today is mainly the work carried out by different noble owners in the 14th century. Ponferrada Castle has an

Also known as El Buque (the ship) due to its elongated shape, Penafiel Castle is 210 m long and 33 m wide. It was built in the 15th century over much older fortifications. The keep is rectangular; it is over 30 m high and has 14.5 m and 20 m at the base. The keep

Pedraza Castle History The original Fortress of Pedraza dates back to the 13th century and was heavily transformed in the fifteenth century. It was owned by the Herreras and the Fernandez de Velasco families (dukes of Frias and Condestables of Castille). The sons of Francis I of France were held captive here after the battle

Olmillos de Sasamón Castle History Built-in 1440 by Don Pedro de Cartagena, the Olmillos de Sasamón Castle was conceived as a fortified palace. It also belonged to the Cartagenas in the 15th and 16th centuries, to the Viscounts of Valoria in the 17th and 18th centuries, and to the Dukes of Gor in the 19th

Grajal de Campos Castle History Begun in the 16th century by Hernando de Vega over the remains of a 10th-century castle, the Grajal de Campos Castle was finished by his son Juan de Vega y Acuna, count of Grajal. Designed to withstand the use of artillery the castle has sloped walls and its overall height

Corullón Castle History The Corullon Castle (Spanish: Castillo de Corullón) was built in the 14th century by the Rodriguez de Valarce family on Roman foundations. It was used mainly as a hunting lodge and holiday residence by the nobility of the neighboring Villafranca del Bierzo. Corullón Castle TodayToday Corullon Castle is a private property and

Coca Castle (Spanish: Castillo Mudéjar de Coca) is located in the province of Segovia, Spain. It was built on the site of ancient Cauca, the birthplace of the Roman emperor Theodosius, and was populated by the Arevaca in the 2nd century BC. Coca Castle Architecture Situated on a plain on the banks of the rivers

La Mota Castle is a fortress in Medina del Campo, in the province of Valladolid, Spain. Castle of La Mota History The origins of this castle, called ‘de la Mota’ because of its site on a small raised mound overlooking the town, go back to the 12th century, when it guarded a fortified town within

Castilnovo Castle History Probably built by Abdulrahman I, this Moorish castle was altered in the 14th and 16th centuries and later in the 19th and 20th centuries. It has a square plan with six towers and it is a fine example of Spanish Moorish architecture. The Castilnovo Castle hosted the Catholic kings and was later

Belmonte Castle History Belmonte Castle was built in the 15th and 16th centuries over older remains. It consists of a 20 meters high keep, a gate with an adjacent tower, and scattered remains of the enclosure. It was owned by Juan Manuel, counselor of Kind Henry IV in 1458, the following centuries passed to the

Ampudia Castle History First built in the 13th century, but thoroughly altered in the 15th century, Ampudia Castle has a square plan with a Gothic central courtyard and 4 towers on each corner. Half of the castle complex is surrounded by a barbican defended by cylindrical towers. It belonged to different owners such as Juan

Alhambra Complex Architecture The Alhambra is a palace complex in Granada, the last Muslim enclave of al-Andalus in southern Spain, which was built by the Nasrid dynasty over several centuries. It sits on a large rocky outcropping, or mountain spur, within the present-day city. Alhambra literally means “red castle”. The oldest part, the Alcazaba, is

The Vélez Blanco castle is a Spanish castle situated in Almería. It is one of a series of fortresses built at the beginning of the 16th century by Pedro Fajardo y Chacón, the first Marqués de los Vélez and Governor of the kingdom of Murcia. The fortress has an elongated ground plan and is crowned

Loarre castle is a fortress in Loarre, in the Huesca province, Aragon, Spain. It commands a magnificent situation in the foothills of the Pyrenees overlooking the vast plains of Sotonera south to Huesca and beyond. Loarre Castle History The Loarre Castle complex was built largely during the 11th and 12th centuries when its position on