Castle of Charles V, Hondarribia, Spain

The Castle of Charles V is located in the strategic area of Hondarribia, at its highest point. It still conserves the structure of a medieval fortress and its defensive appearance. It was built in the 10th century by King Sancho Abarca of Navarre, although it was subsequently reformed by Emperor Charles V. The building served as both a castle and a palace, both connected by an interior courtyard. The castle had a square floor plan with sturdy walls. Highlights of the main facade include the doorway, rather small in size and decorated with an arch framed by the characteristic Islamic moulding known as an alfiz, over which can be seen the imperial coat of arms with the two-headed eagle of Charles V. It has today been restored and converted into a Parador hotel.

References:

spainisculture.com

User Reviews

Peter Debruyn (2 years ago)
Best hotel I have ever visited.

Mohammad Dabbas (2 years ago)
Beautiful gem in the Basque region. Enjoy views from the parador and walk down to the marina area for some great Pinchos

Philippe Villa (2 years ago)
Very beautiful place, full of majesty.

Nicholas Haviland (2 years ago)
Wonderful place.great history.great hiking we will be back.the hotel staff was incredibly friendly

Bobsternberg (3 years ago)
Very disappointed with the service from front desk personnel. The day we arrived I found the two gentlemen at the front desk to be aloof and not very friendly. (Perhaps they were both just having a bad day). I've never had this experience at a Spanish hotel before. This is not a “first class” hotel. If you’re looking for a bathrobe, slippers and small bottles of water placed in your room every day, this is not the hotel for you. Our room was small but did have a lovely view and the bathroom was very nice. Fortunately there was a fan on the ceiling because our air conditioning did not work. The breakfast buffet was also great. But most importantly, I would strongly suggest to management that they provide some customer service training to their front desk personnel.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Luiyo

Historic Site of the week

Lorca Castle

Castle of Lorca (Castillo de Lorca) is a fortress of medieval origin constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries. It consists of a series of defensive structures that, during the Middle Ages, made the town and the fortress an impregnable point in the southeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Lorca Castle was a key strategic point of contention between Christians and Muslims during the Reconquista.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of the castle has been inhabited since Neolithic times.

Muslim Era

It has not been determined exactly when a castle or fortress was first built on the hill. The first written documentation referring to a castle at Lorca is of Muslim origin, which in the 9th century, indicates that the city of Lurqa was an important town in the area ruled by Theudimer (Tudmir). During Muslim rule, Lorca Castle was an impregnable fortress and its interior was divided into two sections by the Espaldón Wall. In the western part, there was an area used to protect livestock and grain in times of danger. The eastern part had a neighbourhood called the barrio de Alcalá.

After Reconquista

Lorca was conquered by the Castilian Infante Don Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, in 1244, and the fortress became a key defensive point against the Kingdom of Granada. For 250 years, Lorca Castle was a watchpoint on the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Muslim state of Granada.

Alfonso X ordered the construction of the towers known as the Alfonsina and Espolón Towers, and strengthened and fixed the walls. Hardly a trace of the Muslim fortress remained due to this reconstruction. Muslim traces remain in the foundation stones and the wall known as the muro del Espaldón.

The Jewish Quarter was found within the alcazaba, the Moorish fortification, separated from the rest of the city by its walls. The physical separation had the purpose of protecting the Jewish people in the town from harm, but also had the result of keeping Christians and Jews separate, with the Christians inhabiting the lower part of town.

The remains of the Jewish Quarter extended over an area of 5,700 square m, and 12 homes and a synagogue have been found; the synagogue dates from the 14th century and is the only one found in the Murcia. The streets of the town had an irregular layout, adapted to the landscape, and is divided into four terraces. The synagogue was in the central location, and around it were the homes. The homes were of rectangular shape, with various compartmentalized rooms. The living quarters were elevated and a common feature was benches attached to the walls, kitchens, stand for earthenware jars, or cupboards.

Modern history

With the disappearance of the frontier after the conquest of Granada in 1492, Lorca Castle no longer became as important as before. With the expulsion of the Jews by order of Ferdinand and Isabella, Lorca Castle was also depopulated as a result. The castle was abandoned completely, and was almost a complete ruin by the 18th century. In the 19th century, the castle was refurbished due to the War of Spanish Independence. The walls and structures were repaired or modified and its medieval look changed. A battery of cannons was installed, for example, during this time. In 1931 Lorca Castle was declared a National Historic Monument.

Currently, a parador (luxury hotel) has been built within the castle. As a result, archaeological discoveries have been found, including the Jewish Quarter.

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