The Torre Monreal is a tower, traditionally considered of Arab origin, located on a hill to the southwest of the city of Tudela.
It probably dates from when Amrùs walled Tudela in the year 802. However, there is no documents before the thirteenth century. In 1343 the ramparts and battlements of the tower were repaired, as they were demolished in the severe storms and floods that occurred in previous years. After the Castilian conquest of the Kingdom of Navarre at the beginning of the 16th century and the dismantling of the walls and defenses of Tudela (especially from 1521), the Torre Monreal lost its defensive character, being enabled for other purposes.
The Torre Monreal has been subsequently rebuilt on various occasions. It served as a fortress for the French after the invasion of Spain and Navarre, and was demolished by Espoz and Mina in 1813 , at the end of the War of Independence. It was rebuilt in 1883 , for the defense of the city during the Carlist Wars. The current octagonal brick construction is, therefore, from the Carlist period.
References:The stone church of Gamla Uppsala, built over the pagan temple, dates from the early 12th century. Due to fire and renovations, the present church is only a remnant of the original cathedral.
Before the arrival of Christianity in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala was the seat of Swedish kings and a ceremonial site known all over northern Europe. The settlement was home to royal palaces, a royal burial ground, and a great pagan temple. The Uppsala temple, which was described in detail by Adam of Bremen in the 1070s, housed wooden statues of the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. A golden chain hung across its gables and the inside was richly decorated with gold. The temple had priests, who sacrificed to the gods according to the needs of the people.
The first Christian cathedral was probably built in the 11th century, but finished in the 12th century. The stone building may have been preceded by a wooden church and probably by the large pagan temple.