Alcaudete Castle, Alcaudete, Spain

Castillo de Alcaudete was built by the Arabs over the remains of a previous Roman fortification and taken by the Christians in 1085 during the reign of Alfonso VI. For almost three hundred years thereafter, the castle kept changing hands until 1340 when the Christians took it over.

The design is polygon in shape, adjusted to the terrain escarpments. The structure is surmounted by six towers, including the Tower of Homage, which has a door on the north side, guarded by two additional towers.

Today it has become a tourism-cultural space which houses the Interpretation Centre on the life of the Military Order of Calatrava. Visitors will go back to the 13th century to discover the construction of a castle on the border with the Nasrid Kingdom, the lifestyle and internal structure of the Order, the military armament used for the assault and defence of a fortress.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Glynn J R (4 months ago)
Fantastic views and walks around the castle - parking is easy up here. Close to the main square with cafes and some shops.

Amanda Slade (6 months ago)
Return visit and very pleased with the new extras added. I bought ticket from i office. Great little castle.

Nicholas Booth (7 months ago)
Stunning building overlooking the town. Lit up at night its beautiful. The views out over the hills seeing just olive trees. One of my favourite views

ariel kotzer (10 months ago)
andalucía is dotted with villages and towns that have a castle on top of a rocky hill, in various shapes, sizes and states of upkeep or deterioration. this one is well kept, with reconstructions of contraptions that were used to attack and defend the castle, and a great view of the town and countryside.

Yolanda Sanchez (2 years ago)
Worthy to visit and learn a bit more about the region and the medieval time. Perfect for a weekend getaway with children or without. Views: Spectacular Ticket price: 6€ (September 2021). Reasonable price. Employees: Very kind and patient. We arrived 10 minutes before they close. As it was our last day in the town, they stay and wait for us until we finish the visit. (Many thanks!) Pics: all pictures that I took are without filters. Advise: Check the opening hours for the visit and take your time to enjoy the monument.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright larrywkoester

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Monte d'Accoddi

Monte d"Accoddi is a Neolithic archaeological site in northern Sardinia, located in the territory of Sassari. The site consists of a massive raised stone platform thought to have been an altar. It was constructed by the Ozieri culture or earlier, with the oldest parts dated to around 4,000–3,650 BC.

The site was discovered in 1954 in a field owned by the Segni family. No chambers or entrances to the mound have been found, leading to the presumption it was an altar, a temple or a step pyramid. It may have also served an observational function, as its square plan is coordinated with the cardinal points of the compass.

The initial Ozieri structure was abandoned or destroyed around 3000 BC, with traces of fire found in the archeological evidence. Around 2800 BC the remains of the original structure were completely covered with a layered mixture of earth and stone, and large blocks of limestone were then applied to establish a second platform, truncated by a step pyramid (36 m × 29 m, about 10 m in height), accessible by means of a second ramp, 42 m long, built over the older one. This second temple resembles contemporary Mesopotamian ziggurats, and is attributed to the Abealzu-Filigosa culture.

Archeological excavations from the chalcolithic Abealzu-Filigosa layers indicate the Monte d"Accoddi was used for animal sacrifice, with the remains of sheep, cattle, and swine recovered in near equal proportions. It is among the earliest known sacrificial sites in Western Europe.

The site appears to have been abandoned again around 1800 BC, at the onset of the Nuragic age.

The monument was partially reconstructed during the 1980s. It is open to the public and accessible by the old route of SS131 highway, near the hamlet of Ottava. It is 14,9 km from Sassari and 45 km from Alghero. There is no public transportation to the site. The opening times vary throughout the year.

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