Fuentidueña de Tajo Castle, Fuentidueña de Tajo, Spain

Fuentidueña de Tajo Castle is a large, irregular building standing on a hill which dominates the Town and the Tagus River. It is believed to have been built during the 12th century and has been extended and rebuilt later on in the 14th century. It is related to the Kings, Alfonso VI and Alfonso VIII.

It still has a wall and part of the cylindrical towers on the sides. The two sections composing it are separated by an interior moat. It is still possible to see the Homage Tower opposite the Town.This castle was the Headquarters of the Kingdom in the time of Da Urraca, wife of Alfonso I the Warrior; legend has it that at night she used to walk through the hidden corridors to visit the Moors.

The provincial Governor, Pedro Manrique, was imprisoned in this Castle by order of Juan II. Álvaro de Luna, Marquis of Villena, was also made prisoner for his discrepancies with the Order of Santiago; he later became the proprietor of the Castle.

User Reviews

Angel García Delgado (9 months ago)
Beautiful viewpoint. If you have a drone, it is a permitted flight zone.

Bernadette Trinidad (11 months ago)
It's a ruin of an old castle...there's nothing much to see. But I picked up some quartz along the pathway...

Егор Володин (13 months ago)
Castle ruins glisten with quartz rock

Sonia Martinez (13 months ago)
It is the town where my father was born and it brings back many memories. And in the castle he lived

Maria Ordosgoiti (2 years ago)
I put 4 stars cause it is small and fast place of interest, it will take you about half an hour to walk around, see the ruins of the castle and enjoy the view of Fuentidueña from the observation point near the castle. It is pretty scenery, probably it was nice castle built century 12. Now it is only one wall and some ruins left. Good place to get some rest if you go from Madrid to Valencia, not far from the road, and you can go to a small town Fuentidueña and grab a bite/drink coffee, use toilet in one of the restaurants in the center.

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Royal Palace of Olite

The Palace of the Kings of Navarre of Olite was one of the seats of the Court of the Kingdom of Navarre, since the reign of Charles III 'the Noble' until its conquest by Castile (1512). The fortification is both castle and palace, although it was built more like a courtier building to fulfill a military function.

On an ancient Roman fortification was built during the reign of Sancho VII of Navarre (13th century) and extended by his successors Theobald I and Theobald II, which the latter was is installed in the palace in 1269 and there he signed the consent letter for the wedding of Blanche of Artois with his brother Henry I of Navarre, who in turn, Henry I since 1271 used the palace as a temporary residence. This ancient area is known as the Old Palace.

Then the palace was housing the Navarrese court from the 14th until 16th centuries, Since the annexation (integration) of the kingdom of Navarre for the Crown of Castile in 1512 began the decline of the castle and therefore its practically neglect and deterioration. At that time it was an official residence for the Viceroys of Navarre.

In 1813 Navarrese guerrilla fighter Espoz y Mina during the Napoleonic French Invasion burned the palace with the aim to French could not make forts in it, which almost brought in ruin. It is since 1937 when architects José and Javier Yarnoz Larrosa began the rehabilitation (except the non-damaged church) for the castle palace, giving it back its original appearance and see today. The restoration work was completed in 1967 and was paid by the Foral Government of Navarre.

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