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.

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

Camino Cementerio 2, Fuentidueña de Tajo, Spain
See all sites in Fuentidueña de Tajo

Details

Founded: 12th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Spain

Rating

4.1/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Alcalá de Henares University (43,6 km)
Royal Palace of Aranjuez (39 km)
Alcalá de Henares Cathedral (43,6 km)
Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá de Henares (43,8 km)
Laredo Palace (44,1 km)
Chinchón Castle (22,3 km)
Alameda Castle (52,3 km)
Casasola Castle (27,2 km)

User Reviews

Ana T (18 months ago)
Imposible de verlo por dentro . Es privado y solo se puede acceder lunes martes y miércoles y estaba y entradas agotadas
Susana Gonzalez (18 months ago)
Bonito pueblo de la Ruta de Las Vegas!!!!! El rio y las vistas del Tajo lo mejor
Ricardo Canada (19 months ago)
Queda muy poco de castillo, solo una de las fachadas y bastante estropeada. El ayuntamiento ha invertido para hacer la zona más bonita y ha puesto vallas y un mirador.
Pepe Cuesta (19 months ago)
A mi me encanta la historia, y me parece un plan estupendo si te pilla cerca parar un minuto a ver las ruinas del castillo. No queda mucho pero es imponente. Es una parada que merece la pena.
Franklin Eduardo Esquivel Ravelo (21 months ago)
En mi viaje desde Sarria (Galicia) hasta Pozo Esrecho (Murcia) me tope con muchos sitios bellos, impresionantes, históricos, ruinas, castillos, etc.. Uno de esos sitios que me dejó un buen gusto fue este, nada del otro mundo si no lo ves con los ojos correctos, luego que averiguas un poco su historia, agradeces haber pisado su suelo y haber tocado lo que queda de sus paredes. Buen sitio para visitar..
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania
Photo from Flickr, copyright Makser

Historic Site of the week

Derbent Fortress

Derbent is the southernmost city in Russia, occupying the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian steppes to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south. Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BCE. Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan and Iranian kingdoms.

Derbent has archaeological structures over 5,000 years old. As a result of this geographic peculiarity, the city developed between two walls, stretching from the mountains to the sea. These fortifications were continuously employed for a millennium and a half, longer than any other extant fortress in the world.

A traditionally and historically Iranian city, the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC. The site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrap of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In the 5th century Derbent functioned as a border fortress and the seat of Sassanid Persians. Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs.

The Sassanid fortress does not exist any more, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward. Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

The site continued to be of great strategic importance until the 19th century. Today the fortifications consist of two parallel defence walls and Naryn-Kala Citadel. The walls are 3.6km long, stretching from the sea up to the mountains. They were built from stone and had 73 defence towers. 9 out of the 14 original gates remain.

In Naryn-Kala Citadel most of the old buildings, including a palace and a church, are now in ruins. It also holds baths and one of the oldest mosques in the former USSR.

In 2003, UNESCO included the old part of Derbent with traditional buildings in the World Heritage List.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2020 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.