Villafranca del Bierzo Castle

Villafranca del Bierzo, Spain

The Villafranca del Bierzo Castle was built in 1515 over the remains of a previous fortification. Its first owner was Don Pedro Alvarez de Toledo (second marques of Villafranca) and since 1850 by Don Joaquin Caro y Alvarez.

More of a fortified-palance than a castle, it was ransacked in 1809 by the English and in 1815 and 1819 by the French during the Independence War.

This building is located in a town of great importance on the pilgrims’ route to Santiago. It has the form of a large square with a rounded turrets at the corners, with the rooms of the palace arranged around a central interior courtyard.

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Address

Plaza Prim 12, Villafranca del Bierzo, Spain
See all sites in Villafranca del Bierzo

Details

Founded: 1515
Category: Castles and fortifications in Spain

More Information

www.everycastle.com

Rating

4.1/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Carracedo Monastery (7,4 km)
Corullón Castle (2,8 km)


Ponferrada Castle (19 km)
Las Médulas (16,6 km)
San Miguel de Las Dueñas (23,6 km)
Sarracín Castle (13,4 km)
Cornatel Castle (16,1 km)
Carbedo Castle (26 km)
Doiras Castle (24,5 km)

User Reviews

nancy bonce (2 years ago)
Imponente castillo con sus grandes torres, en buen estado de conservación, parte de él está habitado por los propietarios, no sé si se puede visitar el interior, sólo los vimos desde el exterior.
Rafael Corzo (2 years ago)
Es una pura ruina
maira rodrigues (2 years ago)
Preservado, lugar agradável e cheio de histórias!
Eva Fernadez González (2 years ago)
Pena q no lo dejen ver x dentro la parte no habitada ... X dos euros entraría mucha gente, sacarían para las mejoras d el... En fin es solo una opinión más.
PITUAVILES Miguel García (2 years ago)
Pintoresco, agradable para dar un paseo por sus calles y tomar algo en la plaza mayor
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Beckov Castle

The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.

The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.

The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.

The history of the castle is the subject of different legends. One of them narrates the origin of the name of castle derived from that of jester Becko for whom the Duke Stibor had the castle built.

Another legend has it that the lord of the castle had his servant thrown down from the rock because he protected his child from the lords favourite dog. Before his death, the servant pronounced a curse saying that they would meet in a year and days time, and indeed precisely after that time the lord was bitten by a snake and fell down to the same abyss.

The well-conserved ruins of the castle, now the National Cultural Monument, are frequently visited by tourists, above all in July when the castle festival takes place. The former Ambro curia situated below the castle now shelters the exhibition of the local history.

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