Sohail Castle

Fuengirola, Spain

Sohail Castle was built in AD 956 by Abd-ar-Rahman III to strengthen the coastal defenses. Later, in the 12th century, the Almoravids raised a defensive enclosure with an irregular floor plan, adapted to the slopes of the terrain.

In 1485 the Castillo de Sohail was occupied by the Christian armies battling against the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. From that time the military complex underwent an inevitable process of architectural reformation which led over time to its current appearance.

Shortly after the castle lost its military function and was disposed of by public auction. The change to civilian hands initiated a period of neglect which was only interrupted in the second half of the 20th century.

In 2000 the Town of Fuengirola renovated the ruins of the castle turning it into a tourist attraction and functioning space used for concerts and other festivals. Excavated stone ruins on public display at the western base of the hill on which the castle sits are dated back to before the Roman Republic occupied Fuengirola at least 300 BC.

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Address

Paseo Fluvial 2, Fuengirola, Spain
See all sites in Fuengirola

Details

Founded: 956 AD
Category: Castles and fortifications in Spain

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
www.andalucia.org

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

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Museo Picasso Málaga (28,8 km)
Santiago Church (28,9 km)
Gibralfaro Castle (29,4 km)
San Juan Bautista Church (28,4 km)

User Reviews

Derrick Davis (2 years ago)
Good venue lots to do concerts great like Jennifer Lopez, loads of great acts
Christiaan Verhoef (2 years ago)
No communication, information is literally posted on the front door. C'mon people it's the 21st century. I want to know if it's open before I get there! I've been coming to feungirola for 10 years and never saw the inside because it's always closed.
saman rahbar (2 years ago)
Beautiful old castle , def worth a visit and a walk around the park while visiting fuengirola
Dennis Norton (2 years ago)
Amazing venue for concerts just need to sort out the toilet situation.
simon fenelon (2 years ago)
Only appears to be open on Sundays due to the shows and events being held in and around it. A lot of work has been done in the last few years to conserve and restore, and it is possible to walk around the battlements and cannon battery. A bit of a climb but well worth the effort
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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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