Calahorra Castle, La Calahorra, Spain

Built between 1509 and 1512, Calahorra Castle was one of the first Italian Renaissance castles to be built outside Italy. It is perfectly preserved and national monument. It is now in private hands, although it can be accessed by contacting the person in charge that the owners have in Calahorra.

Castles and fortifications in Spain

Address

Calle Diseminado 12, La Calahorra, Spain

See all sites in La Calahorra

Details

Founded: 1509-1512
Category: Castles and fortifications in Spain

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Guadix Cathedral (14,5 km)
Castillo de Santa Ana (62,8 km)
Alcazaba of Guadix (14,3 km)
Castillo de Guardias Viejas (57 km)
Lanjarón Castle (48 km)

User Reviews

Brian Deasy (2 years ago)
Truly stunning. This castle was built in 1509 and has seen little renovation since then. The private owners are said to be undertaking a huge restoration project in the near future. Well worth seeing in its current form. It only costs €3 per adult for the tour, given by a local. Well worth the trip.

Kat Smith (2 years ago)
Unusual and fascinating building, it's only open Wednesday mornings and afternoons. The guides tours are free but only in Spanish. Photos are not permitted on the tour. The building is very run down and in a poor state of repair, but it has an interesting history and has some beautiful features.

Matt Stott (3 years ago)
A simple looking castle from the outside, but steeped in history and wonderful architecture. Has been used in the films El Cid and Assasin's Creed. From the mount panaramic views of the Sierra Navada national park can be seen. The €3 charge for the guided tour, but best know Spanish as it's all they speak!!!

Louise Brearley (3 years ago)
Stunning castle, not what you'd expect when you go inside

Allan (3 years ago)
This place is old old old built in 1509 Open only on Wednesdays so you have been warned if you show any other times you will be looking at it from the outside only. From what we can gather the 5 euro visit is well worth the price to see this piece of history. The road is all gravel so don't take your luxury car up

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Giåm

Historic Site of the week

Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

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Calahorra Castle