Setefilla Castle

Lora del Río, Spain

The Setefilla Castle is located on the outskirts of the town of Lora del Río. The name has its origin in a medieval place name that should refer to the Muslim fortress located on the table of the same name.

In the Middle Ages, Setefilla was an important enclave related tot eh Muslim conquest, the reconquest and the subsequent repopulation of the area and appears several times cited in the texts of historians of the time.

Of Arab origin, the Setefilla Castle seems to be based on an ancient Roman fort that in turn took advantage of a previous Iberian enclosure. It was built over the years 888-912 by the Banu Layt, the Berber tribe that controlled the region. They fortified the castro with the name of “Chadfilah” or “Chant Fila”.

The construction is polygonal and adapts to the surface of the hill where it sits. It has an area of approximately 4000 m2.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 888-921 AD
Category: Castles and fortifications in Spain

More Information

andaluciarustica.com

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

May Encina (21 months ago)
The access to the castle is a bit confusing, they should signpost it. It is on the way to the hermitage on the right. The place is beautiful and quiet. We were lucky enough to go on a day when it was very foggy and the sunset was pink. Incredible views. I recommend it without a doubt, I hope to return one day.
kitchengarage (2 years ago)
Nice little walk to do but beware the castle and very fragile with a lot of landslides and holes
alfredo gutierrez buzon (3 years ago)
Precious
ClÁsico (3 years ago)
If you want to know more, continue reading: Castle of Arab origin (888-912), although it seems that it is based on an old Roman fort that in turn took advantage of a previous Iberian enclosure, which was conquered in 1247 by the army of Fernando III. The toponym of Setefilla comes from the phonetic corruption of Septe Fillas, in relation to the seven towns near Lora that were included in the bailiwick established by the Hospital in 1259. The Castle of Setefilla stands on a cliff under which the road to Puebla de los Infantes passes, in the municipality of Lora del Río, province of Seville, next to the sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Setefilla. It was built between the years 888-912 by the Banu Layt, the Berber tribe that controlled the region. It received the name of Chadfilah or Chant-Fila. In the spring of 1247 it was conquered by the army of Ferdinand III, during its advance towards Seville and handed over to the Hospitallers, becoming part of the bailiwick that established this order based in nearby Lora del Río. The toponym of Setefilla comes from the phonetic corruption of Septe Fillas, in relation to the seven towns near Lora that were included in the bailiwick established by the Hospital in 1259. This fortress controlled the passage to the Sierra Norte de Sevilla along with those of Puebla de los Infantes, Peñaflor, Cazalla, Alanís and Constantina. Its shape is polygonal, adapting to the surface of the hill where it sits, and its surface is approximately 4,000 m2. The entrance is at the end of a ramp located on the south side of the enclosure, in a doubling of the wall. The interior is divided into two clearly differentiated areas. First, a large parade ground of about 3,000 m2, with the remains of several square towers. Towards the middle of the 50-meter canvas that divides the enclosure, there is the keep. At the southern end of said canvas there is a postern in a bend that leads to the second parade ground, of about 900 m2, where you can see the remains of a practically blinded cistern, as well as those of a tower located in the north end. raised on a promontory of the land. The keep, with a square plan and about 9 meters on each side, has two floors: a ground floor which is accessed from the same courtyard, closed with a barrel vault, and a higher one which was accessed from the Adarve of the curtain that divides the enclosure of the fort in two. The roof of it no longer exists. In the eighteenth century it seems that it was still preserved in good condition, since Thomas Andrés de Gússeme described it as follows: The fortress with its entire keep, and without injury, exists alive; It has a wall enclosure, with some other towers, in which some are better preserved than the others; This enclosure is divided into two parts by another wall, which encloses the main tower, cisterns, baths, and underground buildings, all in good condition. Obviously and unfortunately, those underground buildings and toilets have been covered over by time. Perhaps a clean-up of the terrain would expose those dependencies. If you liked it, give it a Like, Thank you. source IAPH, and Monumental.net
José Manuel García (4 years ago)
Perfect place to spend an afternoon
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Gamla Uppsala Church

The stone church of Gamla Uppsala, built over the pagan temple, dates from the early 12th century. Due to fire and renovations, the present church is only a remnant of the original cathedral.

Before the arrival of Christianity in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala was the seat of Swedish kings and a ceremonial site known all over northern Europe. The settlement was home to royal palaces, a royal burial ground, and a great pagan temple. The Uppsala temple, which was described in detail by Adam of Bremen in the 1070s, housed wooden statues of the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. A golden chain hung across its gables and the inside was richly decorated with gold. The temple had priests, who sacrificed to the gods according to the needs of the people.

The first Christian cathedral was probably built in the 11th century, but finished in the 12th century. The stone building may have been preceded by a wooden church and probably by the large pagan temple.