Castellar de la Frontera Castle

Castillo de Castellar, Spain

Castellar de la Frontera is a village within a castle surrounded by the walls of a well preserved Moorish-Christian fortress. It is located within the Parque Natural de Los Alcornocales next to a reservoir formed by the Guadarranque River.

The history of the village goes back to prehistoric times and the Bronze Age, after which the place became a medieval fortress. The prehistoric presence is still evident in the many caves around the area, where enthusiasts can see the wonderful cave drawings as proof of its heritage. It played an important role in the wars between the Spanish and the Muslims. In such a high up advantageous strategic position, peoples of many cultures wanted to control this strong vantage point.

The village was conquered and won back between Fernando III, the Moors and then Juan II, who described it as 'such a wonderful, strong town'. After the many battles of medieval times, by October 1650 Teresa María Arias de Saavedra, the Countess of Castellar, took possession of the town and later it was in the hands of the Medinaceli family.

The village was abandoned in the 1970s and its inhabitants moved to the aptly named Nuevo Castellar. The derelict state of the village attracted a number of Germans who took over the empty houses and built temporary dwellings outside the walls. The village was later repopulated.

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Address

Calle Alta 19, Castillo de Castellar, Spain
See all sites in Castillo de Castellar

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Spain

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
www.andalucia.com

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Basílica de Santa María de la Asunción (57,2 km)
Arcos de la Frontera Castle (57,3 km)
Tarifa Castle (36,7 km)
Baños árabes de Ronda (53,4 km)
Europa Point (25,2 km)
Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned (21,8 km)
Saint Michael's Cave (23,5 km)
Gibraltar Botanic Gardens (22,7 km)
Moorish Castle (21,5 km)

User Reviews

ian wilcox (9 months ago)
Peace and quiet.
Michael Oakes (12 months ago)
Amazing views from here. It's a gorgeous place!
Steve Atkins-Steel (13 months ago)
Set in a gorgeous castle on top of a hill this hotel has incredible potential. It's simply stunning to walk into an ancient monument knowing you are going to stay there. The road approaching it is small and a little scary. About 15 minutes from the base of the hill and many hair pin bends. We arrived as a wedding was in full swing. Staff were very busy and distracted. Sadly even when they weren't busy we didn't find them friendly. There was a language barrier however a smile can be given in any language and they all seem to have lost theirs. Our room 104 was amazing with gorgeous views. Sadly it was next to the lift and another room where those guests came in very late from the wedding and were very noisy. We slept very badly. Thankfully the bed was very comfortable. The hot water wasn't working when we tried to shower in the morning so we left without washing which was not pleasant. Breakfast is self service, there was quite a bit of food for us however it was not that fresh and nothing hot. The decor had not been done sympathetically to the building. It's rather like a 1970's conference centre with horrid laminated wood. It's just sad to see this gorgeous building treated so badly.
Duncan Hamilton (2 years ago)
We didn't stay but had a coffee. Great location inside the castle walls. Food/drink voice is limited in Castillo and this place had the only decent coffee.
Cecilia Marin (3 years ago)
The castle is amazing, the view is astonishing, it's like you are suspended in time, in absolute beauty. The village is lovely, flowers everywhere. The staff is very nice and helpful. The charming rooms are very clean , beds are comfortable, bathrooms beautiful and clean. The food is very tasty and various. I have enjoyed every moment spent here.
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In March 1242 at Klis Fortress, Tatars who were a constituent segment of the Mongol army under the leadership of Kadan suffered a major defeat while in pursuit of the Hungarian army led by King Béla IV. After their defeat by Croatian forces, the Mongols retreated, and Béla IV rewarded many Croatian towns and nobles with 'substantial riches'. During the Late Middle Ages, the fortress was governed by Croatian nobility, amongst whom Paul I Šubić of Bribir was the most significant. During his reign, the House of Šubić controlled most of modern-day Croatia and Bosnia. Excluding the brief possession by the forces of Bosnian King, Tvrtko I, the fortress remained in Hungaro-Croatian hands for the next several hundred years, until the 16th century.

Klis Fortress is probably best known for its defense against the Ottoman invasion of Europe in the early 16th century. Croatian captain Petar Kružić led the defense of the fortress against a Turkish invasion and siege that lasted for more than two and a half decades. During this defense, as Kružić and his soldiers fought without allies against the Turks, the military faction of Uskoks was formed, which later became famous as an elite Croatian militant sect. Ultimately, the defenders were defeated and the fortress was occupied by the Ottomans in 1537. After more than a century under Ottoman rule, in 1669, Klis Fortress was besieged and seized by the Republic of Venice, thus moving the border between Christian and Muslim Europe further east and helping to contribute to the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The Venetians restored and enlarged the fortress, but it was taken by the Austrians after Napoleon extinguished the republic itself in 1797. Today, Klis Fortress contains a museum where visitors to this historic military structure can see an array of arms, armor, and traditional uniforms.

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