Luna castle dates from the 13th century and was built under control of 'Guzmán the Good' upon a fortified convent of ribat or Muslim origin, in the 11th century. It is rectangular with five crenelated towers, and its interior is structured around a central courtyard.
Property of the Dukes of Arcos, the Ponce de León used the castle as a residence and there is evidence that the Catholic Monarchs visited the city and stayed there.
The Luna Castle is a symbol in itself for citizens of Rota, Cadiz, and proof of this is its presence on the coat of arms of the village. It has housed a hospital and a school, and is currently the location of the City Hall of Rota.
References:Manarola is a small town, a frazione of the comune of Riomaggiore. It is the second-smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists, with a population of 353.
Manarola may be the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name 'Manarola' is probably a dialectical evolution of the Latin, 'magna rota'. In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to 'magna roea' which means 'large wheel', in reference to the mill wheel in the town.
Manarola's primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making. The local wine, called Sciacchetrà, is especially renowned; references from Roman writings mention the high quality of the wine produced in the region.