Arcos de la Frontera Castle, Arcos de la Frontera, Spain

Arcos de la Frontera Castle was first constructed in the 11th century by the Moors when Arcos was briefly a taifa (small kingdom) before being captured by the Christians in 1250. The Christians rebuilt the castle as part of their campaign to retain their hold on the town, which was in a strategically important position for maintaining the border between the Muslim and Christian kingdoms.

References:

andalucia.com

User Reviews

Saz Dosanjh (13 months ago)
Seems like a nice castle, sadly closed for visits when we went. So we went next door and had a large beer. Turned out nice.

Mark (14 months ago)
Spectacular views from the terrace by the castle and some great places to eat.

Tomas Vertanauskas (15 months ago)
Really nice place to visit. Just narrow streets for car. But view is amazing. Next to the castle is hotel and inside it there is caffee with one of the most astonishing view. Sugeste visiting

Adeline Lim (18 months ago)
5 stars for the exhilaration of having to drive the very narrow streets to park at the Plaza de Cabildo to get here. The parking also serves the needs of the Parador, so follow the signs to the Parador to access the parking. Spaces are limited and if you have a wide car, with a wide turning radius like an Audi A7, do not attempt to come up here! Photo shown is a little local Seat driving through and it's already a tight fit!

Andrew Gleason (19 months ago)
Beautiful place to visit, be mindful of the hours and schedule. Visit the bell tower.

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Les Invalides is a complex of buildings containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans, the building"s original purpose. The buildings house the Musée de l"Armée, the military museum of the Army of France, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, and the Musée d"Histoire Contemporaine, as well as the burial site for some of France"s war heroes, notably Napoleon Bonaparte.

Louis XIV initiated the project in 1670, as a home and hospital for aged and unwell soldiers: the name is a shortened form of hôpital des invalides. The architect of Les Invalides was Libéral Bruant. The enlarged project was completed in 1676, the river front measured 196 metres and the complex had fifteen courtyards. Jules Hardouin Mansart assisted the aged Bruant, and the chapel was finished in 1679 to Bruant"s designs after the elder architect"s death.

Shortly after the veterans" chapel was completed, Louis XIV commissioned Mansart to construct a separate private royal chapel referred to as the Église du Dôme from its most striking feature. Inspired by St. Peter"s Basilica in Rome, the original for all Baroque domes, it is one of the triumphs of French Baroque architecture. The domed chapel is centrally placed to dominate the court of honour. It was finished in 1708.

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The building retained its primary function of a retirement home and hospital for military veterans until the early twentieth century. In 1872 the musée d"artillerie (Artillery Museum) was located within the building to be joined by the Historical Museum of the Armies in 1896. The two institutions were merged to form the present musée de l"armée in 1905. At the same time the veterans in residence were dispersed to smaller centres outside Paris. The reason was that the adoption of a mainly conscript army, after 1872, meant a substantial reduction in the numbers of veterans having the twenty or more years of military service formerly required to enter the Hôpital des Invalides. The building accordingly became too large for its original purpose. The modern complex does however still include the facilities detailed below for about a hundred elderly or incapacitated former soldiers.

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