Castles In Castilla And Leon
The history of Spain is full of important events that have marked Spanish people’s life for decades. It is a very old history, and dates back to the time when their ancestors crossed the Strait of Gibraltar for the first time, coming from Africa.
Historical Circumstances
The old Castilla is simply overrun with castles. There are more than 600 such constructions. Fortified settlements were bulit upon the Roman military outposts. The Moors built these castles in order to defend their court against the Christians from Austria. Once the reconquest was underway, the noble Christians rebulit them and used them as a base to reject the Moors to the south. Others were used as ground; about 90 castles have survived until today in Castilla and Leon.
Castles In This Region
The Castle of Coca is probably considered the greatest building of the brick castles, with poligonal towers that rise majestically over the plains, only 30 miles from Segovia. It was built in 1453, in gothic style for Alfonso de Fonseca, an archbishop from Sevilla; after a while, it was given to the Marquis of Ayala, and in the end was the property of the Duke of Alba (the castle still belongs to these families, and is now used as a school).
Located up in the fortress, the Castle of Cuellar (mid XVth century), made many people desire it. Its initial owner, Juan the Second, left it as an inheritance to his daughter, Isabel, but it was soon conquered by her brother-in-law, Enriwue the IVth. In the castle you can now see a huge collection of antique weapons.
The Castle of Mota is one of the biggest castles in Castilla and Leon, with castellated walls and a dungeon in the highest tower. The construction of the castle was begun in the XIIIth century by the Moors, and it was finished in the XVth century by Fernando and Isabel de Aragon.
Nowadays, it is used as a prison; Caesar Borgis was one of its prisoners. The austere Castle Pedraza of Sierra was built between the XIVth and the XVIth centuries. It is one of the most beautiful castles in this area. It was the property of the counts of Castilla, Fernando de Velasco’s family.
The actual owners are the descendants of Ignacio Zuloga, and some of this painter’s works are exposed here. These castles are only a very few and an insignificant number of the beautiful moments you can visit in Castilla and Leon. The place is full of history, and expects thousands of tourists every year.