Capilla Castle, Capilla, Spain

Capilla Castle was built by Moors to the site of ancient Roman fortifications. It was conquered by Christian king Ferdinand III of Castile and León in 1226 and rebuilt soon after. It stands on a crag where it reveals its structure in the shape of an irregular polygon attempting to adapt to the abrupt terrain. A barbican defends the main door, which leads onto the two courtyards. Inside, the cylindrical towers, the half-demolished allure and the remains of a machicolation give you an idea of the defensive nature this castle had.

In spite of its current appearance, you can still see the ruins of the old Arabic walls, both on the south side and the north, and the original stone paving of the staircases and rooms.

References:

turismoextremadura.com

Address

Calle Calvario 4, Capilla, Spain

See all sites in Capilla

Details

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

More Information

www.turismoextremadura.com

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Puebla de Alcocer Castle (22,9 km)
Herrera del Duque Castle (38,1 km)
Belalcázar Castle (27,4 km)

User Reviews

Merce Notario (2 years ago)
Castle in very good restored condition, located in a privileged area where you can see a large part of the zujar valley. The guided visit to know the history, distribution of the castle and the town.

Joan Marín Fernández (2 years ago)
Amazing visit. The guided tour explains and immerses you in the history of this castle and its surroundings, its historical importance and its architecture over time. Congratulations to Diego Sanabria, chief archaeologist, and to all his team, citizens of Capilla. Essential visit. You won't be disappointed. They also do dramatized recreations at night very well set.

Javier Cayetano (3 years ago)
You can visit the excavations from the Arab era and the medieval castle. Conservation and archaeological work is underway and sometimes they offer guided tours. A medieval festival is also organized. There is an interpretation center in the town. The castle is in very good condition, as is the old town. The cistern is impressive, and the views from the castle are fabulous. I would recommend asking opening hours before you go. The climb is very well signposted, although it is somewhat steep.

Migue Rubio Mansilla (3 years ago)
It is being restored, we went on a Saturday afternoon and it was closed, although there was someone inside but we did not want to disturb. Even so, if you go through there, I recommend going up out of curiosity, since the access path is beautiful. I would like to go back when they open it. Parking is complicated. The streets are very narrow, I do not recommend going with a car that is too low. To leave the town with the car, you have to go down a street with a little zigzag, the first street to the left and the rest straight ahead.

Richard Buck (4 years ago)
Great little towN and stunning castle above

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Capilla Castle