Chirel Castle had an Muslim origin. The current castle was built after the Christian Conquest, which took place in the thirteenth century, when the Moors were expelled.
During this time, the fortress of Chirel was used by the Christians as a base of operations, under the command of the king of Aragon, James I the Conqueror, since they were at war with the Muslim leader al-Azraq.
Around the year 1748, a natural catastrophe occurred, an earthquake of great magnitude that ended up collapsing an important part of the fortress.
Today, Chirel Castle is on the waiting list to be rebuilt. In any case, it is an ideal place to visit, since, although they have not repaired their structures, they have done so with the roads that lead to the castle, so that it is a safe place, away from possible collapses, and a great tourist attraction.
If we go today to the Castle of Chirel, we will find an important part of its Main Tower, its double wall and two other large towers, and, also, a large cistern, which is still standing. In addition, you can contemplate the impressive view of the Cinto del Castillo annex, the Cintos de Sácaras annex and the Cerrador, and the Cortes reservoir.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.