Oropesa Castle, Oropesa, Spain

The Orpesa/Oropesa del Mar Castle was built by Islamic inhabitants who had previously left Orpesa La Vella to seek out a more strategic area that would provide them greater protection. It's easy to see why – no matter which direction you look, you will have an unobstructed view of the entire horizon. Owing to its strategic importance, the Castle was conquered by historic figures such as El Cid (1090) and King James I of Aragon (1233).

During the Middle Ages, the castle belonged to the Order of Hospitallers until it was conquered by King James I. Among the families which later ruled the town, the most noteworthy was that of Jofre de Thous, who fortified the castle and the walls.

When it was first built, the floor plan of the castle was rectangular, with six towers spread in a fan-shaped fashion along the outer walls and an imposing main tower with a trapezoidal floor plan. This structure gave the castle excellent protection against invading forces, whose presence was alerted using the watchtower warning system in place along the coast. The siege of Marshal Suchet in the 19th century brought about the full destruction of the fortress.

Today, the Orpesa/Oropesa del Mar Castle is a historic landmark, plagued as it was by the political and diplomatic vicissitudes that so characterised the Medieval period. Roaming through the Castle brings that feeling of grandeur back to life; that greatness felt by men who knew that no matter where they looked, their eyes would gaze upon their dominion.

References:

oropesadelmarturismo.com

User Reviews

C Court (5 months ago)
Absolutely fantastic and plush public areas, rooms feel a little too rustic for my liking but keep in mind this is a castle and not a palace.

Nanita (5 months ago)
The Castillo de Oropesa is unmissable when you’re in Oropesa. Its origins are from the 12th & 13th century. Extremely well maintained, it is fairytale like

Bev Maidment (10 months ago)
Loved it. What a fabulous castle and town for wandering around. The castle walls afford great views and is pretty much all intact, you can go into all the towers with no restrictions. You can easily spend 2 hours here, we did. You can even spend the night in the adjoining hotel.

Ken Soler (13 months ago)
Nice medium sized castle on the top of a hill, the staff there were the best, they are very talkative and informative , kinda feels like they are long time friends and you are just visiting their castle.

Robby Reyes (17 months ago)
What a fun place to visit! Full of history and rich with tradition! In April there is a medieval fair that sends you back 900 years to the times of nobility and royal drama! You’ll hear time accurate music and see performances fit for a king! …or Queen! The castle is beautiful, perched on an amazing hillside that looks out towards the Sierra de Gredos mountains

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Predrag Bubalo

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