The Cartama Castle is located in the Monte de la Virgen (Mount of the Virgin), where the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios is also located and where it is possible to be enjoyed some impressive panoramic views. Cártama Castle was built by the Moors in the early Middle Ages. During the Mozarabic revolt of Omar ibn Hafsun, between 881 and 914 AD, Cártama stayed loyal to the Caliphate of Córdoba and the castle was strengthened.
Because of the advancing Christian troops Cártama Castle was again strengthened during the 14th century. By that time the castle would probably have had a double curtain wall and several towers. In 1485 however, the castle was taken by Christians troops. Because the castle was important for their siege against the city of Málaga the Catholic Monarchs invested large sums of money in maintaining the castle between 1485 and 1487. From 1491 on the castle lost its strategic importance and the castle was used as a quarry by the locals.
What you can see today are the scarce remains of a rectangular alcazaba with its surrounding walls and a cistern.
References: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.