Zalia Castle, Alcaucín, Spain

The Zalia Castle is easily accessed by the road up from La Viñuela Dam address Ventas de Zafarraya-Granada.

Although hardly can be seen today due to their state of total ruin, Zalia Castle had an irregural plant of approximately 120m x 150 m. You can still see some towers and remains of the wall between the gorse and scrubland existing around.

Zalia Castle had a double walled, both being very irregular. Account outside with thick masonry walls, punctuated by towers of square section and some circular; they have disappeared several stretches of wall, while other very displaced. The fortress provided inside of a water tank and a large entrance gate flanked by two large masonry towers regrown with mud on top. Its main entrance was facing north.

It is believed that it was a fortress rebuilt by the Arabs on the other primitive built by the Phoenicians. In September 1485 it was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs. After the war of the Alpujarras the Zalia Castle became prison-bishopric.

References:

Andalucia Rustica

User Reviews

Tom Priscott (8 months ago)
Brilliant place to stay. Really great views and amazing location not far from everything you need (driving). Property faces the south which gives it sun all day. Pool is warm (looks like it’s air heated so perfect all year around) and long enough to properly swim. The bbq area is also a great addition. Stunning walks around the property are well worth doing, especially just walking up to the castle next door. Ground floor apartments are large and have plently of space. I worked remotely from the apartment and has 170mb download and 70mb upload speeds so plenty to be able to do video calls etc. only down side would be if there are people above you it tends to be quite loud if they move stuff around, but no different to normal if you’re living in a flat in Spain. Really worth a visit.

lewis ford (9 months ago)
Beautiful medieval castle ruins with spectacular views

Marek Tohu (9 months ago)
The best place? with the best people?

Natalie Futter (5 years ago)
Beautiful views

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Photo from Flickr, copyright discopalace

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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

Zalia Castle

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