Manzanares el Real, Medieval castle town in Community of Madrid, Spain
Manzanares el Real is a town in the mountains near Madrid, located at the foot of the granite peaks of La Pedriza with views of the Santillana Reservoir. The settlement combines a medieval center with newer neighborhoods and sits surrounded by mountain terrain with hiking trails nearby.
The New Castle of Manzanares el Real was built starting in 1475 and remains one of Spain's finest examples of medieval military architecture. The fortress was controlled by the Mendoza family, who shaped the region for generations.
The Museum of Ethnology displays objects and reconstructed traditional homes that show how people lived in this mountain region long ago. The exhibits reveal the crafts and daily routines of past generations who made their home here.
The town is reached by three bus lines from Madrid's Plaza de Castilla, making it easy to arrive as a visitor. Connections also run to nearby towns if you want to explore the surrounding region further.
The Cuenca Alta del Manzanares, the region around the area, was recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1993 for its granite formations and wildlife. This protected status reflects the ecological importance of the mountain and river landscapes found here.
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New Castle of Manzanares el Real
94 m
La Maliciosa
10.1 km
Santillana reservoir
2.7 km
Ventisquero de la Condesa
11.6 km
Old castle of Manzanares el Real
747 m
El Boalo
5.1 km
Risco de El Pájaro
5.1 km
Puente del Batán, Colmenar Viejo
5.6 km
Cerro de Valdemartín
11.2 km
Asómate de Hoyos
8.9 km
Iglesia de Santa María la Blanca
6.9 km
Loma de Pandasco
9.3 kmChorros del Manzanares
7.4 km
Zona arqueológica de La Pedriza
3.8 km
Centro de educación ambiental Manzanares del Real
0 m
Church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves
324 m
Plaza de toros de Moralzarzal
10.4 kmAtalaya del collado de la Torrecilla
8.7 kmEl Boalo Observatory
5 km
Hierro
10.1 kmChorrera
9.2 kmChopera de Samburiel
2.9 kmMirador de la solana
8.6 kmPuente medieval del Batan
5.6 kmMirador embalse Manzanares el Real
1.3 kmTorreón de la presa original
4.4 kmTorreón de la presa original
4.6 kmCasa de la Cultura Moralzarzal
10.3 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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