Castle of Biar, Medieval castle in Biar, Spain
Castle of Biar is a medieval fortress sitting on a hillock with a double ring of walls and four half-cylindrical towers at the corners of the outer perimeter. The structure combines Islamic and Christian building methods using stone and rammed earth materials.
The fortress was built in the 12th century by the Almohads, a North African dynasty that ruled much of the Iberian Peninsula. After Christian conquest, it became a key position in the conflicts between the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile.
The castle shows how people from different backgrounds worked with their own building styles, as Islamic and Christian techniques appear together in the stone and rammed earth walls. Visitors can see today how these different construction methods came together.
The site sits within the town of Biar and is reachable on foot from the town center. For information about visiting, the local tourist office can help with questions about paths and timing.
The building holds the only example of Almohad ribbed vaulting in Spanish military architecture, located on the first floor of the rectangular central tower. This rare architectural feature shows the advanced building techniques the Almohads brought to the peninsula.
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