Castillo de Alarcón, Medieval fortress and parador hotel in Alarcón, Spain
Castillo de Alarcón is a fortress built on a limestone cliff that towers above a sharp bend in the Júcar River. The structure contains defensive walls, guard towers, and a central courtyard that now serves as a hotel accommodating overnight visitors.
Construction began in the 8th century when the area was under Arab control, and it served as a strategic outpost guarding trade routes and borders. Christian forces took control in 1184 and maintained it as an important regional stronghold.
The fortress combines its Gothic building style with its role as a functioning hotel, allowing visitors to experience medieval spaces in daily use. Guests from around the world share meals and rest in rooms where generations once lived, making history tangible rather than distant.
Prepare for uneven floors and steep stairs since the fortress is built on cliffs and preserves its medieval structure without modern retrofitting. Guided tours help visitors understand the layout and purpose of different rooms and towers while walking through the ancient passages.
Workers built the walls using red limestone blocks during construction, creating distinctive patterns that stand out across the fortification. This reddish coloring sets the fortress apart from other regional strongholds and makes it visually recognizable from a distance.
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