Castillo de La Calahorra, Renaissance castle in La Calahorra, Spain.
Castillo de La Calahorra is a fortress with four square towers built on elevated ground above the Marquesado plateau in the Sierra Nevada. The interior courtyard features marble craftsmanship and forms the building's impressive heart.
The castle was built between 1509 and 1512 by Italian architects and craftsmen, making it the first Renaissance castle in Andalusia. Its construction marked a turning point in how Renaissance architecture spread from Italy into Spain.
The courtyard reflects Italian Renaissance design brought by the craftsmen who built it, showing how southern European artistic principles reached Andalusia. Visitors can observe how these influences shaped the building's character and stand apart from local architectural traditions.
Access to the castle requires advance arrangement with the caretaker on site. Visitors should contact ahead to confirm visiting availability before making the trip.
Underground cells beneath the main structure once held Moorish prisoners awaiting transfer to other locations. These hidden chambers reveal a darker chapter tied to the region's post-conquest history.
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