Castillo de La Calahorra, Renaissance castle in La Calahorra, Spain.
The fortress features four square towers, a marble-crafted courtyard, and stands on an elevated position overlooking the Marquesado plateau in Sierra Nevada.
The castle was constructed between 1509 and 1512 by Italian architects and craftsmen, becoming the first Renaissance castle in Andalusia and one of the earliest outside Italy.
Cardinal Mendoza received the castle from Catholic Monarchs and transferred it to his son, the Marquis of Zenete, who brought Italian Renaissance influences to Spain.
Visitors can explore the castle interior on Wednesdays from 10 AM to 1 PM and 4 PM to 6 PM through arrangements with the appointed caretaker.
The castle cells beneath the main structure were used to hold Moorish prisoners before their transfer to the Chancery of Granada.
Location: La Calahorra
Inception: 1500
Architectural style: Renaissance
GPS coordinates: 37.18356,-3.06519
Latest update: May 13, 2025 01:39
Andalusia offers many sites away from typical tourist routes. This southern region of Spain is home to ancient troglodyte dwellings in Guadix, mountain villages like Zahara de la Sierra perched around medieval castles, and natural parks such as Cabo de Gata-Níjar extending over 50 kilometers of coast. Geological formations include the red volcanic rocks of Riotinto, a result of 5,000 years of mining, and canyons housing 240 Bronze Age dolmens in Gorafe park. Villages like Setenil de las Bodegas feature unique architecture, with houses built beneath natural rock overhangs shaped by the Trejo River. The Castle of La Calahorra, built in 1509 at an altitude of 1200 meters, combines Spanish fortifications with Italian Renaissance decoration. Further north, Baños de la Encina hosts the Burgalimar Castle dating from 968, surrounded by extensive olive groves. These sites showcase different facets of Andalusian heritage, from prehistoric remains to Moorish inscriptions, in environments ranging from mountains to Mediterranean coastal zones.
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