Castle of Palma, Military fortification in Mugardos, Spain
Castle of Palma is a military fortress at the mouth of the Ferrol estuary, in the municipality of Mugardos, in northwestern Spain. It has a rectangular plan with four corner bastions and thick stone walls that face directly toward the water.
The fortress was built between 1595 and 1603, during a period when Spain faced repeated naval threats from English and Dutch fleets in Atlantic waters. It was designed by military engineers following the Renaissance approach to coastal defense.
The fortress takes its name from the small coastal area where it stands, and visitors today can walk around its outer walls and read the structure as a working piece of military design. The corner bastions project outward at each angle, a shape intended to eliminate blind spots during a naval attack.
The site is easy to find along the coastal road that runs through Mugardos, and there is space to park nearby. The location is open to sea winds, so bringing a layer of clothing is a good idea, especially outside of summer.
Below the fortress, tunnels were cut directly into the rock to store ammunition and supplies, separate from the main living quarters. These underground spaces were connected to the rest of the structure through narrow passages that kept the stores hidden and protected.
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