Castell de Miravet, Templar fortress in Miravet, Spain.
Castell de Miravet is a castle that rises above the Ebro River, built with thick stone walls, multiple towers, stables, a water cistern, a kitchen, and a Romanesque church. The fortress has several stories stacked together, with different areas for defense, living, and worship all within the same structure.
After the Muslim defeat in 1153, the fortress passed to the Knights Templar, becoming a key stronghold in Christian territorial control. The Templars reinforced and expanded the structure over subsequent decades as their power grew in the region.
The castle shows how military and religious spaces were combined in Templar design. The uniform construction and strong defenses reflect building practices from that era.
The castle sits on a hilltop with a winding road leading to a parking area at the north side. Wear comfortable shoes and allow time to climb through the different levels, as stairs in this hilltop fortress can be steep and narrow in places.
The castle's church has a remarkable architectural feature: a double-height barrel vault that spans the first floor level. This unusual design for a chapel inside a fortress shows how the Templars prioritized worship space even within tight military constraints.
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