Castle of Zorita de los Canes-Alcazaba de Zorita, Medieval fortress in Zorita de los Canes, Spain.
The Alcazaba of Zorita rises on a hilltop overlooking the Tagus River and shows a compact fortress layout built with stone walls and multiple towers. The architecture combines robust defensive structures with a distinctive horseshoe-shaped gateway that marks the main entrance to the inner areas.
The fortress was founded in the 9th century under Islamic rule to control a vital passage across the Tagus River. After centuries of occupation, Christian military orders took control and left their own modifications to the structure.
The military orders who occupied this place left marks of their daily life in the stone structures scattered across the hillside. You can see how soldiers and monks shared the spaces, organizing their lives around defense and prayer.
The site is reached by unpaved paths that can become slippery in wet weather. Good footwear is essential as many sections are steep and the ground consists of loose stones.
The walls show clear differences in construction techniques that reveal how various rulers reinforced the site over centuries. These layers of stone tell the story of changing control at this strategic location.
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