San Miguel Castle, Medieval fortress on coastal hilltop in Almuñécar, Spain.
San Miguel Castle is a stone hilltop fortress in Almuñécar, Spain, overlooking both the coast and the town below. It has four round corner towers, a wide dry moat, and battlemented outer walls that follow the shape of the rocky summit.
The site goes back to a Phoenician settlement from the 7th century BC, later expanded by Romans and then by Arab rulers. Most of the walls and towers that stand today were shaped during the Arab period.
The castle takes its name from the Archangel Michael, a dedication common in Spanish coastal fortresses. Walking through its gates, visitors can notice how Arabic arches and Roman stonework sit side by side without forming a single uniform style.
Visiting during daylight hours gives the clearest views over the sea and the town rooftops. Some sections of the site are steep and uneven, so sturdy footwear makes it easier to move between the different levels.
During the Spanish War of Independence, a British naval bombardment damaged one of the towers so badly that it still leans today. The tilt is visible to the naked eye from the town side, making it one of the few fortresses where a single cannonball attack left a permanent mark on the outline.
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