Castillo de León, Medieval castle in León, Spain

The Castillo de León, also called the Torres de León in medieval documents, is built into the northern stretch of the old Roman city wall, incorporating two cubes flanking the former decuman gate. A third tower, the half-ruined Torre del Conde, was added in the Middle Ages. Seven-metre walls enclose an oval precinct with a courtyard on each side of the wall.

The castle occupies the northern stretch of León's Roman wall, incorporating two towers flanking the old decuman gate; in the Middle Ages a third tower, the Torre del Conde, was added. The Puerta del Conde is documented from the early 10th century, and by the early 11th century the complex served as residence of Count Munio Fernández and his wife Elvira. Berenguela of Castile restored it as a palace, and it was later a prison, holding Ordoño II's Castilian captives after Valdejunquera (920) and, in 1664, the Duke of Híjar. Since 1982 it houses the Provincial Historical Archive.

The castle's name in medieval documents was Torres de León, and the Puerta del Conde is documented from the early 10th century. In the early 11th century it served as the residence of Count Munio Fernández and his wife Elvira. The Torre del Conde, now half-ruined, housed the officer in charge of the city's defence.

The castle forms part of the northern stretch of León's Roman wall, next to the old decuman gate, and is entered from the historic centre. Since 1982 it has housed the Archivo Histórico Provincial de León, so access is tied to the archive's opening hours rather than to a monument ticket office.

The castle walls, seven metres high, incorporate two Roman towers flanking the old decumanus gate; in the Middle Ages a third tower, the Torre del Conde, was added. Inside, a cistern once collected the water supply of the city, which made this the natural spot for the citadel.