Granadilla, Abandoned medieval village in Zarza de Granadilla, Spain
Granadilla is a medieval village on a peninsula in Gabriel y Galán reservoir in Zarza de Granadilla, Spain. A granite wall encircles the stone houses, narrow streets, and a church grouped around a castle at the center.
King Ferdinand of Leon founded the settlement in 1170 under the name Villa de Granada. The residents left the village in 1960 when the government built Gabriel y Galán reservoir.
The name comes from pomegranate, reflecting the Moorish past of the region. The longueras, walled kitchen gardens inside the fortress, provided food for residents during sieges and remain visible today as stone enclosures.
The site sits on a peninsula with walking paths through the empty streets and along the wall. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes since some areas are uneven and stones may be loose.
The reservoir water level rises some years high enough to flood the lower parts of the peninsula. The 15th-century castle originally served the Dukes of Alba as a summer residence and hunting lodge.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
