Castell de Begur, Castle ruins on a hilltop in Begur, Spain
Castell de Begur is a ruined fortress built on a rocky promontory above the town of Begur. Its most visible remain is a cylindrical tower with a battered base, preserved to about 5 metres on the north-east side. Beside it are parts of three walls of a small rectangular room with the start of a vault, and to the north-west the remains of a rectangular cistern with three walls at the cliff edge and reddish plaster inside.
The fortress was first recorded in 1019 under the control of Arnust de Begur, who held it as a feudal stronghold for the region. It suffered several destructions over the centuries until British forces detonated explosives there in 1810, ending its military purpose.
The name Begur also belonged to a local lineage of castlans: in the 1358 fogatjament, Blanca de Begur is recorded holding 51 hearths from the castle. In 1309 James II granted the town to Bernat de Cruïlles with the title Baron of Begur, and the Cruïlles family kept the title until the mid-18th century.
The ruins sit at the highest point in Begur and can be reached on foot from the town center. The climb up the hill reveals views gradually, and a short walk leads directly to the summit.
The cistern is not inside the tower: it lies in the north-west sector, a rectangular tank whose three walls stand at the edge of the cliff, where the rock was cut vertically. Inside, the reddish plaster lining survives, along with the springing of a vault.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,021 contributors worldwide.
