Castillo de Corbanera, Military castle in Monte, Santander, Spain

Castillo de Corbanera is a circular fortress in Monte built with four semicircular towers and crenellated walls featuring rifle loopholes throughout. The round structure with a diameter of about 50 meters was equipped with defensive elements designed to withstand military attacks.

The fortress was built in 1874 by architect José Almirante y Torroella to protect Santander during the Third Carlist War between 1872 and 1876. It arose during a period of intensive military fortification when the city was strengthened against potential attacks.

The name Corbanera comes from the La Maruca area of Monte where the fort stands. Its neo-medieval look is deliberate: a crenellated wall with rifle loopholes, four semicircular towers facing the cardinal points and a central tower that served as powder magazine and garrison barracks. Since 2012 it has been a Bien de Interés Cultural.

The castle is privately owned and interior access remains restricted, but visitors can observe the exterior structure from various vantage points in Monte. It is worth exploring the outside perimeter and viewing its architectural form from different angles.

In 2022 a report commissioned from the University of Cantabria by the city council, and upheld by its legal services, confirmed private ownership of the castle by usucapion, since its current residents have lived there for more than three decades.