Castillo de Guadalerzas, Los Yébenes, Medieval fortress in Los Yébenes, Spain.
Castillo de Guadalerzas is a medieval castle set on a hilltop near Los Yébenes, in the hilly terrain of the Montes de Toledo. It has a square plan with four corner towers and a central courtyard, and its stone walls still stand to a considerable height in several sections.
The castle was built during the period of Arab rule and changed hands more than once during the Reconquista. After the Christian victory at Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, it was taken over and gradually rebuilt by successive military orders.
The castle once served as the seat of the Order of Calatrava, which used it as an administrative and judicial center. Visitors who walk around the outer walls can still make out the foundations of what were once monastic quarters attached to the military structure.
Reaching the site requires a walk of roughly 20 minutes across private land, as no public road leads directly to the castle. The interior is normally off-limits, so anyone who wants to go inside should arrange permission well in advance.
At different times, the castle operated as a field hospital for three separate military orders: the Templars, the Knights Hospitaller, and the Order of Calatrava. These three groups were often rivals, yet each used the same site for the same medical purpose at different points in history.
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