Castle of Cadrete, Medieval fortress in Cadrete, Spain

Castle of Cadrete is a medieval fortress on a hilltop with natural defensive features and three distinct fortified enclosures. A four-story tower incorporating Islamic architectural elements stands at the center of the complex.

The fortress was commissioned in 935 by the caliph to control the local governor who had resisted his orders. It emerged as a response to regional tensions and was meant to secure caliphate authority.

The fortress displays building methods shaped by Islamic craftsmanship, using rammed earth and gypsum as primary materials. Visitors can clearly see these traditional construction techniques in the walls and tower structure.

The castle stands on a hilltop at 380 metres, about 12 kilometres from Zaragoza, and is reached on foot from Cadrete. The climb is steep and the paths uneven, so sturdy footwear helps. The upper enclosure is organised around an open courtyard, with the tower rising above it.

The upper enclosure's cistern, cut into the hilltop rather than buried below it, held about 5,000 cántaros of water. The same enclosure contained a portico and a chapel dedicated to Saint Michael, and the four-story tower is really two towers: a caliphal one later encased and heightened to counter its structural problems.