Tema: Castles in Spain

Castle of Almodóvar

Almodovar del Rio is a grandiose caliphal fortress erected on a high mound along the Guadalquivir. Its high walls are flanked by square towers, except for one that may be Visigothic.
The principal tower is taller than the others, and the entire castle is surrounded by a large moat, while in the middle there is a large court of arms.
During the Almohad invasion, it was the site of an encounter between warring Muslim factions, and Peter the Cruel used it as a prison for his sister-in-law Juana de Lara. It was also the scene of the battles between the followers of Henry IV and his brother. Much later, Philip IV ceded it to the Order of Santiago.
The count of Torralba rebuilt it at the beginning of this century under the direction of the marquis of Cubas, giving it the external appearance of the original Arab fortification. It is one of the few castle-palaces in Andalucia that can still be inhabited.


http://www.castles.org/castles/Europ...doba/index.htm

Castle of Olite


Palacio Real de Olite: Photographies of the Castle Olite's Royal palace


History of the Royal Palace of Olite

It was Sancho VII “el fuerte” who ordered to build a first defensive place at the end of 12th and the beginning of the 13th century. It was built over the remains of a roman fortress. His sucessors from the house of

Champagne, Teobaldo I and Teobaldo II, improved and extended what it is called Palacio Viejo (Old Palace). The first expansion of the palace was made in 1350 by Carlos II “el malo” when he ordered to build St. George Chapel at the south of it.

The definitive impulse for a building which would be a permanent residence for the royalty and made way to what nowadays is known as Royal Palace of Olite or Palacio Nuevo (New Palace), was made by Carlos III “el noble” from the house of Evreux. He made the successive expansions of the historic place with the intention of consolidate his presence and get a more comfortable environment typical of the court. This was thanks to the influence of the French nobility dynasty he belonged to and his inherited possessions in Normandy.

Except for the building of some not very relevant rooms, Catalina de Foix and Juan III de Albret ordered the last significant renovations at the end of 15th century.

Later, Olite became the house of Viceroys of Navarre although they did not spend long periods there.


Castle - Royal Palace of Olite