Castillo de la Guardia

About

Once the capital of the region, La Guardia and its castle were one of the most important cities in the area until the 11th century. First constructed by the Arabs in the 8th century, the castle was conquered by Fernando III the Saint in 1244 and remained habitable until it was occupied by the Napoleonic troops in 1812. It wasn’t until a fire set by the French troops during their retreat destroyed much of the castle that it began to fall into disrepair. The true strategic and military importance of La Guardia, however, was lost as early as the 14th century, when the castle became more of a palatial residence than a defensive fortification. Today, visitors can appreciate these impressive ruins, many areas of which have been restored by recent reconstruction efforts, and admire the stunning view over the whitewashed houses of the village below.