Castle of Almonaster la Real

The Castle of Almonaster la Real is a defensive walled enclosure located in Almonaster la Real, province of Huelva, on a promontory overlooking the town. The CastillosNet file identifies it as a medieval castle with military and residential function, integrated into the heritage of the municipality and associated with the old mosque inside. Its origin dates back to the Caliphate period or, at least, to the Islamic period of al-Andalus; the sources consulted indicate that it was built in the Caliphate period and that it has undergone successive transformations over the centuries. An important defensive function is also documented against the Christian advance in the Islamic period and, later, against the Portuguese advance in the Christian period. Architecturally it is preserved as a walled fence of irregular plan, with sections of wall and tower cubes, although today it is in a very deteriorated state. The enclosure covers 8,288 m² and a perimeter of 313 meters, and inside it is preserved the old mosque, one of the most valuable heritage elements of the set, along with the bullring of the nineteenth century. The historical value of the monument lies in the superimposition of Islamic and Christian phases, which explains its current configuration. Together with the mosque, it was declared of national interest, and is part of the most emblematic monumental complex of Almonaster la Real, in the Sierra de Huelva.