Inside the lone standing Castle of Zafra in Spain
Inside the lone standing Castle of Zafra in Spain
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Synopsis
Standing tall and alone in the Spanish province of Guadalajara, Castle of Zabra is one magnificent structure that looks no less than a princess home! Surrounded by the Caldereros mountain range, this castle at a height of 1400 met … Read more
Standing tall and alone in the Spanish province of Guadalajara, Castle of Zabra is one magnificent structure that looks no less than a princess home! Surrounded by the Caldereros mountain range, this castle at a height of 1400 meters, is the lone structure for miles around, which might make you feel a little uncomfortable. Let’s explore more:
About the castle
Not many must be aware of the fact that the Castle of Zafra has also featured in a super hit historical television series. In the fantastic fictional series, the castle played the role of Tower of Joy. The main tower of the castle is known as Tower of Homage. The region is categorised by scattered sloping meadows and sandstone outcrops. Given the small size of the structure, it is hard to believe that the castle has 500 people living inside its gated walls.
The grand castle we see now was built by the Kingdom of Aragon. The purpose of the castle was to defend the south of the kingdom and it proved successful when King Fernando III of Castile in 1222 failed to enter or destroy the massive castle. Till the end of the 15th century, the castle remained undefeated but later, because of no repair work, the fortification started to fall and hence, it came to an end.
The history of the castle
As per records, the castle was built between the 12th and 13th centuries. However, the rocks in the region dates back to the Bronze and Iron Ages, which is remarkable. It is believed that the Romans must have built some structure on the rocks before where the castle stands now. Historians are also sure that a fortress was in the 8th century at the same spot during the Visigothic Kingdom. Not only this, the Moors too had a fortress built in the region but it was conquered in 1129 by the Christian kingdoms (of Spain).
The present
For a long time (until 1971), the castle remained under the Spanish state and in ruins. It was later put on auction and sold to Don Antonio Sanz Polo for 30,000 Spanish pesetas. For the next 30 years, the man spent most of his money on the repairing work of the castle. He hired the best architects and historians to help him in the work. His efforts did not go in vain as he was recognised for his remarkable work by Medal of Merit from the National Association of Friends of Castles award.
The castle is gorgeous and is a must visit for all those on a Spain tour. People come here from across the globe to get a glimpse of this great castle.
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