Aragonese Castle

The Aragonesa Castle is an imposing structure dating from the late 13th or early 14th century, a highly complex work likely attributable to a prominent military architect. Strategically located on the border between the provinces of Jaén and Córdoba, near one of the branches of the ancient Roman road that followed the course of the river, this castle presents two clearly distinct stages in its history.

The first stage dates back to the Muslim period, when a Berber fort was built on the site. The second stage corresponds to the Christian period, during which the keep was built, replacing the original fort. The castle's layout is rectangular, with massive cylindrical turrets at each corner, except on the northwest side, where a square keep was erected to reinforce the defenses.

The castle's original entrance, which probably faced west, has disappeared due to the construction of the current residential buildings attached to the castle. The walls connecting the towers were once crenellated, although only a few of the crenellations remain today. Inside, the castle houses three chambers corresponding to its three levels. The lowest level, probably used as a cistern, is isolated from the rest of the tower. Above this, another chamber is accessed through a door located five meters high in the north wall. The upper chamber is reached via a spiral staircase embedded in the west wall, which also provides access to the terrace, offering panoramic views of the surroundings.