Ardales Castle

Ardales Castle, locally known as Castillo de Ardales or Castillo de la Peña, lies on a rock in the center of the village with the same name in the province of Málaga in Spain.

This site was first used as a pre-historic settlement, an Iberian fortified village and probably a Roman temple.

The village was conquered in 716 AD by the Emir Alhur al Tagafi who named it Ard-Allah, meaning God's garden or land. Ardales Castle was built in 883 AD by the Mozarabic rebel leader Umar ibn Hafsun. He enclosed the natural perimeter of the rock with walls and towers and built a square fort on top.

In the 13th century, after the conquest of the Guadalquivir valley by Castilian troops, Ardales Castle again gained importance as it was situated in the border region between the Kingdom of Castile and the Nasrid Emirate of Córdoba. It changed hands several times. In 1362 it was taken by Pedro I of Castile only to be taken back by the Moors 6 years later. In 1453 the castle was finally conquered by King Juan II of Castile.

During the Spanish War of Independence Ardales Castle was destroyed.

At present there remain some ruins of the castle. It can be visited but I don't know when. It was closed when I visited. A small but intriguing castle ruin.

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