Iscar Castle lies on a high hill, overlooking the village by the same name, in the province of Valladolid in Spain.

The following historical info is taken from a little Spanish booklet, titled Castillos de Valladolid. My Spanish translation skills aren't great so forgive any mistakes that may occur.

It has an interesting keep, built in excellent ashlar masonry and with a pentagonal plan. On a corner of the keep is a turret with the coat of arms of its owners during the 15th century; Don Pedro Zuņiga de Avellaneda and his wife Catherine Velasco de Mendoza.

The elevated entrance to the keep, was guarded by three robust towers, built closely together, which formed a small defensive enclosure behind the keep, protecting the stone steps and wooden drawbridge (now gone).

The rest of the castle is made up of a walled enclosure with towers. And in some of these towers there are small, rectangular windows, corresponding to the 16th century artillery.

The first castle at this site was a Moorish castle which was mentioned in an Arab chronicle as being the base for a Moorish raid into Christian territory in 939. In the 11th century the castle was owned by a nobleman from the Burgos province; Alvar Faņez de Minaya, a lieutenant of the famous "El Cid". He probably repopulated the area and rebuild the castle.

Between the anecdotes of the castle's strength there is one of a punishment siege by the Castilian king Alfonso II in 1334. This was carried out because the Lord of the castle; Don Juan Martinez de Leyva, had denied the king entrance to the castle.

This is a nice castle ruin which offers great views of the surrounding countryside due to its elevated position. Sadly the beautiful keep was closed when I visited so I couldn't climb to the top. The rest of the castle is freely accessible.

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