Tabernas Castle

Tabernas Castle, locally known as Castillo de Tabernas, lies on a hill in the town of the same name in the province of Almería in Spain.

Tabernas Castle was built during the 11th century under Arab rule. It was one of the main fortresses in Almería. When it was built it occupied the whole top of the hill and guarded an important route between Almería and Murcia.

In 1489 the castle was handed over to the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, as part of a pact with the Emirate of Granada. That year the Monarchs visited the castle and stayed there for a couple of days before Ferdinand left to besiege the city of Almería. When Almería had fallen, the capitulation papers were signed here. In 1492 the Catholic Monarchs departed from the castle to go to Granada and accept is capitulation.

In 1522 Tabernas Castle was already described as being ruinous. In 1560 Almería requested funds from Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, to repair the castle. Small repairs were subsequently carried out but by the end of the 16th century the castle was abandoned. The ruins were further destroyed during the Peninsular War in the 19th century.

In the 1969 the castle featured in the movie 'Patton' and apparently a gate from the castle was destroyed during filming.

The ruin has been partially restored. There is also a newly built gate, which looks out of place.

At present Tabernas Castle is freely accessible. I like this ruin, even though part of it is a pastiche.

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