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Castles in Cadiz

Zahara de la Sierra Castle

Castles in Cadiz

Zahara de la Sierra Castle

Zahara de la Sierra Castle, Medieval Town of Zahara – Remains of the Castle and Keep

From the thirteenth century, Castilla be taken for symbolic, constructive and defensive reasons the central european model  of Tower of Homage but with Muslim influences. It is possible that from the fourteenth and fitteenth centuries this convergence occurs in the Spanish-Nazarí frontier resulting tardocristianas as towers of Olvera and Zahara.

Although its origins were a Muslim, in 1282 the Christian King Alfonso X had an interview with the sultan of the north african dynasty beimerines Abu Yusuf, there is no doubt that the structure taht we currently observe is fully Christian. We have documentary evidence that shortly after its conquest in 1407 on the strength repairs are carried out, adn in the late fifteenth century, when referring to “the Keep was very old and battered”.

The Keep of the Zahara de la Sierra Castle is square with rounded corners chamfered to resist impacts, highlighting a alambor or sloping wall on its northwest face to ward rounds.

It is on the southeast side, where the original entrance, which would be accesssed with a ladder, using skate or play ladder at the foot of the wall, of later construction. This access door is raised oyster stone masonry of Cadiz, with lintel and stepped barrel vault inland. It has been the hollows of the quicialeras door.

It is a two-story tower connected by a spiral barrel vault, each subdivided into four units open baidas vaults lined with bricks. The external emage of the top of the brick ledge is a product of the last restoration in the mid-eighties in the twentieth century. Originally the openings between the corners were narrower. It is a tower in which civil and military function intermingle. One clear example is the windows with a domestic patent function but are only open on the top floor for safety.

From the Keep (Torre del Homenaje) could make out other strengths as Olvera Castle, Cote Castle and Matrera Castle and the Atalayaof Audita, and maintain eye contact as a way to control space and be able to respond in an organized against any opponent.

The last military use of the Torre del Homenaje of Zahara was between 1810 and 1812 during the French occupation of the mountain, under the command of General Soult. And engraving of Zahara, tells the offensive against the French settled in the castle directed by D. Pedro de Pineda. It was a possibly this is the only time in history that the Keep it asserted its defensive characteristics.

Castillo de Zahara de la Sierra

Castillo de Zahara de la Sierra

Castillo de Zahara de la Sierra Castillo de Zahara de la Sierra


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