La Puebla de Cazalla Castle

La Puebla de Cazalla Castle or Luna Castle

La Puebla de Cazalla Castle or Luna Castle is located on a high escarpment at the foot of the Corbones River, here we can see some remains of what was once an important large castle, with a tribute tower and walls, built on the foundations of the old town of Cazaba or Kassala.

Luna Castle, as it is currently known, began as a defensive stronghold of the Ibero-Turdetans, around the 5th century BC, becoming with the Carthaginians (two centuries later), a watchtower known by historians as “turris annivalis”. Later, the Romans expanded the enclosure, playing a leading role in the 5th century AD. as a defense against barbarian raids. The occupation of that Roman “castello” as a defensive bastion later passed to the Muslims, becoming the Alcazaba. They expanded its construction, providing it with a second line of defense and carrying out some reforms inside between the 11th and 12th centuries.

In the year 1240, together with Osuna, Marchena, Morón, Écija, Estepa, Cote and Zafragón, Cazaba would be conquered from the Muslims by King Fernando III “El Santo”, changing its name to Cazalla. The new border line with the Islamic territories would be drawn between these populations, on the road from Granada to Seville, a border that until the beginning of the 16th century would be known by the name of Banda Morisca. From that moment on, the Puebla de Cazalla Castle would become a point of defense and lookout for Muslim incursions from the Ronda mountains, reaching great defensive strategic importance, especially between the mid-13th century and the end of the 14th century.

Source: La Puebla de Cazalla Town Hall