Castillo de la Atalaya (Villena)

Castillo de la Atalaya is a well-preserved Almohad castle from the late 12th century, towering over the old town of Villena. In the 14th century it housed the court of Don Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena and author of “Count Lucanor”. The keep preserves vaults which, according to the town, have only one parallel in Spain, at Biar Castle.

This well-preserved castle stands on San Cristóbal hill, the highest point of Villena's old quarter, and was built by the Almohads in the late 12th century as a refuge for the town's Muslim population. Arab sources mention the fortress as early as 1172, and in 1240 it was taken by King James I of Aragon. After the Treaty of Almizra the lordship of Villena passed to the Manuel family, and in the 14th century the castle housed the court of Don Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena and author of “Count Lucanor”. His second wife, Infanta Constance of Aragon, also lived in the castle. In the 15th century it was held by the powerful Pacheco family, who added two new floors to the keep and a second ring of walls. In 1476, after a hard siege, the Catholic Monarchs took the castle from the Pachecos, and many projectiles from that fighting still lie in the parade ground. The fortress later played a part in the Revolt of the Brotherhoods, the War of the Spanish Succession and the Peninsular War, and its walls still show artillery impacts. Graffiti left by prisoners survives on the walls of the keep. It was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1931 and restored in 1958. It has a double, roughly rectangular ring of crenellated walls with round towers at the corners. The square keep is about 25 metres high and has four floors: the two lower Almohad floors are of rammed earth, while the two upper ones were built in stone in Christian times. It preserves Almohad ribbed vaults with interlacing brick arches, which according to the town's website have only one parallel in Spain, at Biar Castle. You can climb to the top of the keep, which looks out over Villena and the surrounding hills. Visitors praise the castle's condition and the guides, and one visitor who toured it independently mentions the QR codes with information. According to reviews, it is worth checking that the castle will be open before you go, as it may be closed over the siesta break. The Villena Archaeological Museum holds the Treasure of Villena, a hoard of nearly 60 objects around 3,000 years old, including gold bowls and bracelets, weighing almost 10 kg in total. One visitor recommends combining the castle with the museum.