La Mota fortress

Municipality: Alcalá la Real

Regions: Sierra Sur de Jaén

Latitude: 37.460797°

Longitude: -3.929844°

Altitude: 1014.807 m

Video - La Mota fortress

Alcalá la Real is a municipality located in the extreme southwest of the province of Jaén, it has a privileged location between the provinces of Jaén, Córdoba and Granada.

From the "mountain of Andalusia", as the hill of La Mota was called in times of the Catholic Monarchs, there is a wide perspective on Granada territory.

In the impressive fortress of La Mota, one of the most complex defensive systems in al-Andalus was located, as well as being a reference city.

History of the Castillo de la Mota

Muslim era

Since the eighth century,the Arab clans of the Banu Yahsub and the Banu Sa"id had been building this military complex.

In the early Middle Ages it was baptized as Qal"at Astalir and Qal"at Yahsub. However, after the supremacy of the ruling clan was altered, he changed his name to Qal"at Banu Sa"id. This name would be collected in the Christian chronicles as Alcalá Benzayde.

The rule of the Sa"id was particularly brilliant in the history of Alcalá. During this time, the poet Hiyari was the initiator of one of the masterpieces par excellence of history, and the literature of al-Andalus, "el Magrib". This, in turn, was part of a broader work, the Books of the Sphere of Literature.

Regain

La Mota was the last defensive fortification before accessing Granada, from Jaén and Córdoba. That is why Castilla did not have an easy conquest. Finally, in 1213, Alfonso VIII managed to seize the fortress from the Almohads.

Little timeafter the conquest Christian, the prized fortress of La Mota, fell back into Arab power. In 1341, Alfonso XI made it capitulate definitively.

Alfonso XI ordered the demolition of the main mosque and the construction of the first Abbey church in its place. the kingJuan II promoted the town to the rank of city and Enrique IV, by way of gratitude for the services rendered during the rebellion of the nobility, was granted the title of "very noble and loyal city". Around the time of the conquest of Granada, the Catholic Monarchs declared Alcalá la Real a “very noble and very loyal city, key, guard and defense of the Monarchs of Castile”.

16th - 18th centuries

During In the 16th century, a large part of the new Mayor Church and the first abbatial palace were built.

In the 18th century, the decline of the urban complex of La Mota began, with the beginning of a program of urbanization and repopulation of the fields of Alcalá la Real. This added to the construction of convents, churches, services and commercial centers, encouraged the depopulation of the old medieval enclosure.

Napoleonic Spain

In it XIX century, the fortress was conditioned and restored by the French forces. To do this, they built a wall that went from the fortress to the prison tower. In 1812, after thewar of independence, the main church, used as a warehouse, was set on fire. This caused the collapse of part of the vault and the explosion of the tower of the Prison, which housed a powder keg, in turn destroying a large part of the walls.

20th century and present

In 1931 La Mota was declared a National Monument. Later, in 1967, this town was declared a Historic-Artistic Site.. During this century there have been numerous reforms and restorations with the aim ofkeep strength.

The fortress of the Mote

In one of the highest areas, in the extreme north, there are natural caves that were used throughoutof the centuries as warehouses, cellars and wine presses. One of these caves even has a passageway that communicates with the Keep.

Tower of tribute

The Homage Tower is a prismatic construction twenty meters high and distributed on a single floor topped by battlements. It is accessed through a vaulted passageway, in which brick alternates with masonry and ashlar masonry.

Candle tower

The Tower of the Sailsituates in the highest area of the fortress and has reduced dimensions compared to those of the Homage Tower, which is joined by a corridor that runs along the canvas of walls. Its name originated after the conquest by the Christians, since a bell was installed to warn of the danger of enemy incursions. Currently, its interior is an archaeological museum.

Citadel

The citadel is located inthe highest place in La Mota. The most significant elements of the defensive structure were concentrated in this place, which is why this was a strictly military area.

This part of the fortress was accessed through the tower-gate of the Image. It has a bent entrance and a pointed arch, which stands out for itssize. The gate of the Peso de la Harina, guaranteed the entrance to the military compound in its highest part.

Legend of the Speck

The legend of Pascual Sánchez el Adalid

The well of the tower is linked to an ancient legend about the conquest of the city by Alfonso XI.

In 1340, the king had seized the Old Quarter. Instead,the upper enclosure of the citadel he did not give up despite the siege and hunger. It was then thatPascual Sánchez the Champion,one of the knightsparticipants in the siege, he overcame the wall and captured an Arab shepherd.

Pascual forced thepastor to show him where the well that supplied water to the fortress was. Once the water was poisoned, the square was deliveredto Alfonso XI.

Opening hours of the Castle of Alcalá la Real

Winter: September 15 to 31 April

Daily: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Summer: May 1 to September 14

Daily: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Closed: December 25, January 1 and 6 January.

Days 24, 31 December and 5 January closing at 2:00 p.m. h.

Price Entrance to the Castle of La Mota

General Admission: €8.

Groups superiors to 20 people (price per person): €5. Reduced ticket (over 65s, people with a European Youth Card, etc.): €4

Photo Gallery - La Mota fortress

Notice: Undefined variable: nombre in /var/www/vhosts/castillosyfortalezasdejaen.com/httpdocs/castle.php on line 98

Notice: Undefined variable: nombre in /var/www/vhosts/castillosyfortalezasdejaen.com/httpdocs/castle.php on line 98