Santa Catalina castle

Municipality: Jaén

Regions:

Latitude: 37.767461°

Longitude: -3.799479°

Altitude: 781.923 m

Video - Santa Catalina castle

The castle of Santa Catalina is located on a high hill, to the west of the city of Jaén, and constitutes one of the most significant symbols of the city both for its importance in the history of the city, as well as for its harmony and beauty. of its architectural typology.

From its privileged location you can admire unique views of the city of Jaén and surroundings.

History of the Castle of Jaen

Muslim era

In the year 711, the Muslim troops led by Táriq ibn Ziyad landed on the Iberian Peninsula and began the conquest of the territory. This same year, the city of Jaén was occupied by the Muslims, becoming an important fortification to protect the region from Christian incursions.

A In the middle of the 9th century, during the emirate of Abd al-Rahman II, it was configured as an urban nucleus, taking the name of the province, Yayyan. From then on, it was fortified and the Magdalena Mosque was built.

The walls that protected, structured and delimited the city of Jaén were built during the 9th and 10th centuries, in the Emiral and Caliphate times. Later, the Almoravids and Almohads expanded them at a time when Christian pressure was intensifying on the upper Guadalquivir territory and new expectations arose with the Christian victory in 1212 inLas Navas de Tolosa.

Regain

During In the years 1151 and 1152, Alfonso VII besieged Jaén, however he could not surrender the city. It was not until the accession to the throne ofFerdinand III andAfter three sieges and sieges of the city, in 1246 King Alhamar of Granada was able to agree to the delivery of the city.

Once the city was occupied, the monarch ordered the fortifications to be repaired and established Jaén as the religious and administrative capital of the upper Guadalquivir. Centuries later, his image was carved on the facade of the Cathedral, together with the four evangelists, as a way of thanks.

The Christian monarch set out to repair the fortifications. In the southern part of the old citadel, on the great remains of the old Caliphate castle, the so-called castle of Santa Catalina or Alcázar Nuevo was built.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the castle became an important defensive bastion in the fight against attacks by Muslims from Granada and Barbary pirates.

From then on, Jaén only suffered the sieges and contentions of civil wars, such as, for example, when in 1445 it was attacked by supporters of Prince Don Enrique.

After the conquest of Granada was finished and the Muslims were expelled, the city, from the 16th and 17th centuries, with the arrival of the Bourbon dynasty to the throne of Spain, the castle lost much of its military value and growth began in the city that gave rise, in some cases, to the destruction of the walls, gates and towers the castle.

Napoleonic Spain

At the beginning of the 19th century, Napoleonic troops converted the fortified enclosure into a barracks and installed accommodation for the regular troops, stables, dungeons, offices, powder magazines and even a hospital with fifty beds. Before leaving the square after the battle of Bailén, they bombarded the interior, with the aim that it could not be used by another army.

20th century and present

In the 20th century, the Santa Catalina Castle was restored and became an important cultural and tourist center of the city. On June 31, 1963, it was declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument and, in 1985, the Jaén National Tourism Parador was inaugurated in a part of the castle.

Currently, the Castle of Santa Catalina is one of the main tourist attractions in the city of Jaén, which has a viewpoint from which you can enjoy panoramic views of the city and the province. In addition, the castle hosts exhibitions and cultural and artistic activities throughout the year. The fortress has undergone several restoration works to maintain its integrity and preserve its historical and cultural value.

The castle of Santa Catalina

Architecture

The Castillo de Santa Catalina has an elongated triangle shape and is made of different types of stone such as masonry, ashlar and brick. Around the central courtyard, there are five towers connected by ramparts with battlements to defend the north side of the castle. On the southern side, which is steeper, there is only a wall with two extreme towers and a small tower called "Torre de las Troneras" which has a latrine and a secret door in one corner of the wall.

The castle of Jaén is made up of three main structures, the New castle, within which the Homage Tower stands out, the Old castle and the castle-palace of Abrehuí.

Tower of tribute

In the Castillo de Santa Catalina, the most important tower is the Torre del Homenaje, which was built in the 13th century at the top of the fortress.

It is a large, square tower that is more than 30 meters high and has two floors illuminated by small embrasure-shaped windows. It is built with strong walls, has battlements at the top and is protected by machicolations.

The entrance to the tower is in the center of the wall facing the parade ground, and the tower terrace is accessed via a narrow staircase built into the wall. Next to the Torre del Homenaje there is another rectangular tower called the Torre de las Damas, which is connected by a wall with battlements.

Inside this tower, which dominates the entrance to the castle, there is a hall with a barrel vault and windows in the shape of a pointed arch..

The old castle of Jaén

The Old Castle was built on top of a hill during the Muslim era using materials such as rammed earth and irregular stone.

Later, during the time of the Almoravids and Almohads, walls and square towers made of calicanto and stone were added. Later, during the period of Ibn al-Ahmar"s rule, the castle was embellished and its defenses were improved.

In the 19th century, during the French invasion, the castle was renovated. Although the towers no longer exist, the entrance to the castle grounds, flanked by two turrets with a wall walk, still stands and has been restored in Christian times.

For a time, the castle was used as a barracks and a prison, and was also used as a cemetery. Between 1965 and 1979, the castle was destroyed to be a tourist hostel.

The castle-palace of Abrehuí

The castle-palace of Abrehuí was located in the northern part of the hill and was close to the Old Castle. Only a few masonry bastions of this castle remain. It had a rectangular shape and was protected by thick walls, towers and an antechamber. It was possibly built during the Christian era. It shared the same parade ground with the Old Castle, but they were separated by walls.

Santa Catalina castle legends

The chamber of statues

There have been numerous legends surrounding the castle, one of the best known is that of the chamber of statues. Collected by Borges in his Universal History of Infamy.

In the Old Castle there was a secret enclosure with a strongly closed door, to which each of the successive kings added one more, up to twenty-four.

After a long time, an unsuspecting man who seized the throne refused to place a new lock, thus breaking with tradition and, as if that were not enough, he ordered all the previous ones to be opened.

His surprise was unmatched when he found inside a metal and wood high-relief, which represented fearsome Arab warriors on camels and an inscription that prophesied what happened immediately: a Muslim king, Tarik, took the fortress, defeated and killed this man. king and sold their wives and children as slaves.

Schedules of Jaén castle

Summer (June 16 – September 15)

Monday - Saturday: Mornings: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. / Afternoons: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Sunday: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Holidays and Sundays before holidays: Mornings: 10:00 – 14:00 / Afternoons: 17:00 – 21:00

Free admission: Wednesday afternoon, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The last pass takes place 30 minutes before closing, a complete visit requires approximately one hour.

Winter (Sep 16 – Jun 15)

Monday - Saturday: 10:00 – 18:00

Sunday: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Holidays and Sundays before holidays: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Free admission: Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The last pass takes place 30 minutes before closing, a complete visit requires approximately one hour.

Prices for visit Santa Catalina castle

Individual general admission: €3.50

Groups of 10 or more people: €2.50

Pensioners, children from 4 to 12 years old, students, large families, etc. (consult on the web): €1.50

Groups of retirees or pensioners of 15 or more people: €1.00

Educational centers: €1.50

Groups of educational centers of 15 or more people (consult months): €1.00

Individual nights: €8.00

Nocturnal groups formed by 15 or more people: €6.00

Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (winter) and Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (summer): free admission based on the Andalusian Historical Heritage Law 14/2007.

More information in:https://castillosantacatalina.es

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