Mark A.
Google
"Rising up from the mountain of Saint Christopher at an altitude of 550 metres, the castle is strategically located on the corridor of the River Vinalopó, giving it control of passage towards the lands and valleys of Castilla La Mancha, the valley of Montesa and the lands of Valencia and Murcia.
The fortress now allows us to distinguish the two key periods in its history: Islamic and Feudal.
Its construction began with the Almohads in the late 12th century, employing the rammed earth building technique to raise the ramparts and the first two floors of the keep. This involved compressing a damp mixture of sand, gravel and lime into an externally supported frame or mould, creating a solid wall.
Various changes took place after the Christian conquest in the 14th and 15th centuries, which included the stone reinforcement of the existing ramparts, the enlargement of the keep using masonry, which reflects how the tower looks today, and the construction of an outer wall or barrier surrounding the entire fortress, in line with Castilian traditions. As a result, it was transformed into a magnificent late medieval construction whose structure and appearance allow us to place it amongst the large castles that marked the extensive Marquisate of Villena."
