The Castle of Castellar de la Frontera (Spanish: Castillo de Castellar de la Frontera) is a castle located in Castellar de la Frontera, Spain. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1963. The history of Castellar de La Frontera can be divided into two pretty distinct periods. The first is full of historical anecdotes and is based in the Old Town of Castellar. The second is more recent and begins thirty years ago in 1971 when most of the inhabitants of the Old Town left their homes to move to the new area, Nuevo Castellar, whose modern square frames an image of their former castle home on the hill behind. The Old Town of Castellar is set within a medieval fortress in a strategic position atop of a mountain. This unique positioning has meant that Castellar has been home to many cultures and people dating as far back as the Neolithic man, evident in cave paintings that can be found in the location of the old town. Romans also inhabited this small town although their presence was not too marked. The most important inhabitants, as in many parts of southern Spain, were the Muslims. The entire fortress walls surrounding the town were built by the Muslims in a bid to ward off attacks from the Christians who eventually conquered the land in the shape of Juan Arias de Saavedra in 1434 AD. The new village, founded by the Spanish dictator Franco in the 1970´s, resulted in an improved way of life for the inhabitants of Castellar with better living conditions and a superior infrastructure which had previously been impossible in the old town due to the location and terrain. The town’s inhabitants, whilst still eager to maintain their heritage in the mountain castle village, were quite pleased to move into the new town which in terms of modernity showed a marked contrast to the homes they had left behind. During the relocation many of the abandoned homes in the old town were taken over by retired hippies and it became, and still is to this day, a bit of a bohemian enclave. Very few tourists actually make it to Castellar castle and as a result it is very easy to get to and easy to walk round. As you walk through the main arch to the castle and into the town itself, you are met with a maze of tiny alleys and streets, lined with white washed houses, decorated with colourful plants and local ceramics. In the spring and summer, orange blossom and jasmine fills the air with an overpowering scent. The 13th century castle is of irregular shape and the Royal Palace is located over the main entrance. The views over the valley from the battlements are stunning and there are spectacular views of the Guadarranque reservoir below. On a clear day it is possible to see Gibraltar, Algeciras, the north coast of Africa and the surrounding white villages. Inside the castle, among the tiny dwellings is a hotel consisting of Casa Rurals (tiny houses used as hotel rooms), several bars and a few shops selling local crafts. There are a number of restaurants in Castellar where you can sample the local cuisine which mainly consists of game, especially venison, rabbit and partridge. Rabbit with tomato is a particular speciality, as is goat stew.

El Castillo de Castellar es un castillo fortaleza del siglo XIII, localizado en Castellar de la Frontera (Andalucía, España). Se encuentra en el núcleo llamado "Castellar viejo", sobre una montaña del Parque Natural de los Alcornocales (frente a la entrada del castillo se encuentra un punto de información del parque ) Castellar de la Frontera se asienta en pleno centro de la Comarca del Campo de Gibraltar, en el sudeste de la Provincia de Cádiz. Está formado por tres núcleos de población, la Almoraima, Pueblo Nuevo de Castellar y el Castilo de Castellar de la Frontera (Castellar Viejo). La Almoraima está muy cerca de Pueblo Nuevo de Castellar. En ella está localizada la conocida empresa del mismo nombre que gestiona el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, así como la estación de ferrocarril, lo que supone un plus en las comunicaciones de la localidad. A poco más de un kilómetro se encuentra Castellar Nuevo, pueblo joven y moderno con lúcidos balcones, patios de flores y blancas fachadas. Construido a finales de la década de los 60, originando con ello el traslado masivo desde el antiguo pueblo de Castellar en el año 1971. El Castellar Viejo, construido sobre un promontorio rocoso, guarda su casco histórico dentro de un castillo árabe del siglo XIII a 248m. de altitud. Entrar en el Castillo Fortaleza de Castellar de la Frontera (Monumento Histórico Artístico desde 1963) es sumergirse en un pasado de olores islámicos, en un muro de blancura y naturaleza viva. Recorrer sus callejuelas zigzagueantes, decoradas con macetas y arriates es reencontrarse con la historia y con las más viejas tradiciones de Andalucía. La Fortaleza de Castellar se encuentra en un enclave privilegiado, rodeado de un paraje de ensueño en pleno contacto con la naturaleza. En este entorno podemos respirar el aire puro y limpio que nos depara un lugar tan sorprendente como es el Parque Natural de Los Alcornocales. Es aquí donde tenemos la ocasión de escuchar uno de los espectáculos más vibrantes de los que tienen lugar en el mundo animal durante el otoño. La berrea, fenómeno que define la brama que emiten los machos de ciervos durante la época de celo. Es al atardecer cuando más poderoso se vuelve el bramido del ciervo, que anuncia así su llegada. El castillo se ha terminado de reconvertir recientemente en un hotel. Realmente Castellar de la Fra. es un pueblo fortaleza, no un castillo. Lo reconstruido y rehabilitado como hotel, es el Alcazar, El resto amurallado es el pueblo Castellar de la Frontera, con sus casas, tiendas, bares y varias asociaciones.

No Visita guíada: €5 Niños hasta18 GRATUITO info@castillodecastellar.es Los perros pueden participar

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