Lagunas Rubias Castle: A Medieval Fortress in Aldeanueva de Figueroa, Spain

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.castillosdeespaña.es

Country: Spain

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

Lagunas Rubias Castle, also known as El Palomar, stands near the former village of Lagunas Rubias within the municipality of Aldeanueva de Figueroa in Spain. This medieval fortress was built by the Kingdom of León during the 12th and 13th centuries, during a period marked by dynastic struggles and territorial defense.

Construction of the castle began in the middle of the 12th century as part of a broader military strategy pursued by León to protect its borders from the neighboring Kingdom of Castilla. The fortification belonged to an extensive defensive network that stretched from the highlands near the Esla River in León to areas beyond the Central System mountains in what is now northern Cáceres. Its purpose was to serve as a frontline defense against incursions from Castilla, as well as from other emerging threats, including the Kingdom of Portugal and Muslim forces known as the Almohads.

The castle underwent several expansions over a span of more than seven decades, reflecting ongoing dynastic conflicts between the Leonese and Castilian crowns. This period saw shifting alliances and hostilities, with the castle adapting to meet evolving military needs. It formed part of what modern scholars call the Territorial System of Fortifications, a coordinated series of military enclosures characterized by shared architectural approaches and built within a defined timeframe.

After the union of León and Castilla under King Fernando III in 1230, many castles of this defensive network, including Lagunas Rubias, were deliberately abandoned or partially dismantled to prevent their use in future conflicts. Some of these fortifications saw brief reuse during the early reigns of Fernando IV and Alfonso XI but gradually fell out of regular military service as political stability increased and frontiers shifted.

Remains

Today, the ruins of Lagunas Rubias Castle are found just west of the current Lagunas Rubias estate within the municipality of Aldeanueva de Figueroa. The remains reveal a fortress built following the characteristic style of the Territorial System of Fortifications, distinguished by a roughly oval or castral layout designed to suit military defense.

The castle was primarily constructed using rammed earth, a technique known as *tapia*, combined with lime and stone in a method called *calicanto*, or sometimes using framed masonry. These building methods were typical of military forts in this defensive network, balancing practicality and durability. The visible traces suggest robust walls shaped to resist attacks while fitting the landscape’s contours.

While details such as gates, staircases, or decorative features are not documented, the surviving elements confirm that the castle served a strategic defensive role rather than a residential or ceremonial one. The ruins remain fragmentary but retain enough form to outline the original plan and construction style, offering insight into the military architecture of the León-Castilla conflicts during the 12th and 13th centuries. No later significant modifications have been recorded beyond its brief reuse in the 14th century, and today the site stands as a testament to a bygone defensive system forged through decades of medieval warfare.