Rojas Castle: A Historic Fortress in Poza de la Sal, Spain

Visitor Information

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Country: Spain

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

Rojas Castle is located in the municipality of Poza de la Sal in Spain. Its origins trace back to the late 9th century, when Count Diego Rodríguez Porcelos established a fortress at this strategic site. This early stronghold formed part of a broader effort to repopulate and defend the area from Muslim incursions, occurring alongside the construction of the Pancorbo fortress and the foundation of the city of Burgos in 884. These efforts delineated new territorial boundaries during a period of ongoing conflict in the northern Iberian Peninsula.

In the 14th century, the Rodríguez de Rojas family undertook a major reconstruction of the fortress. They built the castle we know today upon the remains of the original 9th-century fortifications. This reconstruction provided effective protection for the town of Poza, which lay beneath the castle’s walls.

The castle served various purposes over time, including use as a prison. A notable episode occurred in the early 16th century when Juan Rodríguez de Rojas was detained there by order of Charles I from January to April 1528. This indicates the castle’s role in local governance and control during the period of Habsburg rule in Spain.

During the Peninsular War (also known as the Spanish War of Independence) in the early 19th century, the castle resumed a military function. It acted as a strategic observation point in the conflict between French forces under General Palombini and local Spanish partisan groups led by Francisco Longa and Juan de Mendizábal. French troops restored parts of the fortress in 1808, but it faced continual assaults from Burgos-based garrisons until the war concluded.

Since then, Rojas Castle has gained official protection under Spanish heritage law, specifically through a 1949 decree aimed at preserving historic castles across the country.

Remains

Rojas Castle is situated on a steep, isolated rocky hill whose vertical rise made it a formidable defensive position. Access to the fortress is marked by a stairway carved directly into the rock face, extending roughly 36 meters upward. This practical design underlines the strategic use of the natural landscape in the castle’s defense.

At the base of the hill, two small columns survive. These likely once supported an arch that formed the entrance gateway to the stronghold, suggesting a controlled point of access. From this gateway, the castle’s curtain wall stretches along the summit of the rocky outcrop in a generally north-south direction. A well-preserved section of this wall remains on the southern side, featuring a small door cut directly from the stone. This narrow passage connects different parts of the inner keep, providing access within the fortress’s core.

The castle overlooks a plain that has historically supported several rural settlements and a modest town, with parts of the adjacent plateau covered in forest. The defensive layout originally included a main tower surrounded by walls and barbicans—fortified outer enclosures—common in 9th-century fortification architecture. However, most surviving structures reflect the extensive 14th-century rebuilding carried out by the Rodríguez de Rojas lineage.

While some parts of the fortress have been restored or conserved, many of the features stand in their original locations, offering direct insight into medieval defensive construction adapted to the rugged terrain of the site.