Castillo de Alhama de Granada: Fortress and Alcazaba in Spain
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.2
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Spain
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Nasrid
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Citadel
On this page8 sections
History
Castillo de Alhama de Granada is a historic fortress in Alhama de Granada, Spain. Its origins are described as Roman, while its present name reflects its Islamic history and the substantial fortress established there by Muslim forces. By the fifteenth century, the stronghold was regarded as a key to the Christian conquest of Granada.
From early origins to Muslim fortification
The site occupied a defensible position in the historic urban center of Alhama de Granada. Although its beginnings are associated with the Roman period, the surviving historical identity of the monument is closely linked to the Muslim fortress that developed on the site. The term alcazaba refers to a fortified citadel that formed the defensible core of a larger settlement or fortification.
Capture during the Granada War
In 1482, Rodrigo Ponce de León, a Castilian nobleman and military commander, captured the fortress in a surprise attack. The seizure took place during the Granada War, the late fifteenth-century campaign in which the Catholic Monarchs brought the last Muslim-ruled kingdom in Iberia under their rule. Christian forces then defended Alhama against further Muslim attacks.
The fortress remained closely connected with the wider conquest of Granada. Further attempts to recover Alhama ended after the conquest of the Alhambra, the palace-fortress complex that had served as the seat of the Nasrid rulers in Granada.
Replacement and protection
The fortress was later replaced by a small palace, and the interior was subsequently built over. The surviving monument is protected under Spain’s 1949 heritage decree and the 1985 Historical Heritage Law. It was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest on 29 June 1985 and is listed in the Spanish heritage register as a monument under reference RI-51-0007728.
Remains
The alcazaba occupied the highest part of Alhama de Granada’s historic center on the slope of a mountain. Its former perimeter can be traced through the existing street network, and archaeological remains may survive beneath the houses covering the interior. Two gates at opposite ends once provided access to the fortress. The setting includes inclined stone benches and is dominated by towers and a chain of small forts.
Visible remains
Northwest tower
At the northwest, a possible tower forms one of the clearest surviving elements. It is built with ashlar blocks, carefully cut stones laid in courses, and has a reinforced corner. Its base consists of coursed rubble masonry with a double stepped footing. The structure measures approximately 8.50 metres in length and reaches a similar height. A later reinforcement, about 1.50 metres high and made of rubble masonry, was added to the bottom of the base. Its purpose is uncertain and may relate either to deterioration or to the lowering of the street to its present level. A modern dwelling terrace lies above the possible tower, while two thick utility hoses pass horizontally through it.
Southeast rock cut and palace boundary
At the southeast, facing the present square, the bedrock was cut vertically to a height of about one metre. The boundary wall of the later small palace was built along the edge of this cut rock, preserving a physical connection between the replacement building and the earlier fortress. Together with the possible tower and the street pattern, this feature helps define the former defensive enclosure.
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