Castillo de Ferreira: A Medieval Fortification in Spain
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 3.4
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Spain
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Kingdom of León
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page6 sections
History
Medieval fortress and the Irmandiños
Castillo de Ferreira is a medieval fortification in Spain, located in Ferreira de Pantón in the municipality of Pantón, Lugo. An example of eleventh-century feudal architecture, it formed a defensive complex with an attached palace and a square keep. The castle is also known as Castillo de Maside or Castillo de Masid and lies within the Terra de Lemos region.
The fortress was the residence of Diego de Lemos, a leader of the Irmandiños. These late-medieval Galician brotherhoods took part in major uprisings against abuses by nobles and the fortified power of aristocratic families. Diego de Lemos died in 1492 and was buried at the Monastery of Santa María de Ferreira de Pantón.
Restoration and protection
Joaquín Arias Sanjurjo restored the castle in the nineteenth century. A decree issued in 1949 designated Castillo de Ferreira a Property of Cultural Interest, a heritage status that was later confirmed by subsequent regulations.
Remains
Fortified complex
The surviving castle consists of a medieval defensive complex formed by an attached palace and a square keep. A keep is the principal fortified tower of a medieval castle, used for defense and sometimes for residence. The entrance doors and a coat of arms remain among the identifiable features of the fortification.
Plateresque facade
The facade includes a Plateresque window, an ornate late Gothic and early Renaissance form associated in Spain with finely carved architectural decoration. Two columns rise from a carved pedestal to frame the opening, while a semicircular tympanum above it takes the shape of a scallop shell.
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