Castle of Alange: A Roman and Medieval Fortress in Spain
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.6
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Spain
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Classical, Medieval
- Civilizations
- Crown of Castile, Roman, Umayyad
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page9 sections
History
The Castle of Alange, also known as the Castle of Culebra, is a ruined fortress in Alange, Spain, whose origins reach back to a Roman fortification. The site was later rebuilt as an Islamic fortress around 850, and its surviving form was shaped chiefly by Christian rebuilding and alterations.
Roman and Islamic foundations
The original Roman fortification was known as Castrum Colubri. Its name is associated with the later name Culebra, used for the hill and the castle. Following the Arab conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the earlier stronghold was rebuilt around 850 by Hixn al-Hanash. The later forms of the name Alange derive from the fortress’s Arabic name.
Christian rule and abandonment
Between 1243 and 1245, during the Christian Reconquista, the castle was conquered by the Order of Santiago under Ferdinand III of Castile. The Order of Santiago was a medieval military-religious institution that combined Christian religious duties with warfare and frontier administration. An encomienda, a territorial administrative and revenue unit governed by such an order, was established nearby. The order retained the castle until 1550.
The fortress was abandoned in 1550. The remains visible today mainly reflect Christian-period rebuilding and modifications to the earlier Islamic structure. On 22 April 1949, the Castle of Alange was declared a Spanish historic monument. It also has generic legal protection as a Spanish castle and is recognized as a monument of Cultural Interest under Spain’s historic-heritage legislation.
Remains
The Castle of Alange occupies the steep, rocky slopes of Cerro de la Culebra in Badajoz Province, Extremadura, at 485 metres above sea level. The fortress stands approximately 200 metres above the surrounding plain. Its architecture retains an Islamic character, while conspicuous Christian-period work uses stone masonry and brick. The ruined complex includes the Tower of Homage, defensive walls, and the Puerta del Sol, an arched gateway that leads from Alange into the castle.
Fortifications and access
Tower of Homage
The Tower of Homage survives as one of the principal elements of the ruined fortress. It forms part of the defensive system whose visible fabric chiefly reflects Christian rebuilding and modification of the earlier Islamic stronghold.
Defensive walls
Parts of the defensive walls remain on the rocky hill. Christian-period sections were constructed in stone masonry and brick, and some surviving wall areas retain their brick fabric.
Puerta del Sol
The Puerta del Sol is an arched entrance through which the castle is entered from Alange. It served as a historical access point and continues to provide entry to the interior of the ruined fortress.
Position above the surrounding landscape
The castle’s elevated position overlooks Alange and the wider comarca. From the site, the surrounding plain extends toward Mérida and the mouth of the Matachel River at the Guadiana to the north, while the Alange dam lies to the west. Views also extend toward the northern parts of the reservoir and Almendralejo to the south. The castles of Hornachos and Montemolín are visible from the ruined fortress.
