Castillo De La Estrella

Montiel, Spain, Spain

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Castillo De La Estrella in Montiel, Ciudad Real province, Spain, originated as a 9th-century Arab fortress controlling key routes to the Taifa of Jaén, featuring two enclosures with an outer barbican and inner stronghold that proved nearly impregnable.

Conquered after a prolonged 1227 siege by the Order of Santiago under Ferdinand III, it was rebuilt into a formidable Christian castle in the 14th century, witnessing the dramatic 1369 Battle of Montiel where Peter I of Castile was betrayed and slain by his half-brother Henry II.

Now in ruins with excavated remnants of walls, towers, a church, and battlefield traces, the site preserves layers of Islamic and medieval Christian history amid ongoing archaeological work.