Castillo de la Iruela

La Iruela, Spain, Spain

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Castillo de la Iruela is a small yet striking medieval fortress perched atop a steep rocky peak called El Picacho in La Iruela, Jaén province, Spain, within the Sierra de Cazorla natural park. Originating as a modest 11th-century Arab alquería or farmhouse fortified for local protection, it evolved into a robust roquero castle under Almohad rule in the late 12th century. Conquered by Archbishop Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada in 1231 during the Reconquista, it was rebuilt with Christian additions like the keep and gate-tower, later gaining village independence in 1378 amid civil wars between rival Castilian factions. Burned by Napoleonic forces in 1810 during the War of Independence, its ruins—including walls and the main tower—now blend into the dramatic landscape, once serving even as a cemetery.