Castillo de la Mota

Astudillo, Palencia, Spain, Spain

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Castillo de la Mota in Astudillo, Palencia province, Spain, is a medieval fortress from the 11th century built on a strategic hill to defend against Moorish incursions and later key Castile-León conflicts, with major 15th-century reconstructions under Juan II, Enrique IV, and the Catholic Monarchs adding artillery bastions, a deep moat, and a massive square keep tower.

It changed hands repeatedly during civil wars—including holding Aragón soldiers in 1441 and serving Castilian monarchs after 1445—while functioning as a prison for notables, crown archive, and site of dramatic events like trapping a king behind its walls.

Though ruined over time, restorations since its 1904 monument status highlight its robust stone defenses overlooking the Pisuerga valley, blending early medieval origins with advanced Renaissance fortifications.