Castillo de Puebla de Almenara

Spain, Spain

---

Castillo de Puebla de Almenara, perched on Sierra Jarameña in Cuenca province, Spain, originated as a Muslim fortress conquered by the Order of Santiago in 1177 before major 14th-century reconstruction under Infante Don Juan Manuel.

The fortress features three successive enclosures—the trapezoidal outer wall with cylindrical towers and artillery bastions added by Cardinal Mendoza in 1487, a transitional passage, and the oldest inner core housing vaulted stables, a red-mortar cistern, and arcaded central patio.

Well-preserved with embrasures, cellars, and residential chambers, it transitioned from military stronghold to noble palace before 17th-century abandonment, now showcasing Reconquista-era layered defenses.