Castle of Villaviciosa de Odón

Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain, Spain

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The Castle of Villaviciosa de Odón, located in Villaviciosa de Odón near Madrid, Spain, originated in the 15th century when the Counts of Chinchón built the initial structure, which was later expanded by the Marquis of Moya in 1496.

Destroyed during the 1521 Revolt of the Comuneros, it was rebuilt in 1583 by royal architect Juan de Herrera, who introduced an asymmetrical tower design blending Herrerian style with medieval elements, followed by further restorations by Ventura Rodríguez in the 18th century under Infante Luis.

The fortress served as a royal residence where Ferdinand VI died in 1759, a prison for Manuel Godoy after the 1808 Mutiny of Aranjuez, Spain's first forestry school in the 1840s, a military academy, and was contested during the Spanish Civil War; today, it houses the Archives of the Spanish Air Force and offers guided tours amid its scenic park setting.