Castle of Zorita de los Canes-Alcazaba de Zorita

Zorita de los Canes, Spain, Spain

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Castle of Zorita de los Canes, also known as Alcazaba de Zorita, is a formidable 9th-century Islamic fortress in Zorita de los Canes, Guadalajara province, Spain, strategically positioned on a rocky Tagus River bend to control vital trade routes.

Built by Emir Muhammad I of Córdoba using stones from the nearby Visigothic city of Recópolis, it was ceded to the Order of Calatrava in 1174 by Alfonso VIII, who fortified it with walls, towers, a Romanesque church, crypt, and cistern as their headquarters until the 13th century.

Featuring multiple enclosures including an albacara, horseshoe arches, and Gothic overlays, the well-preserved ruins—declared a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1931—now attract archaeologists and visitors exploring its layered Muslim, Christian, and noble history tied to figures like the Princess of Éboli.