Castillo de la Mota
Rising from the Castilian plain on a low hill above the town, the Castillo de la Mota is one of the best-preserved 15th-century castles in all of Spain. Its burnt-sienna brick towers and double moat have witnessed royal intrigue, the imprisonment of Cesare Borgia, and centuries of Castilian history.
A Castle Fit for Kings and Prisoners
Built and expanded under the orders of Juan II and later Isabel la Católica, the castle served as a royal treasury and state prison. Cesare Borgia famously escaped from its Torre del Homenaje in 1506 — one of the few men ever to do so.
The keep stands 40 metres tall and the outer walls enclose a vast courtyard where you can almost hear the echo of armoured boots. The brickwork, in the distinctive Mudéjar style, glows amber in the afternoon sun.
Visiting the Interior
Guided tours take you through restored chambers that explain the castle's evolving role from royal residence to military school for women under Franco. Displays include period weapons, documents, and scale models of the fortification.
The rooftop walkway rewards visitors with a sweeping 360-degree panorama over the meseta — endless wheat fields stitched together by the silver thread of the Zapardiel river.
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