Castle of Mota del Marqués (Valladolid)

North-west view of the castle

The castle was built in the 13th century during the reign of King Alfonso X the Wise, on a hill overlooking the town. The original layout consisted of a wall flanked by towers, of which some vestiges still remain. The homage tower is preserved in ruin, the only one with a circular floor plan in all of Castile, with arrow slits for defense and covered by a dome. From 1222, it belonged to the Teutonic Knights of Prussia through Beatrice of Swabia, wife of King Ferdinand III the Saint of Castile, passing during the reign of King Alfonso XI to Juan Alonso de Benavides. During the Peninsular War in the 19th century, it was destroyed by the French invaders.

Detail of the moat on its north-west side between the outer wall and the castle

Castle of Cavia (Burgos)

Western view of the castle

The castle, also known as the Rojas Fortress, was commissioned by the Rojas family in the 15th century on the site of an original 13th-century fortification consisting of a tower and a wall. The current structure is irregular in shape, with the homage tower having a rhomboidal floor plan and unequal sides. Indoor, there is a palatial courtyard with pilasters. The south side, due to its vulnerability, is reinforced at the corners with turrets. The pointed arch entrance is located on this side. The rest of the wall rejoins the tower to the east, a side also reinforced by small turrets. The various heraldic shields that appear on the main side of the fortified house have been attributed to the Enríquez, Valdivielso, Sandoval, and Rojas families, while those of the latter family also appear on the fortress towers.

Main facade on the south side of the castle

Angled canvas of wall that defended the entrance to the castle

Pointed archway entrance to the castle

Eastern canvas of the southern wall with a rounded profile