6/12/15

Castle of Mascaraque (Toledo)

South view of the castle

The castle of Juan de Padilla is a building of the 14th century of islamic origin, being subsequently during the centuries XV and XVI rebuilt and refurbished. It is on the inside of the town and its plant is quadrangular and its height scarce, since it was topped deliberately at the beginning of the modern age, probably by the Catholic Monarchs.

Main facade on the south-east side

Gateway to the inside of the castle

Machicolation above the main door

Outer forecourt

South-west tower

Detail of the round path that surrounds the perimeter of the castle

Window with lattice detail

Homage tower

Porthole on the outside of the wall

West tower

North-west wall

Postern with arab features

Coat of the village in front of the postern

North tower

View of the north-east facade

North-east face of the homage tower

East tower

5/12/15

Gardens outside the castle

Access to the park gate

Emblem in stone of Juan de Padilla

Mascaraque

Constitution Square

Mascaraque is a municipality in the province of Toledo, in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. It is located in the central area of the province and belongs to the region of the Montes de Toledo. Up to this town becomes the route of Don Quixote on his route from Toledo to San Clemente, starting from Mascaraque three sections.

Fountain in the square

Church of St. Mary Magdalene

Octagonal tower of the church

Hermitage of Los Cristos

Traditional manchegan manor house

Location of the castle of Mascaraque

15/11/15

Castle of Villafranca del Bierzo (León)

View of the castle from the south-east

The castle of the Marquis of Villafranca was rebuilt towards the year 1515 by Pedro Álvarez de Toledo y Zúñiga, over other previous known with the name of "Force", destroyed in 1507 by the illegitimate son of the first Earl of Lemos, Pedro Álvarez Osorio. It has quadrangular shape with four towers at the corners, being south-west angle of homage tower.

Main facade on the east side

Front door in brick

Coat of arms of the Marquis of Villafranca III over the main door

South-east tower

Detail of the window of one of the towers

North-east tower

Canvas of the north wall 

North-west tower

Detail of one of the rectangular parapets for firearms

Canvas of the outer wall and homage tower at the south-west angle

Slate roof crowning the homage tower

South view of the castle

The castle above the rooftops of the population

Villafranca del Bierzo

South-west view of the population from the bridge over the river Burbia

Villafranca del Bierzo is a municipality in the province of León in the Autonomous Community of Castilla and Leon, located to the west of the region of El Bierzo. It is part of the Camino de Santiago, where the indulgence you can earn is in the church dedicated to the apostle. It is one of the Leon municipalities in which Galician spoken.

Main Square

Town Hall

Church of Santiago