Castle of Villasobroso (Pontevedra)

Eastern view of the castle

The castle of Villasobroso (Castelo de Vilasobroso) is also known as castle of Sobroso. Its first construction dates from the ninth century, built on an old celtic village. It is located on the slope of Mount Landin, about 334 meters above sea level. The castle is currently composed of three elements: an outside fence, which maintains in some section the original layout of the twelfth century with a perimeter very tight to the building, the residential body with two floors, the low position to house the guard with its defensive high chairs and the homage tower, which protects the only flank by which the castle could be attacked.

Access gate to the castle preserve

Gateway to the bulwark in the north-east wall

Main facade of the residential building

Ogival arch access door

Indoor hall between rooms of the residential building

Fireplace detail in one of the rooms

Window decorated with medieval atmosphere

Stay that includes the ethnographic museum and popular recovery center

Access ladder to the upper deck of the residential building

Round path over the east wall

Top of one of the cylindrical towers

Homage tower

Gateway to the tower on its south facade

Fireplace and window in one of the tower floors

Corner fireplace detail

Cistern indoor the tower

Porthole in one the inner walls

Window in one of the rooms of the tower

Access to the terrace of the homage tower

Esplanade of the tower terrace

Detail of porthole at the base of a terrace battlement

South view of the homage tower

Cylindrical checkpoint resting on a corner of the tower

Machicolation on the east facade of the homage tower

Round path of the south-west outside wall

East facade of the residential building

South-east tower

North-east tower

North-east facade

Detail of machicolation and portholes of the residential building

Space between the homage tower and the north-west outer wall

Slope of the west facade of the homage tower

Access ladder to the outer wall round path

Access to the outside through the postern of the south wall

Chapel of the Castle of Sobroso next to the north wall

Indoor of the chapel

Access to the outside of the castle through the main door

Drawbridge

Moat next to the west wall

Bulwark of the east outer wall

Canvas of the south-east wall

Postern in the south wall

West wall

Porthole on the outer wall

North-west wall

Staircase over the south-east outer wall

North-east outer wall section

Western view of the castle from the hillside of Landín hill

Villasobroso

View of the population from the castle

Villasobroso (Vilasobroso) belongs to the municipality of Mondariz of the province of Pontevedra in the Autonomous Community of Galicia. During the Middle Ages, due to its strategic importance and the location of the castle, a stronghold defending these territories, it was also known as the Strong Key of the old Kingdom of Galicia. This town was, a great producing power of cork oak, which in galician is called sobreira, hence, that the castle and the town will take the name Sobroso, of galician origin.