Castle of Villena (Alicante)

View of the castle on mount San Cristóbal

The castle of the Watchtower was an important fortress of the Almohads and its construction was around the year 1172, date in which it is mentioned in Arabic sources. Its robustness is confirmed, since Jaime I of Aragon needed to besiege it three times, to be able to take it around the year 1240. The fortress consists of a double wall flanked by circular towers. Inside, in the south-western part of the parade ground, the homage tower stands out, with a quadrangular plan. It is the most characteristic structure and stands out rising above the rest of the complex.

North main facade

Ashlar arch access door

Space between the previous-wall and the north wall

North-east tower of the wall

Indoor view of the postern of the east previous-wall

South-east tower of the wall

Inside of the walled barbican in the south-west area of the castle

Round path on the west wall of the barbican

Defensive crossbow placed on one of the towers

Remains of the hermitage of the Virgen de Las Nieves in the indoor of the barbican

Well and cistern in the indoor the barbican

Main facade of the west wall

Battlements of the west wall

Entrance door to the parade ground

Parade ground

North-west tower of the wall

Embrasure on one of the battlements

Round path over the north wall

Indoor of the north wall

Remains of a building for military use north of the parade ground

North-east tower of the wall seen from the parade ground

Indoor of the east wall

Remains of a mill and a trough east of the parade ground

Detail of the bolaños (projectiles) found in the excavations

Indoor of the south wall

Detail of the cistern next to the homage tower

Access to the cistern

Access to the interior of the south wall behind the cistern

Homage tower

Detail of the scaraguaitas (cylindrical turrets) of the homage tower

Window with seat in the homage tower

Mediaeval knight outfit

Terrace of the homage tower

View of the parade ground from the terrace of the homage tower

Detail of the battlements of the north-west tower of the wall

Exit access from the parade ground

Castle exit gate on the north wall

Eastern canvas of the north previous-wall

North tower of the previous-wall

North-east tower of the wall

Center canvas of the north previous-wall

Detail of the battlements above the castle access door

Western canvas of the north previous-wall

North-east tower of the previous-wall

North-west tower of the wall

Previous-wall and west wall

West view of the castle

North-west tower of the barbican

Detail of the external reinforcement of the west wall of the barbican