Castle of Villapadierna (León)

South view of the castle

The castle of Villapadierna dates back to the mid-15th century, approximately 1449, since in a documentsigned by King John II of Castile, the castle was occupied by a warden and a garrison. Built by order of Fadrique Enríquez, Admiral of Castile, it passed to the House of Alba through the marriage of Doña María Enríquez, daughter of the admiral, with the first Duke of Alba. At the end of the 18th century it belonged to the Marchioness of Villafranca. It is small, Gothic in style and made up of a square tower surrounded by a double enclosure. Little of the outer barrier remains, half-ruined and its sections are very worn. The castle was surrounded by a water moat that took water from the nearby Esla River through a tunnel two kilometers long.

Main facade on the south wall of the castle

Opening in the south wall, possibly the access to the indoor of the castle

Hallway or guardhouse behind the entrance gate to the castle separated from
the rest of the castle by a wall

Indoor of the wall that separated the hallway or guardhouse 

from the parade groung of castle

Indoor of the west wall of the castle

Scaffolding holes indoor the west wall

South-west view of the homage tower

Pointed arch window on the south side of the homage tower

Possible entrance at the base of the homage tower to the two-kilometer tunnel,
hich connected the outer water ditch with the nearby Esla River

North-west corner opening of the castle

Double embrasure at ground level inside the north wall

Indoor of the north wall of the castle

North esplanade of the parade ground

North-east view of the homage tower

Reconstruction of the entrance to the homage tower above ground level

Entrance gate to the homage tower

Castle of San Pedro de Latarce (Valladolid)

North view of the castle from the bridge that crosses the Sequillo river

The castle of San Pedro de Latarce is one of the defensive buildings ordered to be built by King Alfonso IX of León, to reinforce the border against the kingdom of Castile at the end of the 12th century. Later in the Middle Ages, a castle of formwork masonry would be built on it, which included a large gate tower (during the time of María de Molina), becoming the property of the Knights Templar. It has an oval floor plan and was renovated by the Bazán family throughout the 15th century. Currently its general condition is one of progressive ruin, with only a closed wall of approximately 350 meters standing, being municipal property since 2013.

North-west corner of the castle

Remains of the windows of the palace built by the Bazán family 

inside the castle during the 15th century

Main facade on the east wall of the castle

Main entrance to the castle discovered during the last 

archaeological intervention (2011-2012)

Current entrance to the interior of the castle

Esplanade of the courtyard behind the entrance gate

Modern building currently dedicated to the agricultural sector indoor the castle

Indoor of the south-east wall of the castle

Indoor of the south-west wall of the castle

Western esplanade of the extensive parade ground

Western canvas of the indoor of the north-west wall of the castle

Eastern canvas of the indoor of the north-west wall of the castle

Northern esplanade of the parade ground

Indoor of the north wall of the castle

Remains of the site of the new palace of the Bazán family next to the north wall

Indoor of the north-east wall of the castle

View of the indoor of the windows of the Bazán family palace

Eastern canvas of the indoor of the north-east wall of the castle

Current well that was possibly built over the upper opening of the 

old cistern that supplied water to the castle

Municipal wareehouse dedicated to the storage of cereals to supply the

population in times of scarcity, next to the castle access

South-east corner of the castle

South wall

South-west view of the castle

West corner of the castle

North-west wall

Walled-up opening at ground level in the north-west wall, possibly 

a postern gate of the castle

North-west view of the castle from the Sequillo river

San Pedro de Latarce

Town Hall

San Pedro de Latarce is a municipality in the province of Valladolid in the Autonomous Community of Castile and León, located in the Tierra de Campos region on the banks of the Sequillo River. A settlement of Roman origin, built as a border outpost in the Cantabrian Wars. At the beginning of the 13th century, the Templars received the town after an exchange made with King Alfonso IX of León, becoming one of their main possessions in the region. After the dissolution of the Order of the Temple, its assets passed to the Order of Saint John.

Main Square

Church of Our Lady of the Conception

Bulrush of the church of Our Lady of the Conception

Hermitage of the Virgin of the Vault