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

Eastern view of the castle

Western canvas of the east of the castle

Semicircle window above the east wall

Auxiliary gate of the east wall

North-east view of the castle's homage tower

Upper part of the homage tower

Western view of the castle

Western canvas of the castle's west wall

Double semicircular window on the western canvas of the west wall

Circular cube that protected the eastern canvas on the left side of the west wall

Main canvas of the west wall

Window or possible pointed arch doorway on a second level of the west wall

Detail of the heraldic shields of the Sandoval, Enríquez, Rojas and 

Valdivielso families on the west wall of the castle

Arrow slit in the west wall of the castle

Circular cube that protected the eastern canvas on the right side of the west wall

The Rojas family coat of arms is displayed on each of the castle's cubes

Cavia

Town Hall

Cavia is a municipality in the province of Burgos, in the Autonomous Community of Castile and León. Its landscape is shaped by the Arlanzón River, which flows from north to west. Part of the Alfoz de Burgos region, it is the oldest town in this area, as evidenced by a document from the Cardeña Monastery dated March 1, 899. This indicates a very early Christian occupation and colonization of the Lower Ausín and Middle Arlanzón valleys, shortly after the founding of the city and castle of Burgos. Around 1350, King Alfonso XI of Castile granted Cavia to Don Sancho Ruiz of the Rojas family, originally from Bureba. The Rojas family's coat of arms adorned the main monuments of Castile and Spain, as they were, among other lineages, the Dukes of Lerma, very powerful lords.

Church of Saint Peter the Apostle

Bell tower of the Church of Saint Peter the Apostle

Popular architecture reflected in this house in the town

Underground wineries as caves or galleries

18th-century bridge over the Ausín River built on an earlier Roman structure 

Location of the castle of Cavia