Re: Castle In Spain
Leana Eckes
The castles in Spain were built mainly for the country's defense, particularly with respect to fortification. During the Middle Ages, northern Christian kingdoms had to secure their borders with their Muslim southern neighbours, thus forcing both Christian and Muslim kings to grant border fiefs to their liege noblemen so as to keep and maintain defensive fortresses. When the Reconquista advanced, those border castles lost their initial purpose, and, as in the rest of medieval Europe, they were used as noble residences and fief-keeps. Sporadic threats of war maintained their initial military purposes as enemy invasions were common. In some locations, such as the Basque country, fiefdoms did not exist as such, and noble families could not afford nor did they need huge fortresses, giving rise to many tower houses. In Muslim Spain many castle-palaces were built: the petty taifa kingdoms that arose after the fall of the Caliphate of Crdoba were militarily weak thus castles began taking on a more aesthetic purpose. During the late Middle Ages, Christian kingdoms had secured and enriched themselves well enough to support a more courtly lifestyle, so more residential castles were built, such as the Alczar of Segovia, which was used as the main residence of the kings of Castile, whereas the Castle of Olite, built in a luxurious gothic style, was the seat of the Kingdom of Navarre's royal court.
After the Conquest of Granada in 1492, the Catholic monarchs ordered all the castles in their realms to be handed over to the Crown. Although the order was not completely carried out, the War of the Germanias, a rebellion against king Charles V in the early 16th century, forced the new Spanish Habsburg dynasty to continue the process, and many castles were demolished as well. Most of the castles in Spain were successively abandoned and dismantled, Spanish kings fearing noble and peasant revolts, especially in the newly conquered lands. Accordingly, some of them are nowadays in a state of decay, and although some restoration work has been done, the number of former castles is so large that the Spanish government lacks both the resources and the will to restore them all.
In the following table, are related the various Spanish provinces, ordered according to the number of existing fortifications, both castles themselves as towers, watchtowers, bunkers, walls and castros[4]
Many of the castles found in both Castillas have a roman (this would apply more to Castilla Leon) and arab origins. The Reconquista (reconquest) is that period of Spain in which Christians progressively re-conquered the territory of Spain. The period was long, almost 8 centuries! And throughout this long process castles were erected, reinforced, destroyed and rebuilt, normally at those areas that served as borders in each phase of the reconquering process.
This castle is very famous in Spain. It has the shape of a ship and it is actually one of Spains longest castles (and also one of the most narrow ones). The image of the castle is seen from a long distance. Peafiel is home to some of the wineries we visit during our Ribera del Duero wine tours. We always get fantastic feedback about this castle. From the castle you get excellent views over the region and over the city of Peafiel and its fantastic Plaza del Coso.
You may recongnise this castle. It has been used for many movies, including Charltons Heston The Cid. Castles should look like this: an impressive and dominating position over the village, turrets and, in case it were not enough, views over some windmills. We visit Belmonte during our La Mancha and Don Quixote tours.
Less well-known than the castles mentioned before, the Castle of Cornatel is located in the wine regin of El Bierzo, near el Camino or Saint James Road. Built originally on the IXth century, the castle offers a fantastic shape. This is a very romantic castle, full of history and a good example of castles that lost their importance and were neglected for many years. Local investment has made it possible to rebuild part of the castle and make it safe for public visits.
This ancient village located not far from Albacete is set at the top of a hill. The castle dominates the plains of this part of Castilla la Mancha. As many other local castles, it origins date back to arab times and was restored during the XVth Century . Many other fantastic surprises await those visitors who find the time to get to Chinchilla de Montearagon.
The village of Pearanda de Duero is located 20 kilometers east of Aranda de Duero (many visitors to Spain that use the AP1 motorway from France to Madrid and South of Spain may be familiar with Aranda. Pearanda (as well as Aranda) as the names suggests is located by the banks of the River Duero. Pearanda is a small and charming village and its castle dates back to the 1oth Century. It holds certain resemblance with the castle of Peafiel and, with this one and many others it formed at times of the Reconquista a line of castles to defend and protect the border set by the river in Castilla Leon.
Mombeltran castle is located in the province of Avila (Avila is a Unesco heritage site famous for its Walls). We have chosen this castle because we love its location in the middle of a mountain range, and also because it is not as well-known as other castles we have included in the list. Its defensive appearance is similar to the image of castles portrayed in many childrens pictures! Fantastic indeed.
Today and industrial City, Ponferrada is part of el Camino or Saint James Way. Before that, it was a very important Roman location as well. At the start of the 12th century the Templar knights established in the castle. They developed it and reinforced it. Today the castle has regained most of its past splendor. It serves as a permanent research library on the history of the Templar knights.
This is probably the smallest castle in our list. Located in Castilla La Mancha, it is yet another castle which origins date back to arab times. The castle is today a hotel that belongs to the Paradores National hotel chain. The castle was conquered by the Christians on the 12thcentury, and had been originally built on the 8th century by the Muslims. Its location oversees the fertile valley of the river Jucar.
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In this, my last column, I should like to quote a few passages from the talk I gave to graduates and their families on Class Day 2000 at the invitation of the senior class. I hope you will accept my farewell to them as also my farewell to the readers of this column. I addressed the seniors as "My Fellow Graduates":
Having followed you for four years; having taught you in Sophomore College; having read you "bedtime stories"; having talked to many of you in the Main Quad, at the Rose Bowl or Senior Pub Night; having rooted with you as a "Sixth Man"; having watched you in Winter One-Act plays; having listened to you sing; having played Marco Polo with some in the Hoover House swimming pool and danced the macarena with others at Gaieties -- I hope that, as I leave the Stanford presidency, you will indeed accept me as a fellow graduate. Since the red 1985 Chevy, in which you so often spotted me, is actually owned by the University, I must buy a new car. Thus, with my usual foresight, I have secured a Class of '00 license plate holder. I shall display it proudly and with feeling.
Dear parents, when I welcomed you on September 20, 1996, I admonished you by quoting President Harding's mixed metaphor: "One must not drop anchor until one is out of the woods." You must admit that that was and is sound advice. It has been a great pleasure getting to know some of you personally over these four years.
My fellow graduates, I now apply the advice about not dropping anchor until out of the woods to you. Indeed, I remind you with another mixed metaphor that "the future is an uncharted sea full of potholes," or, with a triple punch, "Who knows what potholes may lie in the uncharted seas as you scale new peaks?"
My welcome to all of you was entitled "On Making Choices." Since making choices, for you, has obviously just begun, I hope you will permit me to make two points. They are very simple points, and they are very much "Gerhard" types of points -- by which I mean they will not surprise you.
Here is the first: do not let the future make you narrow in intellect, spirit, pursuits, values. I return to an author I quoted to you four years ago. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist, in 1932 wrote to his younger brother: "[L]et me urge you with every earnestness to keep an open mind: to cultivate a disinterested and catholic interest in every intellectual discipline, and in the nonacademic excellences of the world, so that you may not lose that freshness of mind from which alone the life of the mind derives, and that your choice, whatever it be, of work to do may be a real choice, and one reasonably free."
As "the new new thing" dominates our environment, we need to remind ourselves that newness is not necessarily the equivalent of excellence. The excellences of the world include much that is old, and they are so many that it will take the rest of your lives to discover just a few of them. The great news is: the pleasures that come from minds moving and studies blossoming do not disappear once the life of the mind has become a habit.
And -- my second point -- as you attempt to lead truthful and moral lives, remember what an unidentified French theologian once said: the most corrupting lies are problems poorly stated. It is hard to get things right, but with a sense of moral humility, it can be done. It will also take the rest of your lives to clarify your own -- and society's -- values, as you must.
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