Castle of Lopera

A Christian fortress built on land that had been Muslim for centuries. It was constructed by the Military Order of Calatrava on the remains of an Al-Andalus fortification.

It has a twin defensive enclosure. The exterior is polygonal and reinforced with towers at the corners, two square and three semi-circular. The main gate opens under a double rounded arch and is flanked by two towers. Inside the enclosure, the keep is constructed in the middle of the bailey. It consists of two large square towers (San Miguel and Santa Maria), joined by a double wall that gives it a rectangular form. The first tower contains a double vaulted room, one of which was converted into a pigeon loft. The second also has two rooms, one above the other; the lower was transformed into a Gothic chapel in the 16th century.