Art and culture
Benquerencia de la Serena Castle
The ruins of Benquerencia Castle in Extremadura show the regal past of this Moslem military fortress, turned into an administrative centre by the Order of Alcántara.
- Explore
- Benquerencia de la Serena Castle
Remnants of the past
Location and Contact:
- Contact person: Ayuntamiento de Benquerencia de la Serena
- Tel.:+34 924 77 45 21
- Fax: +34 924 77 44 62
- Website address: www.benquerenciadelaserena.com
- Opening times
Entrada libre
- Fee
Entrada libre
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The ruins of Benquerencia Castle in Extremadura show the regal past of this Moslem military fortress, turned into an administrative centre by the Order of Alcántara.
Built on a craggy rocky crest, Benquerencia castle is located in the Extremadura region of La Serena. Its building dates back to the year 850 and it was the work of the Arabs. It didn't pass into hands of the Christians until 1236, to be subsequently administered by the Order of Alcántara.
The primitive military fortress has undergone several remodellings to adapt it to the residential and domestic needs it acquired with time. Currently, as you will see during your visit, little remains of the original state of the building, although you can still make out its main entrance, formed by two semi-cylindrical towers which were joined by an arch and a vault, and under which you would have found the door with its porch and above it the battlements and walkways of the castle walls.
Also noteworthy are the ruins of the keep, the Montánchez tower, the two lovers' towers and the eagle tower; along with the two wells, one of them circular, the dungeons and parts of the barbican, which protected the path that led to the hilltop. -
- Origin:
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- 8th century
- Construction:
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- Castle
- Military building
- Fortress
- Art period:
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- Mudejar
- Period in history:
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- 13th century