Fuensaldaña Castle Explained

Fuensaldaña Castle (Spanish; Castilian: Castillo de Fuensaldaña) is a castle in the Spanish village of Fuensaldaña, situated 6 kilometres from Valladolid, the largest city of Castile and León.

History

Construction on the site began in the 13th century, but the castle did not take its current form until the mid-15th. Captive Moors were used to build it.[1]

Alonso Pérez de Vivero, who ordered its construction, was murdered for conspiring against Álvaro de Luna, a favourite of John II of Castile. The Catholic Monarchs of Spain confiscated the castle from the Vivero family due to their opposition in the War of Castilian Succession; it was returned in 1490.[1] The Catholic Monarchs themselves spent their honeymoon in the castle in 1469, and in 1521 the castle was occupied in the Revolt of the Comuneros.[1]

In July 1983 Demetrio Madrid, the President of the Junta of Castile and León, chose the castle to be the seat of the Cortes of Castile and León, the regional legislature.[2] In 2007 the legislature moved to a brand new building in the city, in an economic blow to both the castle's owners the Province of Valladolid and the people of the village.[2]

Renovations started in 2011 ended in late 2012 when the castle was opened to the public as a tourist site, and venue for weddings, conferences and concerts.[3] [2] By 2015, it was safe for tourists to access the roof of the tower.[4]

References

41.7062°N -4.7675°W

Notes and References

  1. News: Seis cosas que quizá no sabes del «castillo de los castillos». Six things you may not know about the "castle of the castles" . 14 January 2021 . . 14 February 2019 . Spanish.
  2. News: Gris . R. . De 24 años de política regional... a un museo de castillos. From 24 years of regional politics... to a museum of castles . 14 January 2021 . El Día de Valladolid . 16 February 2019 . Spanish.
  3. News: El Castillo de Fuensaldaña reabre sus puertas en noviembre. Fuensaldaña Castle will re-open its doors in November. 14 January 2021 . ABC . 2 November 2012 . Spanish.
  4. News: El castillo de Fuensaldaña tiene nuevas zonas visitables . Fuensaldaña Castle has new visitable zones. 14 January 2021 . El Norte de Castilla . 27 February 2015 . Spanish.