Southern Spain

Seventeen locations in southern Spain were visited in January 2006. Over a two week period I travelled from Murcia in western Spain to Seville in southern Spain. The seventeen locations have been further split into individual sites which range from whole castle complexes through individual to individual walls or parts of city walls.

Related publications

Jaquin, P.A., Augarde, C. E. and Gerrard, C.M. Historic Rammed Earth Structures in Spain. International Symposium on Earthen Structures, Bangalore, August 2007

  (1.40MB)  Historic Rammed Earth Structures in Spain

For more information about the structures mentioned on this page, see my thesis

Alcalá de Guadaira

The site at Alcalá de Guadaira, to the east of Seville was surveyed in the rain. This provided an opportunity to see rammed earth behaviour during a severe rainstorm. The Almohad dynasty constructed a fortress on the site in the 12th century, of which only a single courtyard and baths remain. In 1247 the fortress was conquered by the Christiain King Ferdinand III who built two octagonal towers sometime after this. Between 1312 and 1350, during the reign of Alfonso XI, the Royal Alcazar was built. In 1471 the castle passed to the Marquis of Cadiz, who built the rammed earth curtain walls and added a moat. By 1530 the complex was owned by the Ribera family, who added the Mudejar quarters to house those Muslims living under Christian rule.

Alcala de Guadaira castle

Baños de la Encina

The castle at Baños de la Encina was constructed in 967, as described by a plaque fixed next to the door. The castle was given over through treaty by the Muslims to the Christians in 1225. It was used continually until the middle of the 17th century. The site was redundant until 1850 when it began to be used as the village cemetery. This practice continued until 1928, and as a result the internal level is much higher than the external (Ramos Vazquez 2003).

Cement repairs are evident to the bottom of the walls and an archaeological dig in 2007 aims to reduce the internal ground level to bedrock. There are 14 rammed earth towers, and stone keep at the north of the site. Pigeons are nesting in the towers. There are two main cracks, in the wall between towers 2 and 3 and on tower 8.

Banos de la Encina castle external view

Banos de la Encina castle internal view

Biar

The date of construction of Biar castle is unknown, but the treaty of Cazorla in 1179 denotes Biar castle as being part of a dividing line between the kingdoms of Aragon to the north and Castille to the south.

In 1244 the castle was surrendered to Aragon and in 1265 was used by the Muslims as a base for an unsuccessful rebellion against Castille. In 1276 a further unsuccessful Muslim revolt led to their expulsion from the town of Biar.

The final military use of the castle was as a base in 1808 during the Spanish war of Independence. There are stone protrusions at the top of the building which would have been used to support a temporary timber structure.

Internal access was not possible, but each external face of the tower was observed and photographed. The tower is 20 lifts high and assuming each lift is 85cm, the tower is 17m tall. On the north facing sides of the structure, which are always in shadow there appears to be lichen surrounding each putlog hole. A concrete beam has been placed around the top of the tower, and a water spout protrudes in the centre of each face.

Biar castle

Carmona

The site at Carmona consists of a curtain wall and a number of towers. Part of the structure has been converted into a hotel. A chronology of the site is given in Table C.3.

While a fortification has existed on the site since Neolithic times, the majority of the current structure dates from 1502 (García 2006). The castle appears to have been abandoned following an earthquake in 1504. There is evidence of recent repairs.

Carmona was unique amongst sites surveyed in southern Spain because a great deal of pottery was used in the rammed earth mix.

Carmona castle

Cordoba

Cordoba is a major city in southern Spain, and has played a large part in the history of Iberia since Roman times. Cordoba was taken by the Muslims in 711, and retaken by Christians in 1236. The city was under the control of Napoleon for a short time in 1806, and is now a thriving tourist and business centre (Reed 2006). A condensed history of the city is given in Table C.4.

Six sites (shown in Figure C.28) were investigated in various parts of the city. The perimeter wall of the Christian castle (Alcazar) (Co1, Calle de la Trasera a San Basilio) is a highly eroded section of wall which has been heavily repaired using concrete.

A timber walkway exists at one side of the site, making it impossible for the public to touch the wall. A further section (Co2, Calle Martin de Rosa) is in a good state of repair with only a few cracks to the face.

Two curved towers (Co3, Ronda de Isasa) were also part of the perimeter wall of the Christian castle. There was erosion at the base of these towers, and repairs were being carried out to the section of wall between the towers.

A crenellated section of the castle wall (Co4, Avendia de Corregidor) has a brick top and rammed earth below, with some erosion at the base of the wall.

A section of the Muslim city wall (La Axerquia, Co5, Avenida de las Ollerias) is on a main road through the city, and now vehicles are parked in front, along most of its length (Figure C.33). There are many different failures of the wall along this length, and many repair techniques have been attempted.

Behind the wall is a park (Figure C.34) where clear erosion is visible up to shoulder level. A final section of this wall (Co6, Plasa de Colon) is heavily eroded on one side and repaired on the other.

Cordoba city walls

Water incision and concrete repair at base, Cordoba city walls

Cordoba city walls

Many thanks to Tony Reed of InfoCordoba for his excellent information on the history of Cordoba and particularly the city walls.

Cox

The castle at Cox was first constructed as a Muslim farm house, and also goes by the names of Castillo de Santa Bárbara, Castillo de Ayala and Castillo de Cox. A history of the building is given below. The building was originally constructed as a Muslim farmhouse, but was conquered by Alfonso X, who reigned between 1252 and 1284. In 1304 the castle was incorporporated into the Christian Kingdom of Valencia, but in 1320 was returned to the Muslims.

Castillo Cox, rammed earth repaired with concrete

Elche

The town of Elche (also know as Elx) contains three rammed earth sites. The Altamira castle is now an archaeological museum, but was unfortunately closed for refurbishment at the time of visit.

The mosque, now attached to the current church now operates as the town hall, and a small section of wall between the two sites has been extensively repaired using concrete.

Elx castle

Granada

The Alhambra of Granada is a world famous UNESCO heritage site. The complex is 700m long and 200m at its widest point. The oldest part is the Alcazar (castle) at the western end of the site where a fortification has existed since Roman times. In 1348 the current site was defined by encircling walls.

Granada was an important city throughout the Muslim Caliphate, and was the last bastion of Islam in Spain prior to its falls in 1492. After 1492 the site continued to be used, but the heights of Islamic architecture were not bettered in Christian times, and the site stands as a tribute to medieval Muslim architecture. The Alhambra is now a popular tourist destination (Gallego Roca and Valverde Espinosa 1993; Valverde Espinosa, Lopez Osorio et al. 1993; Acedo 2006).

A fortification has long existed at the site and foundation stones in Plaza de las Armas (The Arms square) are thought to be Roman. The first reference to a structure on the site is during a civil war when the Arabs were defeated in battle and forced to take refuge in a primitive ‘red earth’ castle in Granada. The documents record that the castle was quite small and not capable of deterring an army intent on conquering. Those sheltering in the castle rebuilt it in 889, and the site was again renovated around 935.

The current structure was built in 1238 by Muhammad I the founder of the Nasrid dynasty, who came to Granada following persecution by Ferdinand III of Castille. Muhammad I moved to the old castle at Granada, but laid out foundations for a new castle which is the basis of the Alcazar.

The Alcazar consists of the Keep (Torre Homenaje) and the ‘Cracked Tower’ ; and the Bell tower (Torre de la Vela). The Bell tower was the feudal residence of Muhammad I and is 16m square and 27m high, with a solid base but four floors above. It remained in use following the Christian conquest but since then had a troubled history. In 1522 it was hit by an earthquake, in 1590 a gunpowder factory directly below the tower exploded, and in 1882 the tower was struck by lightning.

The current Alhambra site was encircled with rammed earth walls in 1348 by Yusuf I, giving the Alhambra its final outline as shown in Figure C.44. There are 15 towers, the most significant of which are mentioned here.

The Justice Gate carries an inscription explaining it was completed in June 1348, and during this period was the main entrance to the Alcazar from the city. The Tower and Gate of Seven Floors at the south end of the Alhambra is similar in construction to the Justice Gate, but was significantly damaged in 1813 when Napoleon withdrew from the city .

The Water tower (Torre Agua) protected the royal waterway which carried water to the city of Granada. The tower of Balthasar of the Cross and the Spiked tower (named for its pyramid shaped merlons on the ramparts) were also constructed in 1348.

The tower of the Captive Princesses is a romanticised name and is a actually a small palace astride the battlements. It was constructed in the 15th century before the fall of Granada and is one of the last Muslim constructions in the Alhambra.

Granada Alhambra

Jaen

Jaen was a major Celtic-Iberian settlement centre, and was then occupied by the Carthaginians. It was captured by the Romans following the 2nd Punic War (218- 201BC) and flourished under Emperor Flavian (69-96AD).

The city developed as a trade centre during the Muslim Caliphate which led to the construction of a castle on hilltop site outside of the town. It is possible that this castle was constructed with rammed earth walls.

In 1246 the city was conquered by Ferdinand III of Castille who built the castle of St Catherine in stone masonry on the site of the previous castle. Rammed earth walls extend down the hill from the castle towards the town and are a mix of rammed earth and other building materials.

Jaen city walls

La Rambla

The town of La Rambla has two rammed earth sites, a tower in the centre of the town and a wall which historically encircled the town. The only remaining section of wall is now in a park adjoining the tower.

The tower is now a pottery museum, but unfortunately internal access was not possible. An information board outside provided a history of the building. The tower is rectangular in plan (15.3m x 12.8m) and is 17.3m high. There are brick reinforcements at the corners of the tower which are 2.7m thick. The tower is three stories high, and is very similar to the towers at Carpio, constructed 1325 (not visited) and Villena.

La Rambla Tower

Lorca

The castle at Lorca is an extensive site, built on a hill overlooking the town. The only rammed earth sections are the bases of two towers at the western extremity of the castle, which appear to have been constructed at different times due to their different mix design and slight physical separation. Construction of a road tunnel beneath the west end of the site began in 2006.

Lorca castle

Malaga

The castle at Malaga is on two sites, an earlier Muslim castle (called Gibralfaro) at the bottom of the hill, and a newer Christian site at the top. They are joined by a wall which has a stone base and rammed earth above. The name refers to a Phoenician lighthouse and significant Roman structures have been found at the site.

The Cordoban Emir Abderraham I (756-788) built the castle by adding to structures already present. In 1065 the castle came under the kingdom of Granada. In 1487 the castle was besieged and surrendered to the Christian Monarchs. In 1624 the castle was inhabited by King Philip VI of Spain, and in the mid 18th century Carlos III ordered the destruction of some of the castle walls for the construction of homes.

In the 19th century the castle was used as a home for the destitute and in 1931 was declared a national monument. A large amount of restoration was carried out in the 1930s, such as facing much of the rammed earth with a brick and stone skin (Ma2, Figure C.69). The castle is now a fully fledged tourist attraction, housing an interpretative centre and extensive grounds.

Malaga castle

Novelda

The hilltop site of Novelda castle (Castillo de la Mola) is shared with a famous 19th century church, and as a result the castle is frequented by tourists intent on visiting the church.

The site is encircled by a rammed earth curtain wall. Inside are a triangular stone tower and rectangular rammed earth tower. There is a tower in the wall at the north west of the site. Part of the south curtain wall has been extensively repaired with concrete while the north part of the wall is heavily eroded.

Concrete repair to upper section of wall, Novelda

Palma del Rio

The town of Palma del Rio (literally Bend in the River) has a large, ruined Almohad castle, which is now used as municipal parking. A rammed earth wall extends from the castle into the present town, and is of original height.

The castle was constructed during the Almohad period (after 1121) but was conquered by Christians in 1231, who repaired part of the curtain wall. An octagonal tower, now part of a private residence, is built in rammed earth and brick. Concrete repairs to the rammed earth town wall were observed.

Salobreña

The castle at Salobreña was constructed by the Muslims as a retirement place and a prison, and it is known that in 1408 the Muslim king Yusuf I lived at site. In 1489 it was conquered by the Christians, and from 1849 the site was used by Spanish customs officials as a signal place because of its position on the coast. Internal access to the castle of Salobrena was not possible.

Salobrena castle

Seville

Seville is a major city in Spain, but in the past was overshadowed by both Granada and Cordoba. The Alcazar in the centre of the city contains a single rammed earth wall which is heavily eroded. In 1023 the king Abud-Qasim Muhammad ordered the reconstruction of the city wall to stop the advance of the Christian troops. These walls are around 6km long and have approximately 150 towers. In 1222 the walls were reinforced with a smaller wall and a ditch, but in 1248 the city was taken by Ferdinand III of Castille. In 1861 parts of the wall were demolished due to repeated flooding and movement of the Guadalquivir river which runs through the city.

Seville city walls

Tabernas

It is probable that a Roman fortification existed at Tabernas, but the date of construction of the remaining castle is uncertain due to the lack of evidence. Rammed earth points to Muslim construction. In 1489 the castle was integrated in the Catholic Kingdom of Isabel and Ferdinand, and in 1560 was partially destroyed by Royal decree. The Spanish war of Independence (1808-1814), led to many of the structures at the site destroyed. Much of the site is ruined but the base of two small towers remain.

The main tower, which overlooks the town, has recently been reconstructed in concrete. A rammed earth wall is acting as a retaining wall on the north of the site, and this wall has been faced in two difference layers of masonry. One wall of one of the towers has been removed to provide access to the site, leaving evidence of internal beams lined with lime and straw embedded within the wall.

The tower has a hole for an octagonal roof beam with a wall plate and has cut stone male layers. One wall with large putlog holes was found. The main tower of the castle was rebuilt recently in concrete, and is visible from the town. It is the symbol of the town and the local olive oil press.

Tabernas castle

Villena

The castle of Villena is open as a tourist attraction. The tower has a Muslim rammed earth base with later brick above. Rammed earth walls on the approach to the castle have been extensively repaired, but the rammed earth section of the tower is original.

The tower has three stories with an open roof. The thickness of the walls decreases from 3.6m at the base to 3.13m at the top of the rammed earth where it is flush with masonry. At the top of the masonry the walls are 1.5m thick.

The rammed earth tower is surrounded by two masonry curtain walls , and it is likely that the original rammed earth tower was increased in height when the curtain walls were added.

Villena castle