Aledo Castle, Torre del Homenaje

Aledo Castle, The Torre del Homenaje and Castle walls.

Aledo occupies a strategically advantageous position, seated on a rocky outcrop with views across not only the Sierra Espuña, but also the Sierra de La Tercía.
This enabled its occupants to effectively control movements of traffic and merchandise, maintaining a tight grip on any activity which took place, and also control communications .

To read the full history of Aledo, click History of Aledo.

The location was sparsely populated before the end of the 9th century, with just a handful of Roman agricultural villas discovered in the area indicating agricultural activity, and the first documental mention relating to Aledo was in 896AD .

The Moors invade Spain, 713AD, Murcia surrenders
The Moors had invaded Spain, sweeping across the south from Cadíz, and by 713AD the area which included Aledo had come under their control following an agreement with the Visigoth overlord, Theudimer (Tudmir in Arabic).

Tudmir agreed to govern the area on behalf of the Moors, the area becoming known as Tudmir, and according to the arab geographer, Al-Idrisi, included Murcia, Orihuela, Cartagena, Mula, Lorca and Chinchilla, with Lorca as the main administrative centre.  
However, even within the ranks of the invaders there was infighting and a struggle for power, and this first mention of Aledo in 896 is in a document relating to an expedition sent by the Emir Abd Allah from Córdoba, to crush a rebellion led by Daysam ben Ishaq in Tudmir.

The first fortification in Aledo, 896AD
This early fortification which was mentioned in 896AD was demolished to build a more substantial and important structure, a residential complex contained within a walled perimeter, typical of the fortresses built by the Moors throughout their occupation, giving strategically important power centres  from which they could control their territory.
The structure of the town of Aledo is essentially still contained inside the original walls of the City, and the streets built on the same streets which were constructed at this time.

However, by the end of the 11th century the Catholic Reconquist of Southern Spain was underway, as the Catholic powers of Castile y León and Aragon started to move southwards in a bid to reclaim the territories lost to the Moorish invaders. These 2 rival Kingdoms moved downwards across Spain, the South-western flank headed by Alfonso VI, the king of Castile and León, taking Toledo in 1085. In 1086 Aledo was taken by the famed Castilian knight, García Jiménez, who used it as a strategic base for the Christian Castilian forces who carried out raids in Murcia, Almería, Granada and Jaén. Aledo became the main base for all Christian troops in the south-east of Spain, and the main stronghold of the Reconquista forces of Alfonso VI.

These forces suffered heavy defeat at the hands of the Moors during the Battle of Sagrajas in 1086, but retreated to their strongholds, including Aledo. This made the castle, described by Ibn Al Abbar as “The Great Impregnable”,   the focal point for retributive attacks, and in 1092 Moorish forces laid siege to the town with towers, ditches, palisades and siege engines. However the strength of the defences was so great that the stand made by the inhabitants was threatened only by hunger and the onset of winter. Despite this they held out until Alfonso VI himself arrived with his army, causing the retreat of the Moorish forces. When he entered the fortress, though, the King found that the walls had been mostly destroyed and the garrison reduced to just a couple of hundred men. He had two choices: rebuild at great expense or abandon the garrison. He chose the latter option and ordered that the fortress be torn down and burnt, leaving Aledo to return to the control of the Moors. A replacement fortress was rebuilt on the site and the walls repaired.

The Order of Santiago
In 1243 the Castilian Kings finally gained control of this area, Prince Alfonso, later to become King Alfonso X of Castile, signing the treaty of Alcaraz. The rights of the Moorish population would be respected, but taxes would be paid to Castile. Although much of the population accepted the transition, the fortresses of Lorca, Mula, Aledo and Cartagena refused to accept the terms of the surrender and had to be subdued by force. Aledo fell to the Christians in 1244.

On 14th April 1257 Alfonso X “El Sabio” awarded Aledo to the Order of Santiago, ( Click Order of Santiago) whose Master at the time was Pelay Pérez Correa, and the town was to be closely linked to the Order for more than five hundred years.

During the next 200 years it remained an important key defensive position for the Knights of Santiago, strategically positioned close to the borders with the last remaining Moorish Kingdom in Spain : Granada.
During the 13th and 14th century the castle was extended and consolidated, the 19.3 metre high Torre del Homenaje constructed, a symbol of power watching over the surrounding countryside.

The Catholic Reconquist and transfer to Totana
As the Catholic Reconquist of Spain gained pace, Granada finally fell to the Catholic Forces of Isabella and Ferdinand, the Catholic Monarchs, who united Spain and drove out the Moors in 1492. From this point on, Aledo ceased to watch over  a boundary, and as time moved on, the town and castle declined in importance as the agricultural settlement of Totana became the population centre. Although the castle was the scene of further action during uprisings in the 16th century and the War of Independence in 1808, it´s value as a strategic stronghold declined, the protective rôle of the castle ceased to be of importance, and Aledo was virtually abandoned.

Even today the town has little more than 1000 inhabitants, although the castle is enjoying a new lease of life, being the perfect location for a drive out into the Sierra Espuña, an ideal place to stop for a walk and visit to the castle tower, and a coffee.

Following the transfer of the Knights of Santiago and administrative power to Totana, much of the external castle structure fell into disuse, the main part which visitors can enjoy today being the tower itself, which offers spectacular views of the Sierras and farmlands which lie beneath the castle.
The Tower is on three floors, hosting an Interpretation Centre which gives more information about the structure of the Order of Santiago and the soldiers who would have lived in this location, and has a spectacular internal roofing structure.

Those with more energy may enjoy the geological route which winds down from the castle through time, revealing fascinating fossils in the rocks upon which the castle is built. ( see Geological route.)

Practicalities of visiting the Torre del Homenaje, Aledo.
Opening Hours
The listed visiting hours are Monday to Friday 10.45 am to 1.30pm and the first Sunday of every month from 11am to 1.30pm. It is highly advisable to ring the tourist office number first if planning a special trip, as the tower has been closed when readers have turned up in the past: Tel Number 696 962 116 / 968 484 422.

Entrance fee
There is a small entrance fee, which is vital to help the council maintain this facility open.

Don´t Miss.
The view from the top is spectacular, but may unnerve those with a fear of heights. In order to reach the top of the tower, a good number of steps must be mounted, so don´t undertake the climb if you have medical conditions which don´t agree with steps.

On the ground floor is a video room, and some interesting videos are available which show the history of the castle and town. Amongst these is a particularly interesting video relating to the water collection arrangements which show how the "Pozo de los Moros functioned. Click Pozo de los Moros.

What else is nearby?
Externally, don´t miss the Picota, ( Click Picota) which is located just a few metres down the hill, along the geological route.

The Church of Santa María La Real is also worth visiting, although is only open on Sunday mornings for mass. The church contains 2 sculptures by Francisco Salzillo, and 2 other important early sculptures.