Almodovar del Rio
Almodovar Castle
Story of a dream
The Castle of Almodovar del Rio has very ancient origins, it was first built by the Arabs in the year 740. The fortress fell into the hands of Christians in 1226 , when the Moorish king Abed Mohammed was defeated and handed over to King Ferdinand III, The Saint , from Leon and Castile. Over the centuries, it underwent various repairs and expansions carried out by Pedro I of Castile, Enrique II of Trastamara, Alfonso XI, 'O Justo' and Pedro I, 'O Cruel'. The traces of Muslim and Christian culture are reflected in its architecture. It is one of the most admirable fortresses in Spain. It was elected one of the 7 Wonders of the Province of Córdoba.
The Fortress/Castle, with an approximately oval shape, stands 22 kilometers south-west of Cordoba, on the medieval road to Seville, on the right bank of the Guadalquivir River, on a hill about 250 meters high. It was, therefore, at a strategic point that allowed visual control over the space between the mountains and the plain, ensuring the safety of the city, right on the road between Cordoba and Seville. This fortress was part of the defensive belt of Codova.
Both Peter I of Castile the Cruel and Henry II of Castile the Bastard used its facilities not only as a sporadic royal residence, but also as a prison for their prisoners, as well as a safe place to deposit the Treasures of Castile.
Dona Juana de Lara (wife of Prince Don Tello, half-brother of King Pedro I) was imprisoned in this fortress. Its dungeons witnessed the agony of illustrious prisoners like the 1st Duke of Benavente. Among its rulers we highlight Don Alfonso Diaz de Vargas, Diego Fernandez de Cordova and Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordova.
The castle was part of the domains of the Order of Calatrava. In 1629, the town, its term and the castle, were sold by Felipe IV of Spain (Philip III of Portugal) to D. Francisco De Corral y Guzmán, knight of the Order of Santiago.
From the 15th century onwards, after the Peninsula Reconquest was completed and its defensive function was lost, the castle began to deteriorate progressively, to the point of almost disappearing.
Between the years 1903 and 1911, its owner, Rafael Demaissieres y Farina, 12th Count of Torralva, began a vast campaign to rebuild the castle. D. Adolfo Fernández Casanova, was the architect responsible for the reconstruction project. Both D. Rafael Demaissieres (1853-1932) and D. Adolfo Fernández (1844-1915) died before the completion of the reconstruction work. Two more architects Pablo Gutiérrres Moreno and Antonio Illanes took part in the reconstruction work.
Complementary work continued until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, a context in which the castle suffered considerable damage.
It is protected by the generic Declaration of the Decree of 22 April 1949, and Law n° 16/1985 on Spanish Historical Heritage.
Currently, still in private hands, it is open daily to the public, with guided tours.
Join us and allow yourself to travel through time in this extraordinary fortress!
Discover
Almodóvar Castle
Calle Castillo, 14720 Almodóvar del Río, Cordoba, Spain
+34957634055
Contact Details
How to get
Almodovar of Rio
By plane from Cordoba
The closest airport to Almodôvar del Rio is Cordoba Airport (Pajas Blancas – COR), which is about 18.5 km away (by car, shortest way)
by bus
The trip from Córdoba Airport (Cruce Aeropuerto DC) to Almodôvar del Rio can be made by bus (Autobuses de Córdoba – SA or Red de Consortia de Transportes de Andalucia) in a journey that will take about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Tickets and information
Autobuses de Córdoba - SA - Ticket Information - 00 34 957 76 46 76
Andalucía Transport Consortium Network - Córdoba Area - Ticket Information - 00 34 957 35 41 34
The trip from the city of Córdoba (Estación Autobuses Córdoba) to Almodôvar del Rio can be done by bus, a journey that will take around 30 minutes.
Tickets and information
Andalucía Transport Consortium Network - Córdoba Area - Ticket Information - 00 34 957 35 41 34
By car
The trip by car can be made through the CH-2, in a route of approximately 18.5 km, it will take, with normal traffic, about 20 minutes.
You can opt for two other routes - CH-2 and A-431, in a route of approximately 19.1 km, it will take, with normal traffic about 21 minutes, or A-431, in a route of approximately 20.4 km, it will take about 23 minutes.