As King Alfonso X the Wise said: "Spain is safe and full of castles". The continuous battles that took place during the more than seven centuries of the Reconquista (the period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula of approximately 780 years between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada to the expanding Christian kingdoms in 1492) are the reason why numerous castles and fortresses were built on the Iberian Peninsula.

In total there are an estimated 20,000 castles in Spain, although not all of them have been well preserved, there are still enough to enjoy these fortifications, a true symbol of the Middle Ages. The Asociación Española de Amigos de los Castillos (Spanish Association of Friends of Castles) has inventoried some 10,300 of them.

The first constructions that have been considered castles appeared in the 9th century in the High Middle Ages and their main use was as a defensive encirclement.

Unlike other fortresses that can be seen in the rest of Europe, castles in Spain were not palaces, but had defensive and military functions. Their style will depend on the period. The great majority date from the Middle Ages, others are Renaissance.

Castles were usually built with similar characteristics. They were usually located on a high place, from where to control the territory and to avoid enemy attacks. They had a moat and an outer fortified barrier. In addition, their walls were very wide and high, topped by battlements and machicolations. The gates, their weakest part, were protected by different systems and, in order to have water available during sieges, cisterns were built to collect rainwater. Finally, inside the castle stood the keep, the building where the lord resided.

For a building to be considered a "castle" it normally had to have:

    A walled enclosure adapted to the terrain.
    A habitable tower
    A parade ground

This applies to Christian castles; in Muslim castles the keep is dispensed with and in the case of citadels they become veritable citadels with a multitude of interconnected towers and outbuildings.

Great views of fantastic castles

Great places, well shot, cool edit.

Fantastic footage.   

Amazing places.    Love all the different styles of architecture.  

Lovely work!

Blériot53 Posted at 1-5 14:10
Great views of fantastic castles

Thanks for watch and comment it!

Discover Spain Posted at 1-6 06:12
Thanks for watch and comment it!

My pleasure

Depp Posted at 1-5 23:07
Great places, well shot, cool edit.

Glad to know you liked it!

DAFlys Posted at 1-6 00:34
Fantastic footage.

Glad to know you liked it!

Discover Spain Posted at 1-6 09:40
Glad to know you liked it!

Its my pleasure.     

DowntownRDB Posted at 1-6 03:50
Amazing places.    Love all the different styles of architecture.

In Spain we have a lot of different types of castles, from very old ones that still retain their Moorish character to modern ones.

Thank you very much for taking the time to watch the video and comment on it!

Montfrooij Posted at 1-6 05:14
Lovely work!

Thanks!!!!!!!

Discover Spain Posted at 1-7 10:41
In Spain we have a lot of different types of castles, from very old ones that still retain their Moorish character to modern ones.

Thank you very much for taking the time to watch the video and comment on it!

You're very welcome.    Looking forward to when we can travel about freely again.  Have lots of places I can't wait to go and see and a few to visit again.  Spent 3 years in Spain and loved every minute of it.  

Montfrooij Posted at 1-6 05:14
Lovely work!

Thanks!!!!

Discover Spain Posted at 1-7 13:34
Thanks!!!!!!!

You're welcome!

Hello there Discover Spain. Good day and thank you for posting this amazing video you have filmed and created. Great work and thank you for your support. .

DJI Stephen Posted at 1-10 21:43
Hello there Discover Spain. Good day and thank you for posting this amazing video you have filmed and created. Great work and thank you for your support.  .

Thanks to you for the greeting!

Discover Spain Posted at 1-13 12:17
Thanks to you for the greeting!

Hi there Discover Spain. Thank you for the reply and you are very much welcome. Have a safe and a happy flying always. .