Spain Road Ways. Two on the Loose. Dan with down travels anywhere.: Loarre Castle, Spain. Clifftop, 11th Century beginning

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Loarre Castle, Spain. Clifftop, 11th Century beginning

Castles in Spain. Loarre, near Jaca.

Loarre is one of the best, a Crusader castle with elements that predate even that. It is a Romanesque treasure, measured by its excellent state of repair (dry, steady climate helps), its eyrie location, open accessibility for unguided explorers roaming and climbing about, and history with Moors and conquest, invasions, migrations across borders, and defenses against further incursion, then the Reconquest. One of the best. Castles in Spain can be every iota as gripping as the legends suggest, but few offer this hands-on experience. Go to Loarre. It is also on the tentative list for World Heritage sites, completed process by now? see http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5135/

Loarre Castle, near Jaca, Spain. Distance view from flatland side.

The History Channel featured it in a series, History vs Hollywood: The Kingdom of Heaven, see video clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMKWAQNKqZA.
The clip points out the three levels of defenses, the oldest part as the inner tower with its secrets and luxury; the monastery that developed around it; and, finally the much later walls. Invasions. See
http://www.spainisculture.com/en/monumentos/huesca/castillo_de_loarre.html

Loarre Castle, Spain, distance view, castle emerging from the cliff rock. Also near Huesca.

Loarre Castle has several towers. The King's Tower, and the Queen's Tower. Which is which? A tunnel burrows beneath for escape to the mountain areas behind.

The oldest tower, free-standing. 1020-1030 or so, would probably be the one known as The King's Tower. Have to check. The walls came centuries later. Note the half-open side of the turret, a design that became common. A King would not always be inresidence. This was a kind of garrison for troops, mostly, I understand, with a Castellan in charge, until finally the Moors of nearby Huesca were defeated. It was then that the monastery was established -- no further use for a totally military structure..

Castellan's Tower, Loarre Castle, Spain

Is this the Queen's Tower? It is vastly restored. Small doors at ground level: difficult for a knight in full armor to enter; or anyone on horseback. Remove the armor, and become more vulnerable.