Sigüenza - Castillo de Sigüenza

Pliny the Elder mentions Segontia in the 1st century AD in his work "Naturalis Historia" as a Celtiberian settlement. The area was taken by the Romans in the Numantine War (154-133 BC). After the end of the Western Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths, who also founded the diocese of Sigüenza in 589. Taken over by the Moors around 712, the Christians reconquered the city in 1123. The construction of the cathedral began only a short time later, but it would take several centuries to complete. Today Sigüenza is a town with a population of about 4500.

The Visigoths built a small castle in the 5th century above the town. The Moors built a large fortified castle in the early 8th century. It was enclosed by a defensive wall providing an area known as the medina. In 1124, the castle was retaken by Bernard of Agen allowing Simón Girón de Cisneros to build an episcopal palace there. In the 15th century, the castle was strengthened by the bishops to protect it from attacks from Aragon and Navarre.

In the late 18th century, Bishop Juan Díaz de la Guerra changed the appearance of the castle from a fortress into an episcopal palace with additional windows and balconies. However, in 1808 during the War of Spanish Independence, the castle was taken by the French who seriously damaged it and looted all its riches before it was recaptured. The episcopal palace was further devastated by fire in the 1830s and had to be abandoned.

Restoration of the building began in 1964. In 1972, the Ministry of Tourism gave the castle the status of a parador hotel.

paradores.es/en/parador-de-siguenza