Mota del Marqués Castle

Mota del Marqués Castle lies, next to a village by the same name, in the province of Valladolid in Spain.

On a high hill that dominates the, formerly walled, village, stands the last and only remaining round keep in the province of Valladolid. The origin of the castle is unknown, although it is sometimes attributed to the military monks of the Teutonic Order, who came to Spain at the beginning of 13th century. But only a convent in the village can be attributed to them with certainty. The ruined keep is circled by the remains of a wall which was equipped with towers, and a dry moat.

It was yielded by Juan II to the Marquess of Girón for his behavior in the battle of Olmedo, after it had been used to imprison Diego Sarmiento, a Galician royal. The castle was the seat of the March of Ulloa in the days of Felipe III, from where the name of the villa comes: Mota del Marqués.

Mota del Marqués Castle is a great ruin, especially the large keep, and offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. It's freely accessible. At the feet of the castle hill there's also a nice ruined church.

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