San Juan Castle

San Juan Castle, locally known as Castillo de San Juan, lies on a ridge, next to the sea and above the town of Águilas, in the province of Murcia in Spain. It is also known as Castillo de San Juan de los Águilas to distinguish it from its namesake Castillo de San Juan de los Terreros, some 10 kilometers to the south in Almería.

The settlement of Águilas was first mentioned in the 11th century, as being a harbor for the town of Lorca.

The present castle was preceded by a watch tower, called San Juan Tower, which was built in 1579 for the defense of the harbor. In 1751 that tower had become so ruinous that it had to be demolished. It was replaced by San Juan Castle, which was finished in 1756, during the reign of Charles III of Spain.

San Juan Castle was commissioned by Colonel Don Sebastián Feringan Cortes. It consisted of a horseshoe-shaped artillery fort for coastal defense and a battery on the other end of the ridge. Both were connected with each other by a protected walkway.

In 1823, during the conflicts between royalists and constitutionalists, the castle changed hands but without any combat, saving it from any damage. It wasn't saved from neglect and abandonment in later decades and so, by the end of the 20th century, it was nothing more than a ruin.

In recent decades San Juan Castle was completely rebuilt. It now houses a small museum.

At present San Juan Castle can be visited for a fee. A nice little castle on a beautiful location.

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