Villalonso Castle

Villalonso Castle lies, in the village by the same name, in the province of Zamora in Spain.

Not far from the town of Toro, near the road to Medina de Rioseco, stands the castle of Villalonso, perhaps one of the best conserved in the province of Zamora.

The castle is a clear model of the type of stately castles which were built in large numbers in the border provinces of Valladolid and Palencia during the 15th century.

The castle has an almost square ground plan, with walls of ashlar masonry reinforced at the corners with slender towers. The curtain walls are fitted, in the center, with nice turrets, resting on a cylindrical base. Its slender appearance is accentuated by the powerful, square keep, projecting out of the North curtain wall and flanking the entrance gate.

Around the castle are the remains of the outer enclosure and a shallow ditch which used to be the moat.

There's not much known about its history nor a more precise year when it was built.

In 1235 there was an earlier fortification at this site belonging to the Order of Alcántara. During the wars of the Catholic Kings against the King of Portugal, Villalonso Castle, along with other castles in the area, was in the hands of Pedro de Avendaño, in the name of the Portuguese king. At that time the count of Marialba, having fled the town of Toro, sought refuge in the castle shortly before the conquest of this city by the Castilian forces. The castle also played a role, although of small importance, in the War of the Communities.

I find this a very beautiful castle. It is on the outskirts of the little village, surrounded by fields. From here you can see Tiedra Castle on the northern horizon. It has no use as far as I could discover and isn't signposted. The castle isn't accessible. Too bad.

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