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Washington Irving was here. The famous Alhambra
in Granada is worth a series of articles of its own. Together
with the adjacent Generalife gardens, it is understandably
the most popular attraction in Spain (remember to book
tickets in advance as the queues can be immense, and be
prepared to be rushed round). Castle lovers tend to overlook
the Alhambra because it is usually classified as a palace
rather than a  fort,
but there is no doubt that its great towers and sheer walls
were designed to withstand the most serious attack that could
have been mounted at the time (fourteenth century and following).
As was so often the case, the reconquering Christians preferred
to use the Alhambra themselves rather than pull it down or
leave it to fall apart, which explains its generally good
state of conservation.
Alcázares. Provincial capitals (e.g., Segovia,
Toledo) often boast
a splendid Alcázar (Moorish fortified palace) or other
fortification. The Alcázar in Toledo is designated
to be the new location for the Spanish Army Museum, and is
a controversial choice. Apart from the fact that this would
leave Madrid without a military museum of any kind, the Spanish
Civil War siege of the Toledo Alcázar was one of the
fascists' proudest victories. It was also the setting for
one of their most cherished war stories, in which the  protagonist
is the rebel (i.e. insurgent nationalist/fascist) Colonel
Moscardó, leader of the troops occupying the Alcázár.
The tale is that the republicans threatened to shoot his son
Luis by firing squad if the nationalists did not surrender.
Moscardó was said to have spoken to his son, telling
him to commend his soul to God and die bravely, and to have
heard the shot that killed Luis. It is a most unlikely account.
It seems that Luis did not die until a month later (though,
in effect, shot by firing squad). Even more suspiciously,
the story is nearly word-for-word the same as another nationalist-beloved
myth, the tale of Guzman el Bueno, said to have thrown down
his dagger to those threatening to kill his hostage son at
the siege of Tarifa in the thirteenth century, with the words,
"I did not beget a son to be made use of against my country..."
Whatever, the undeniable truth is that the Alcázar
was nearly destroyed during the siege, but was relieved in
time by fascist troops diverted from the attack on Madrid.
I have read that "the castle in the Magic Kingdom at
Disneyland is modeled after" the Segovia
Alcázar. I do not know enough about magic
kingdoms or Disneyland to confirm this, but this alcázar
undoubtedly has a sugary, fairy-tale look about it. But it
was a real, working castle, built in the 12th century or earlier,
and makes a most satisfying visit, if of more interest to
people who enjoy stately homes and the like than to castle
buffs. Segovia has many sights, but if you have seen the Roman
aqueduct and eaten in Candido, and you have time after visiting
the Alcázar, a short walk takes you over the river
to the extremely curious, esoteric Vera Cruz church, built
by the strange holy order of the Knights Templar.
Looking out to sea. Many castles were built to defend
from threats from the sea — indeed, some coastal towns
owe their location to the existence of a high point nearby
from which an approaching enemy fleet could be seen. El
Peñon, Gibraltar,
exists as a settlement because it dominates the entrance to
the Mediterranean, and one of its touristic highlights is
its Moorish castle perched on the top of the Rock, from where
you can see all the way across the Strait to Morocco. On the
adjacent Costa del
Sol, the city of Málaga
has its alcazaba, Moorish fortress, an enormous affair
with a Roman theatre thrown in for good measure. Further east,
on the Costa Tropical
in the province of Granada, the fishing village of Salobreña
has a splendid looking castle, which must have been restored
in the last decade or so. When I was last there, though, nearly
twenty years ago, it was still in use as a rather neglected,
vandalized cemetery. Niches were open, human remains were
visible and bones, even skulls were strewn  around.
Further east and northwards, Mojacar, in the province of Almería,
is a hilltop fortress town overlooking the sea, conserving
the twisting mediaeval Arab layout of the streets and whitewashed
houses. And the extremely provincial capital city of Almería
has a tremendous alcazaba, capable of housing 20,000
men in wartime.
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