a hidden gem closed to granada
Travelling to Andalucía means visiting cities as Sevilla, or Granada. They are full of history and very interesting places to see. But also full of people. Here you will see a place, that is a complete hidden gem near Granada.
lets talk about a border and a massive fortress
If you are travelling from Granada to Cordoba, or the other way, you are travelling throughout centuries of history. In all this years there had been peace, but also there had been wars and conflicts, and it was not exclusive to Christians and Muslims, also between Muslims.
That’s why in the border line from Cordoba to Granada, it was built a castle that would become one of the most important fortresses of Andalusia.
We speak about the fortress of La Mota, in Alcalá la Real, Jaén. And if you see it from the road, you will know instantly, what we are speaking about.
This huge building was not only a fortress, but the place where a city was born, a city in the middle of two big cities, and in the middle of two realms.
the fortress of la mota
Maybe you expect to visit a castle, and this is not the case. The fortress is much more than that. You will see a 4-hectares space to visit, where there was a whole city, with different kinds of buildings, streets and quarters. Of course, you will need a proper time to visit it.
In all this space, you will be able to see the remains of what was once a citadel built by the arabs (andalusis). This was a defensive place built at their arrival in 8th century, and reinforced during the 11th century. With 3 towers, a parade ground, and the best viewpoint of the city, from where you can see parts of Córdoba, parts of Granada, and of course parts of Jaén.
After it conquest in 1341, this space changed day by day, adapted to Castillians needs, and to the growth of population inside the fortress. That’s why you can also see the remains of the urban trace of this city. Streets, houses, wine cellars, and three different neighborhoods. Of course, we cannot forget the other huge building inside the fortress: the church. This was a church big enough to be the most important one in the surroundings during centuries. Sure enough, it was not as important as a Cathedral, or a church in a big city. Still, in this case we speak about a church that at the beginning was not so big, but it was surrounded by the “enemy” so it was of a huge importance.
but why it was so important
The main reason why it was so important it is where it was placed. The name of “La Mota” is given to the hill, not the fortress. From this hill you could watch what ever happened in the surroundings. This has a huge importance if you want to defend and keep safe your city.
But this is not all. When come you see that it is not only that this fortress is high enough to see everything. Also, you have this hill in the junction of three provinces: Granada, Córdoba, and Jaén. This makes it a very interesting spot.
Before the Conquest, there was a division between Andalusis, they were in different “Taifas”, and they were fighting one against the other, so they needed this fortresses and castles.
Then came the Conquest. The fortress had at one side the Castilian Realm, trying to conquer everyplace. And on the other side, Nasrid Realm, under the pressure of Castillians troops. So you can imagine how much every one wanted this spot.
If I piqued your curiosity, this hill was not only about Andalusis or Castilian, many other people lived there. Nowadays, you can have a glance into the inside of the church, and discover all the remains of the people who lived here before 8th century.
As a local guide, I will give you a tip. This experience truly deserves at least one hour and a half of your time. And the good thing is that today, this is a not so popular place, so you will enjoy a non overcrowded visit.
For a guided tour you can book it directly telling me your name, date of visiting, and what country are you from