Gormaz, Soria – Spain
Coordinates: 41.493707, -3.007750
The castle of Gormaz is a large citadel located in Gormaz, Spain. It was the largest fortress in Europe after its expansion in 956.
It was constructed in 756 by Abd ar-Rahman I of Córdoba, an Islamic commander in an effort to control the region. Later in 965, Caliph al-Hakem II rebuilt and expanded the castle to cover the entire plateau. By then, it was the largest fortress in Western Europe.
The castle is located 13 kilometers south-east of El Burgo de Osma, at Gormaz, in the province of Soria, in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon, Spain.
It is situated north of the Duero river, placed on a hill that rises 100 m above the river level.
This is probably one of the oldest standing ensembles of military architecture in Western Europe.
Know This
Bring water, as this part of Spain is hot and dry.
It is well preserved and offers a spectacular view of the region. If you visit around March, make sure you take a hat or shawl to cover your ears as the wind up there is strong and cold.
You can arrive there by the car and the entrance is totally free.
In fact, you can walk around all walls, which you can see and they are very well preserved.
Inside the walls, you can see some towers and ruins of the castle, really a excellent place for history-lovers and it is possible to take great photos of the ruins and surroundings, because there are fantastic views.
The views of the valley below, including of the Douro River, are spectacular. To reach the fortress you take SO 160 from El Burgo de Osma and after 15 kilometers there is a turnoff. The road passes through the tiny village of Gormaz and climbs up the hill.
You can see the castle from a great distance.
