Parador de Sigüenza

The origins of the fortifications in Sigüenza date back to the Celtiberians who inhabited the right bank of the river in the last centuries BC. The Visigoths built a small castle in the 5th century. The Moors built a large fortified citadel in the early 8th century to defend the area against the Christian kings of León and Castile. The 12th century castle was built on the site of a Moorish castle taken in 1124 by Bernard of Agen, the first bishop. The castle then became the fortress-palace of the bishops of Sigüenza, and in the 14th century it was the prison of Blanca de Borbón, consort of Pedro el Cruel. The fortress was continuously used as an episcopal residence until the middle of the 19th century. The castle suffered severe damage during the Civil War in 1936 and was abandoned. Its reconstruction as a parador, decided in the early 1970s, was completed in 1976 by architect José Luis Picardo. The official inauguration took place in 1978 with the visit of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia.

A bastion gives access to the main gate of the fourteenth century, flanked by two towers with machicolations and battlements on top. The large inner courtyard is reminiscent of the Arab citadels, and similarly to them, sheltered the population in case of attack. In the center remains the well that provided water to the fortress. The cobblestone courtyard, the rooms with wooden balconies, the 13th century Romanesque chapel and the vaulted dining room take you back to another era. It was substantially remodeled in the 14th century, again in the 15th, and with further additions in the 16th. The two twin towers flanking the gate date from the early 14th century. Don Pedro González de Mendoza was responsible for the bastion that protects the main gate and for transforming the fortress into a palace.

The Parador overlooks the medieval town of Sigüenza from above. The Gothic cathedral, with the famous Doncel de Sigüenza, one of the most beautiful funerary sculptures in Spain, is just a few steps away. The historic center retains its medieval layout with the arcaded Plaza Mayor. Sigüenza is a stop on the Tren Medieval tourist train from Madrid. The Alto Tajo Natural Park is nearby for nature lovers.