Molina de Aragón Castle

Molina de Aragón Castle is the largest medieval fortress preserved in the province of Guadalajara and one of the most imposing military complexes in Castilla-La Mancha. It stands on a hill above the town of Molina, dominating the Gallo river valley and the historic border between the Crowns of Aragon and Castile.

Its origins go back to an Andalusian alcázar of the 10th-11th centuries, built over an earlier Celtiberian castro. The current fortress is the result of the reconstruction ordered by Alfonso I of Aragon in 1129 and successive enlargements of the Lordship of Molina, ruled by the House of Lara until the late 13th century; the complex later passed to the Crown of Castile through the marriage of María de Lara to Sancho IV.

The outer perimeter —the albacara— runs over 800 metres and surrounds a second inner ward with six towers, four of them in good condition: the Tower of Homage (also called Doña Blanca's Tower) and the Covered Tower stand out, alongside historic gates such as the Clock Gate and the Horses' Gate. Within the walls stands the Romanesque church of Santa María del Collado.

Declared a National Monument in 1931 and today a Cultural Heritage site (BIC), the consolidated ruins can be visited on prior request to the Municipality of Molina de Aragón, the current owner. It's an essential stop on any route through the Lordship of Molina and the Alto Tajo.