Cornatel Castle
Cornatel Castle
Its unmistakable silhouette of a medieval fortress, when it was called Ulver Castle at the end of the High Middle Ages, is the first striking sight of Cornatel Castle in the middle of the mountains in the vicinity of Villavieja in Priaranza del Bierzo.
Useful insights
Located in the village of Priaranza del Bierzo, Cornatel Castle is 16.7 kilometres outside of Ponferrada and 12 kilometres away from the village of Las Médulas. It has a parking area, guided tours and astro-tourism activities
Rates
Individual €3, groups (minimum 20 people) €1.5 and people over 65 years old or with disabilities €1.
An exceptional viewpoint overlooking the basin of the river Sil that did not receive its current name until the castle was donated by King Alfonso XI at the end of the 14th century and renamed Cornatel Castle.
It had previously been a bastion defended by the knights of the Order of the Temple to guarantee the smooth passage of pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. If we go back to its origins, and thanks to its privileged position on a rocky promontory, it served as a strategic fortress at the beginning of the Middle Ages (9th century) to consolidate the advance of the repopulation of the northwest of the peninsula after the Muslim retreat.
Cornatel Castle was under the rule of the noblewoman Jimena Muñiz, daughter of the Count of Bierzo Monnio Muñiz y Velasquita. She was the only woman holder of the castle, a rule she obtained in 1093 as a reward for having given two daughters to King Alfonso VI.
For lovers of book locations, the Cornatel Castle is the setting for the novel El señor de Bembibre (The Lord of Bembibre) by the writer Enrique Gil y Carrasco. A highly popular work of fiction studied in Spanish universities as a precursor of the historical novel genre.
Inspiration for your trip
Be prepared to visit as many as you can, because they are home to traditional architecture made from the materials of the surrounding landscape.
There are 35 kilometres through the landscape of the Cultural and Natural Space of Las Médulas.
Walking the trails of the Cultural and Natural Space of Las Médulas is probably the most fun and rewarding way to explore its landscapes.
News
No posts found!
