Ponferrada Castle Guided Tour

Journey into the past at the Castle of Ponferrada, renowned as one of Spain's most remarkable Templar strongholds, through a tour of its expansive towers, robust ramparts, and intricate halls. Featuring 12 towers, often linked to the zodiac constellations, it is also celebrated as the castle of stars.

Tour Overview

We will gather at the castle at the scheduled time to commence our exploration. Throughout the tour, expect to delve into every nook and cranny of the castle, revealing the fascinating history of the knights who once protected it.

Our adventure starts at the castle entrance, where we will admire the barbican and the Tower of Snails before proceeding across the bailey. Much of the structure we encounter was constructed in the 15th century under the guidance of Pedro Álvarez Osorio, Count of Lemos, a pivotal figure in the castle's narrative, credited with designing many existing architectures.

Next, we will traverse the lower wall walk, passing notable features such as the Tower of Cabrera, the Tower of Badneighbour, the Tower of Malpica, and the Tower of the Catholic Monarchs, leading us to the old castle. Here, the history comes alive: the Templars were granted these Visigothic walls by King Ferdinand II of León in 1178, gaining ownership of Ponferrada by 1211. Their reign concluded in 1312 due to persecution across Europe.

We will then venture towards the new keep, which includes the Tower of the Duke of Arjona and the old keep. Discussions will touch upon the various lords who succeeded the Templars, from Pedro Fernández de Castro of the Castro family to the Duke of Arjona himself.

As we make our way back through the main courtyard, we will travel along the river wall walk past the Cave of the Moorish Woman, a site steeped in local folklore, before ascending to the Tower of Moclín. Continuing along the upper wall walk, our exploration will culminate at the new palace, where we will discover the palace courtyard, the Templar library, the old room, the palace hall, the Templar chapel, and the remarkable Templum Libri library.

After approximately 2 hours, our enriching tour will conclude at the new palace.