Zafra Castle

Zafra Castle

The castle of Zafra is a 12th century castle located in the municipality of Campillo de Dueñasin Guadalajara, in the middle of the Sierra de Caldereros. It is a clear example of a rocky castle that stands out for its location in an area of steep terrain in which the keep built on top of the rocky outcrop stands out.

Partially restored, we find part of the walls that made up its crenellated wall, reinforced with towers at its corners. In the parade ground the cistern and the keep have been preserved. It has a Gothic door with a pointed arch. Inside, there is a spiral staircase leading to the upper terrace.

Since it is cited in the first Fuero de Molinagranted by Don Manrique de Lara, it is thought to have originated as an Arab fortress. During the reign of King Ferdinand III the Saint, the third lord of Molina, Gonzalo Pérez de Lara, rebelled against the monarch and took refuge in the castle. Given the impregnability of the castle, they had to agree the Concordia de Zafra, by which the present-day Molina de Aragón would become part of the Crown of Castile on the death of Don Gonzalo, losing its independent status.

One enigma for historians is the space enclosed by the fortress walls, which leave hardly any room for weapons depots or food stores. It is hypothesised that there were large caves dug into the rock on which the fortress stands.

Located in an absolutely uninhabited place, with Siberian winters and windy silences, this castle, considered to be one of the most beautiful and unknown castles in Spain, attracted the crew of the famous HBO series to work on important scenes in the sixth season. No doubt it is not surprising that they were so struck by both the fortress and this setting located in the far east of the province of Guadalajara, just a few kilometres from Aragonese territory. The strange thing is that so many people in this country did not know of its existence before.