Santiponce Itálica

Heritage

An immense legacy waiting to be discovered

Medieval Castle

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Lebrija Castle stands on the highest point of the town from which it takes its name. It has dominated the town since it was built in the medieval period. 

Lebrija played a strategic role in controlling and defending the Guadalquivir estuary during the Muslim rule. The Castle, built on the site of a Roman fortress surrounded by a wall, would serve as a citadel. In 1249, the Christian conquest brought a long period of instability for the Castle, which was used exclusively for military purposes until the 15th century. In the early 16th century, the building began to slip into ruin when it no longer had this use. In fact, it remained uninhabited for many years. Finally, in the early 19th century, most of the Castle was left in ruins due to the works carried out after the French. 

Hardly any remains of the medieval Castle are visible except some curtain walls and two defensive towers. The fortification consisted of three areas: the “alcazaba” or high area, with an interior wall with a now-extinct keep; the intermediate area, with the parade ground, today transformed into a vast esplanade with the Shrine to Nuestra Señora del Castillo; and finally, the low area, currently occupied by private buildings. One of the Castle’s towers, visible from Calle Sochantre Juan Porté, rises from the dividing wall between these buildings.

The Castle was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1985. Several reinforcement works have been carried out to ensure the stability and conservation of what remains of the Castle.

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