Castle of Haro

Castle of Haro stands on an isolated hilltop in the municipality of Villaescusa de Haro, in the province of Cuenca, well away from the town's houses.

Where does this castle come from?

The first fortress on this spot was raised in the 13th century by Diego López de Haro, chief standard-bearer of Castile and lord of Vizcaya, who was granted the lordship of Haro by King Alfonso VIII following the conquest of Alarcón — together with the population of Villaescusa and the town of Haro itself. The site mattered because it sat right on the new frontier between the Christian and Muslim territories, drawn north of the Guadiana river. The fortress therefore served two purposes at once: defending the border and anchoring the resettlement of the area. That original building didn't survive — it was destroyed by Sancho IV of Castile. What stands today is a 15th-century rebuild carried out by the Order of Santiago, already showing Renaissance touches.

What will you see there?

The castle keeps its original layout: a roughly square floor plan with circular towers at each corner. A defensive wall once encircled the whole complex, itself reinforced with round corner towers fitted with gun ports for firearms. Inside the main body of the building, you won't find arrow slits or firing ports — defense was handled from the battlements, protected by a crenellated parapet. As firearms became standard, a second outer ring of fortifications was added, with further circular towers equipped with gun ports — a visible record of how warfare changed between the 13th and 15th centuries.

How do you get there?

The castle sits in a remote spot and isn't easy to spot from the town of Villaescusa de Haro itself, so it's worth asking locals for directions. Access is via a rural road, the Camino de Ossa de la Vega — a car will get you right up to the vicinity of the building. Entry to the site is free.

When is the best time to visit?

Given the exposed, treeless countryside around it, spring and autumn make for the most comfortable visits, when temperatures in Castilla-La Mancha are milder than in the height of summer. Aim for morning or late-afternoon hours — the site is fully open to the sun with almost no shade.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee? No, admission to the castle grounds is free.

Can you reach the castle without a car? Access is via a rural road and the location is remote and hard to spot from town, so having a car makes getting there far easier.

Who built the castle as it stands today? The building visible today was constructed in the 15th century by the Order of Santiago, on the site of an earlier 13th-century fortress founded by Diego López de Haro.

Why does the castle have two rings of walls? The second, outer ring of fortifications with gun-port towers was added later, in response to the growing use of artillery and firearms — the original walls had been designed for traditional defense from the battlements.