Torre de Toya del antiguo Castillo

Torre de Toya del antiguo Castillo is a solitary defensive tower standing near the hamlet of Toya, within the municipality of Peal de Becerro (Jaén province, Andalusia). It rises a few kilometers from the center of Peal de Becerro, right next to the well-known Iberian archaeological site known as the Tumba de Toya.

What survives of the old castle?

What remains of the fortress today is mainly a square tower with sides of roughly 11.5 meters and walls up to 2.2 meters thick. Its builders reused large stone blocks from earlier Iberian and Roman structures, incorporating them into the defensive wall — visible today in the irregular pattern and mixed sizes of the stonework. Alongside the tower, traces of an underground chamber and fragments of the surrounding wall foundations are still visible. The structure has been in a state of progressive ruin for years, a result of long-term lack of upkeep combined with past excavation and looting activity in the area.

What is the history behind this site?

The fortification at Toya belongs to the turbulent period of the Christian conquest of this territory. According to local historical tradition, the stronghold was among the castles captured and destroyed by Ferdinand III of Castile in 1224, as part of his campaign against Muslim-held positions in the Cazorla region. The tower visitors see today was built later, generally dated to the Christian period, likely the 13th century, after the conquest. Following the creation of the Adelantamiento de Cazorla in 1231, which placed the area under ecclesiastical authority, Toya passed under the administration of the Archbishopric of Toledo, which managed the estates and border fortifications here for centuries afterward.

Why pair a visit with the nearby archaeological site?

The proximity of the Tumba de Toya, one of the most important stone Iberian necropolises discovered in Spain, makes the tower a natural complement to a visit to this area. Together, the two sites show different layers of history in the same valley: from the pre-Roman Iberian elite, through the Muslim period, to the Christian reconquest and Castile's later territorial organization.

What protection status does the site have?

Given its historical value, the site was listed in 1985 as a Bien de Interés Cultural (Site of Cultural Interest), a designation that formally protects the remains from further degradation. Even so, the tower's poor state of conservation has raised concern among local heritage associations, and the Peal de Becerro town council has in recent years considered measures to stabilize and partially restore it.

How do you get there, and what should you expect?

The tower sits off the main tourist routes, so reaching it requires your own transport — typically by car from Peal de Becerro toward Toya. There is no tourist infrastructure on site: no ticket booth, marked trails, or detailed information panels, which makes a visit feel more like an exploration and calls for caution given the condition of the walls.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the tower on your own? Yes, the site is accessible, but without tourist infrastructure — visitors should be careful given the advanced state of the walls' deterioration.

How does Torre de Toya differ from the nearby Tumba de Toya? The tower is a medieval defensive structure, likely from the 13th century, while the Tumba de Toya is a much older, pre-Roman Iberian necropolis — the two sites sit next to each other but belong to different eras.

When was the tower destroyed or abandoned? An earlier fortification on this spot is said to have fallen in 1224 during Ferdinand III's campaign, and the current tower, built afterward, gradually fell into ruin through neglect.

Is the site legally protected? Yes, it has been listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural since 1985, giving it formal heritage protection despite its poor physical condition.