Velasco's Tower

Velasco's Tower (Torre de los Velasco, also recorded as Torre de la Riba) is a medieval fortified tower standing in Espinosa de los Monteros, in the province of Burgos, Castile and León. It belongs to a small group of well-preserved defensive towers linked to the Velasco family in this part of Spain and remains one of the reasons visitors interested in military architecture and regional history stop in the town.

Who built the tower and when?

The tower was raised in the 15th century on the initiative of Pedro Fernández de Velasco, 1st Count of Haro, known as "the good count" (el buen conde), Lord of Medina de Pomar and other territories. The earliest documented reference to the building appears in the 1458 deed establishing a mayorazgo, an entail created by Pedro Fernández de Velasco, father of the 4th Constable of Castile. A mayorazgo was a legal mechanism used to keep a noble family's estate intact across generations, and its records are what allow historians to date the tower to the mid-15th century.

What does the building look like?

Velasco's Tower is a classic example of a medieval defensive tower made up of two joined rectangular volumes: a tall, slender tower and a lower attached structure that once served as a stable. Pairing a defensive tower with utility buildings at its base was a common layout for the fortified residences of Castilian noble families during this period.

What is the most distinctive architectural feature?

The most recognizable feature of the tower is its wooden hoarding, or cadalso — a projecting timber gallery that reinforced the defenders' position along the walls during a siege. The timber structure itself has not survived, but the evidence of it has: on all four sides of the tower, roughly halfway up its height, rows of putlog holes (mechinales) and a double line of stone corbels (canes) still mark where the wooden gallery was once anchored. These traces are what let historians reconstruct how the tower was originally defended.

Is the tower legally protected?

Yes. Velasco's Tower was placed under protection generically, together with the rest of Spain's castles and defensive towers, through a decree issued on 22 April 1949. Today it holds the status of Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), the highest heritage protection category in the Spanish legal system.

Where exactly is the tower located?

The tower stands in the municipality of Espinosa de los Monteros, in the province of Burgos, at coordinates 43.075633, -3.557139. This is a small town in the northern part of the province known for several fortified structures — worth noting, though, that Espinosa de los Monteros is also home to another, separate building with a similar name (the Chiloeches Palace), which is easy to confuse with the Velasco's Tower described here.

Frequently asked questions

Does Velasco's Tower have another name? It also appears in records as Torre de la Riba.

Who commissioned the tower? It was commissioned by Pedro Fernández de Velasco, 1st Count of Haro, known as "the good count".

How old is the tower? The earliest documentary reference dates to 1458, and the building itself was constructed in the 15th century.

Can the tower's original defensive system still be seen? Yes — although the wooden hoarding (cadalso) itself no longer exists, its traces, in the form of putlog holes and stone corbels, remain visible on all four walls.

What protected status does the tower hold today? It has been protected as a heritage site since 1949 and currently holds the status of Bien de Interés Cultural.