ARCHIVED - May 8 and 29 Free guided tours of the castle of Jumilla
Spectacular views from the majestic medieval castle of Jumilla
During May the tourist office of Jumilla in the north of the Region of Murcia is holding two evening and sunset tours of the historic castle which stands overlooking the town on the second and fifth Sundays of the month.
The tours on May 8 and 29 begin at 10.00 at the tourist office, travelling up to the fortress by car, and although they are in Spanish they offer a great chance to savour the medieval atmosphere of Jumilla, perhaps combining the visit with lunch and sampling some of the wine for which the area is famed.
Jumilla castle
Despite having undergone extensive renovation in recent years the castle of Jumilla is, in many ways, everything one might expect of a medieval fortress: it stands in a position of dominance high on a hilltop above the town, it commands panoramic views over the surrounding area, it has an imposing keep four floors high with crenelated battlements and it generally gives the impression of being close to impregnable.
It was built in 1461 by Juan Pacheco, the first Marquis of Villena, on a spot where previous fortresses had stood for many centuries, from the Bronze Age through the period of Roman rule to the Moorish occupation which ended in the 13th century.
In the 18th century it was at the castle of Jumilla that Cardinal Belluga gathered his troops to fight for the cause of the House of Borbon in the Battle of Almansa (1707), and when Felipe de Borbón eventually triumphed it was this loyalty to his cause which led to Jumilla receiving royal favour over the following years.
It later fell into disrepair, but between 1971 and 2000 the castle was restored to close to its original condition.
Bookings for the free guided visits on April 23 and 30 should be made through the Jumilla tourist office on 968 780237 or via oficinaturismo@jumilla.org.
For more local visiting information, events and news go to the home page of Jumilla Today.