For the first time in a thousand years, this medieval castle opens its doors and is in Castilla-La Mancha

It hides a wealth of history and hasn't been open to visitors for a thousand years. However, Escalona has now opened its castle to the public, culture, and tourism after its acquisition by the City Council. A unique opportunity to take a trip back in time.

From Wednesday to Sunday, in the morning, except on Saturdays when there will also be an afternoon tour, visitors will be able to explore its magnificent interior courtyards, the palace rooms, the historic Keep, and the magnificent views over the Alberche River , accompanied by a guide.

The Escalona Castle is strategically located on a plateau bordering the river between Ávila and Toledo . It consists of the fortress itself and a large Mudejar palace.

Its interior area is divided by the Patio del Honor into two parts: the Plaza de Armas , which is surrounded by the fortress, and the Palace , square-shaped, located further south.

The most notable feature of the entire complex is the robust tower . Its square floor plan is 22 meters high and enclosed by a portcullis and attic. It consisted of several floors and a very complicated access system that made entering the complex very difficult. Its walls have few openings and it is crowned by defensive battlements.

The local government's goal is to "turn the Castle into an economic and tourism engine that will generate jobs and wealth for our people" thanks to the City Council's "most ambitious project, which involves events, hotel accommodations, and restaurants," according to the regional government's delegate in Toledo and mayor of Escalona, ​​Álvaro Gutiérrez .

Each visit lasts almost two hours, and admission is €3, free for ViveEscalona card holders and children under 9. For children aged 9 to 16, people with disabilities, and groups of at least ten people, the price is reduced to €2.

To understand the history of Escalona and what the town itself describes as a "nearly perfect war machine," when speaking of its fortress, we must go back to 1448, when this enclave was the capital of the most important manorial state in Castile, and its lord, Don Álvaro de Luna , was the most powerful figure in the kingdom. Much more powerful, it is said, than King Juan II himself. It was precisely Don Álvaro de Luna who built a Mudejar palace inside the castle to hold his spectacular festivals.

The problem is that this Constable wasn't the only one who tried to manipulate the Monarchy to his liking, making the castle itself an icon of his power: Infante Don Juan Manuel, the first two Marquises of Villena and Dukes of Escalona, ​​Juan Pacheco and his son Diego López Pacheco, were, along with him, excessively ambitious. They all formed the "Court of Prodigies," in which Álvaro de Luna prevailed but fell into disgrace and was executed.

What no one imagined is that in the end, with the Middle Ages already defeated, someone would put an end to the war that the 'Court of the Prodigious' had waged for many years: Lazarillo de Tormes , who set one of the great episodes of Castilian Literature in Escalona.