Castillo de Alba (Quirós) facts for kids

Castillo de Alba is an old Spanish fortress located in Quirós, Asturias, Spain. It stands near a small village called Faedo. This castle was built a long time ago to protect the people and land in the mountain valley.

History of Castillo de Alba

The Castillo de Alba was first built by the early kings of Asturias. Their main goal was to defend the mountain valley from attacks by Muslim forces. It was an important stronghold to keep the area safe.

In the 1100s, during the time when Queen Urraca of León and Castile ruled, the castle was taken over by a powerful count named Gonzalo Peláez. He was a rebel at the time.

Later, the castle became part of the property of the Church of Oviedo. This happened because King Ferdinand II of León gave it to them as a gift.

In 1372, the bishop of Oviedo allowed Gonzalo Bernaldo de Quirós to manage the castle. However, King Enrique II of Castile soon decided to return the castle to the church.

Today, the Castillo de Alba is mostly in ruins. You can still see some of its old walls, a water storage area called a cistern, and the main entrance gate.