Castle of Miranda de Ebro facts for kids
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The Castle of Miranda de Ebro is an old fortress from the Middle Ages. It stands tall in the city of Miranda de Ebro, Spain. This historic castle has seen many changes over hundreds of years.
Where is the Castle?
The Castle of Miranda de Ebro is built on a small mountain called Picota hill. It's right in the middle of the city's oldest part. The castle is about 500 meters (about 1,640 feet) above sea level. From its spot, you can see amazing views of the city and the mountains around it.
The Castle's Story
The story of the Castle of Miranda de Ebro began a long time ago. On October 15, 1358, a person named Tello of Castille asked for land to build a castle. He wanted to build it on top of Picota hill. At that time, a church called Santa Maria was already there.
Building the castle didn't start right away. It finally began in 1449. This was when Pedro Sarmiento took over the church's land. The main construction work was delayed until 1485. An expert stone worker named Juan Guas was in charge of building it.
Miranda has always been a border area. This meant the castle often saw the effects of wars. It was rebuilt and changed many times because of these conflicts. The castle was badly damaged during the Spanish War of Independence and the Carlist Wars. These wars left the castle in ruins.
A very important event happened at the castle during the War of Spanish Independence. Jose Bonaparte, who was the king of Spain at the time, signed a special paper there. This paper said that French money should be used in Spain.
In 1903, the city council owned the castle. They decided to take it apart. The stones from the castle were used to build a bullring. This bullring is no longer there today. The castle's ruins were covered with dirt. A water tank was built on top of them.
Today, the castle is protected by special laws in Spain. These laws help keep important historical places safe. Experts are still studying the castle's value and how it can be used in the future.
What the Castle Looked Like
The castle was shaped like a trapezoid. This means it had four or five corners.
Today, you can only see the north wall of the castle. This wall is between two parts called the King's Battery and the Queen's Battery. Another wall, the East-West wall, is also still there. But it is hidden by plants. There is also a round tower on the southwest side. This tower probably had battlements, which are the notched tops on castle walls.
The castle's entrance had a special defense system. It was called a barbican. This was a series of small rooms or hallways before the main door. It made it harder for enemies to get in. The castle also had a ditch, or pit, on its west side. This pit faced the rest of Picota hill.
The castle was built using strong stone blocks called ashlar masonry. At least the outside walls were made this way. The rest of the castle was built with rubble, which is a mix of broken stones and other materials.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Miranda de Ebro para niños
