Castle of the Bishops of Sigüenza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle of the Bishops of Sigüenza |
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Castillo de los Obispos de Sigüenza
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| Alternative names | Parador de Sigüenza |
| Hotel chain | Paradores |
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| Location | Sigüenza (Guadalajara), Spain |
The Castle of the Bishops of Sigüenza (Castillo de los Obispos de Sigüenza) is a very old and important castle. You can find it in Sigüenza, a town in central Spain. Its first parts were built as early as the 5th century. Over time, different groups added to it. The Moors made it bigger, and then Christian forces took it back in 1123.
History of the Sigüenza Castle
The story of the castle in Sigüenza began a very long time ago. The first defenses were built by the Celtiberians. These were ancient people who lived in this area before the time of Christ.
Later, in the 5th century, the Visigoths built a small castle. This was placed high up, overlooking the town. In the early 8th century, the Moors arrived. They built a much larger, strong castle. This type of fortified castle was called an alcazaba. It helped them defend the area from Christian kings. The castle was surrounded by a strong wall. This wall protected a large area known as the medina.
In 1124, a leader named Bernard of Agen took the castle back for the Christians. After this, a new palace was built there for the bishop. In 1298, the castle faced another attack. Troops tried to take it during a battle against the young King Ferdinand IV of Castile. But the bishop's loyal followers defended it bravely. In the 15th century, bishops made the castle even stronger. They wanted to protect it from attacks from nearby kingdoms like Aragon and Navarre.
Towards the end of the 18th century, Bishop Juan Díaz de la Guerra changed the castle a lot. He made it look less like a fortress and more like a grand palace. He added new windows, balconies, and even stables. However, in 1808, during the War of Spanish Independence, French soldiers took the castle. They caused a lot of damage and stole many valuable things. Later, a Spanish leader known as El Empecinado recaptured it. Sadly, the palace was badly damaged again by a fire in the 1830s. After that, it had to be left empty for many years.
The Castle as a Parador
In 1972, the Spanish government decided to give the castle a new life. They made it a "parador". A parador is a special kind of luxury hotel. Many paradores are located in historic buildings like castles or monasteries.
Work to restore the castle began in 1964. An architect named José Luis Picardo finished the restoration in 1976. The castle officially opened as a hotel in 1978. King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain even visited for the opening!
Today, the castle's huge main lounge is actually its original dining room. It is decorated with old banners and suits of armor. Staying here is like stepping back in time!
