Tower of Mendoza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tower of Mendoza |
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| Native name Basque: Mendoza dorretxea |
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| Location | Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain |
| Official name: Torre de Mendoza | |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 1984 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0005119 |
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The Tower of Mendoza (Spanish: Torre de Mendoza, Basque: Mendoza dorretxea) is an old, strong tower located in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. It was officially recognized as an important historical site in 1984. This tower is in a great spot, right between the old roads to Old Castile and the Ebro river. It was built in the 1200s as a home for the powerful House of Mendoza family.
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History of the Mendoza Tower
The Mendoza family started working for the kingdom of Castile during the time of Alfonso XI (1312-1350). Álava, where the tower is, became part of the Castilian kingdom. Before this, Álava was often a place of battles between powerful families. The Mendoza family had fought with the Guevara family many times by 1332. Once the Mendoza family joined the kings of Castile, these fights stopped.
Building the Tower
Iñigo Lopez de Mendoza built the Tower of Mendoza in the early 1200s. He was a brave knight who fought in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212. In this battle, he helped break through the chains that protected the camp of Muhammad al-Nasir. Because of his bravery, a border with chains was added to his family's coat of arms.
Changes Over Time
The Dukes of the Infantado owned the Tower of Mendoza for a long time. They kept it until 1856. Then, a person from Vitoria named Bruno Martinez of Aragon and Fernandez de Gamboa bought it.
For 50 years, the tower was used by the local government of Álava. It became the Museum of Heraldry of Álava. This museum showed off medieval shields, old clothes, and information about the symbols of Álava.
However, on December 15, 2012, the tower was given back to its owners. It could not meet the rules for being a museum because it was not easy for everyone to get around inside.
What the Mendoza Tower Looks Like
The Tower of Mendoza is the most important part of the whole castle. A strong wall surrounds the main building. This wall has four round towers at its corners.
Inside the Tower
The tower has five floors. The ground floor and the first floor are made of wood. The three floors above them have openings that were used for defense. The very top floor has a roof to keep water from getting inside the castle.
Today, the castle has a special room. In this room, you can see the shields of the most important families from Álava.
