Tower of Villañañe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tower of Varona |
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| Native name Spanish: Varona |
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| Location | Villanañe, Spain |
| Official name: Torre de Varona | |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 1984 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0005121 |
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The Tower of Varona (in Spanish: Torre de los Varona) is an old and interesting tower. You can find it in a place called Villanañe, in Valdegovia, Spain. This tower is a very important historical building. It was officially named a Bien de Interés Cultural (which means a "Property of Cultural Interest") in 1984. This shows how special it is!
Contents
A Look at the Tower's History
The Tower of Varona was built a very long time ago. Its story begins around the end of the 1300s or the start of the 1400s. That's over 600 years ago! The family name "Varona" is even older. It started way back in the 600s with a lady named Doña María Ruiz Pérez. What's really cool is that her direct family members have lived in this tower ever since. It's been their home for centuries!
Exploring Inside the Tower
The local government, the Provincial Council of Álava, has worked hard to restore the whole building. This means they fixed it up to make sure it stays in good condition. Inside the tower, you can see many rooms that still look like they did a long time ago. You can find beautiful old furniture in the living rooms. This furniture belongs to the family who owns the Tower-Mansion. The special wallpapers and a collection of old ceramic items are also very interesting to see.
Strong Defenses of the Tower
The Tower of Varona stands out as a strong part of the whole building complex. It was built to be very safe. The entire building is protected by a special wall called a barbican. This wall has crenellations, which are the notched tops you often see on castles. The main walls also have arrow slits. These were narrow openings for archers to shoot arrows from, while staying safe inside. There's also a wide moat around the tower. This moat is filled with water, making it even harder for anyone to get close without permission.
See also
In Spanish: Torre de los Varona para niños