The castle is a landmark on the Villena skyline for its size and excellent state
of preservation. It dates back to the 12th century, during Spain’s Islamic period,
and was owned by the Arabs until they surrendered it to Christian forces in 1240.
That moment marked the start of the Lordship and later the Marquisate of Villena
under Royal Charter to reward services rendered to the Crown by various noblemen.
Nobles included the illustrious writer Don Juan Manuel, who wrote parts of
his book on hunting, Libro de la Caza, here in the castle.
The main structure is the four-storey keep tower, the first two floors of which date
back to the Arab era and have lovely vaulted ceilings featuring interlaced arches,
widely held as valuable examples of Islamic art in Spain. The two upper floors
were added later, in the Christian era, specifically by the second Marquis, Don
Juan Pacheco. The castle underwent a series of sieges and attacks during the
Wars of Succession and Independence, and you can still see traces of the damage
inflicted on the building. The castle was awarded the status of Historic-Artistic
Monument in 1931.
Opening hours:
Guided tours:
Mornings from Tuesday to Sunday, public holidays and Mondays before a
public holiday: tours run at 11:00, 12:00 and 13:00.
Afternoons from Tuesday to Saturday: Tours at 17:00 and 18:00 in summer and at 15:30 and 16:30 in winter. Closed: Mondays, 25 December, 1 and 6 January. Information and ticket sales at the Visitor Reception Centre (alongside
the castle) and at Tourist Info Villena (Plaza de Santiago).
Free: Children under the age of 7. Guides, teachers, instructors and other group
leaders accompanying visitors as part of their job. Official tourist guides on their
first recce visit (without a group). Teachers showing proof supplied by their Head
Teacher that their visit is for training and/or professional development purposes.
Combined tickets are available for the castle plus other attractions in Villena.