Castillo de los Zúñiga

Located to the west of the municipality of Cartaya, La Zúñiga Castle sits upon a small hill of very compact reddish clay earth.

Built under royal licenses granted in 1417 and 1420 by Mr. Pedro de Zuñiga, to defend the boat crossing of the Piedras River, it was finished in 1428. There is a map from 1668 in the Historic Military Service in Madrid which allows us to know its original structure.

The castle stands on a circuit of walls, rectangular in shape, with seven square towers on the corners and on the front and side stretches of wall. There was a barbican, which no longer stands today. It measures 35 x 27 metres, the towers are approximately 3.5 m wide, except the central tower defending the gate, which measures 5 m, and the keep, in the northwest corner, which measures 6 m. The circuit has an average height of 8 m and a thickness of 1.70 m

It is not possible to enter the castle as it is only used to hold music festivals and cultural events.