Castillo de Lopera

In Lopera you will find one of the best examples of castles constructed by the Military Order of Calatrava in the Province of Jaén. Declared a cultural property in 1991, this fortress maintains its original walled enclosure. Over the centuries it also served as a residence and even as a winery in the mid-20th century.

Thanks to the restoration works carried out, Lopera Castle has recovered its original appearance and avoided the logical damage caused by the passing of time to be ranked by researchers as a fortress that is one of the treasures of defensive architecture. This is why, when visitors enter through its main gate, located opposite the Town Hall and leading to the complex, the image they see is very similar to what any locals would have seen in the 13th century. It was during this century when the Order of Calatrava transformed and created the new construction on the site of a Moorish fortification that protected the settlement's inhabitants.

Located right in the town centre, the castle, which has a pentagonal floor plan, has two parts: one external comprising stretches of wall and protected by five towers, and another internal where two impressive towers called San Miguel and Santa María respectively stand and are connected to each other by two walls. San Miguel Tower was used to control access to the palace. On this tower you can still see the damage caused by a projectile launched during the Spanish Civil War. Today, on the ground floor of the tower you will find a museum dedicated to the Battle of Lopera. On the other hand, Santa María Tower had two superimposed rooms. The lower room was transformed into a Gothic chapel during works carried out in the 16th century to turn the castle into a noble residence and, in the 20th century, it was renovated once more by the owners to provide a sitting room.

In the middle of the last century, a wine cellar was created inside the fortress, and this notably affected the original physiognomy of the fortress. Among others, for example, the postern or false gate which existed was crumbling, the body of the Santa María bell tower was dismantled and replaced by battlements, and a large nave and a hopper for collecting grapes were built. Recently, the palace was opened to the public and today you can enjoy a visitor centre dedicated to the Order of Calatrava, the Battle of Lopera and the recent history of the castle as a winery.

Nowadays, Lopera Castle and Casa de la Tercia are the town's most important monuments and the most significant on the Jaén Castles and Battles Route.