PueblosBlancosDiscoveryTours: Tarifa

The Castle of Guzmán el Bueno

Prologue:

Tarifa is a fishing village on the Costa de la Luz and on the most southernmost point of the Cádiz province. Tarifa is named after a Berber commander Tarif Ibn Malik from the Moorish invasion in 710.

Tarifa is better known for its golden, sandy beaches and windswept and unspoiled coastline. The long stretches of beaches are especially loved by beach goers and Kite and Windsurf enthusiasts. Also the surrounding area is a paradise for nature lovers, hikers, cyclists and birdwatchers. The countryside around Tarifa is mostly untouched and because of its geographical location, many migrating birds make the crossing to and from Africa.

But when it is too windy to be outdoors, the town of Tarifa has lots more to offer.

History!! The mighty castle of Guzmán el Bueno stands at the end of Europe facing across the Straits of Gibraltar to Africa. Tarifa has been a walled city for centuries and parts of the wall are still visible when you enter the town. Being so close to Morocco, the Moorish influences are everywhere, not only in the architecture in the old town but also in many of the restaurants and shops.

Directions:

From Marbella A-7 you drive towards Algeciras N-340 and in direction Cadíz. To get to Tarifa it takes about 1h30 min. from Marbella.
When you enter the town you can either head for the port (el puerto) or take a left turn into Calle Calzadilla de Telez where you find a large parking area. For a reasonable fee, you can leave your car here safely.
Just 1 minutes walk away, you find Calle General Copons which leads you into the old town. The castle is just 5 min. walk away.
Tarifa's castle overlooks the harbour on one side and the town to the others sides.

The town of Tarifa used to be surrounded by a walls which are still to be seen,
for eg, in the street of Calle Calzadilla de Tellez.

We walked along Calle General Copons which leads you past the main church.

General Copons

La Iglesia o Parroqua de San Mateo.

The church was originally built on the remains of an old mosque in the

15 century. A large Baroque facade was added in 1774.

La Iglesia o Parroqua de San Mateo

To the right of the castles entrance you find an impressive bronze statue of
Sancho IV el Bravo, commemorating the reconquest of Tarifa in 1292 from the Moors.

Sancho IV el Bravo

The castle of Tarifa, Guzmán el Bueno, because of its long history of conflicts and also of its strategic position, played an important role for centuries.

It wasn't until 1989 the castle became municipal property that archaeological research work began along with the restoration work which is still on going.

You also will find a visitor center and a display of local artworks within the castles.

At the ticket office you will receive a plan of the castle. Throughout the castle you find many information signs. Tickets are for 4€ per person.
More info: Castle of Guzmán el Bueno

The article below is the copie taken from the information board.

The Castle of Tarifa or of Guzmán the Righteous
(Guzmán el Bueno)

As a bridge between Europe and Africa, and dividing the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, Tarifa occupies a strategic place in a legendary zone, the Pillars of Hercules, one boundary of the World for the sailors in the Antiquity. That's the reason it was inhabited from the Bronze Age, and by Phoenicians and Romans, always on this rocky peninsula, that is the southernmost point of Europe. The castle was built in the Xth century, during the Omeyyade Caliphate, and preserved its military function for a millennium, creating the present image.

It was named as the Castle of Guzmán el Bueno for a feat that occurred after the Christian conquest, that lies in the legend: the defense of the city by Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, the Righteous (1256 - 1309).

In the castles court yard and overlooking the harbour you find a very large coat of arms of the castle.

Scenes from the former life within the castle are displayed on painted tiles.

The Sea Gate (la Puerta del Mar)

and a display of stone cannon balls.

The article below is the copie taken from the information board.

This is a curious gate. The arch way-form stones are Gothic, but the rectangular hood mold ("alfiz") or the tiles, almost lost, are mudéjar (Islamic style). It was built in the XIV Century. Only a few years ago it was the entrance to the city from the harbour, climbing a slope.

The other gate today used to enter to the castle in the opposite wall has the same name, Sea Gate.

An assortment of cannon balls which might have been used in a catapult.

Many of them are still found in Tarifa.

The catapult is a war-machine of the middle ages and was used to destroy walls and towers. This one is an exact reproduction and was made in the local Municipal carpentry.

As we were looking towards the harbor, the Tarifa - Tangier ferry has just arrived.

A sign of the castle's layout tells you where you are.

The white spot tells you where you are.

The Castle Chapel (La Capilla del Castillo)

Ruins of the castle chapel beside the Gate of the Sea, recovered following the 1994 archaeological excavations. it consists of a single nave and a small presbytery with remnants of the altar.

The view through the Sea Gate (la Puerta del Mar) towards the harbor.

The article below is the copie taken from the information board.

Puerta en Recodo (The Bent Entrance)

An entrance with a double bend set in the castle's outer barbican. This structure of Islamic origin, was altered several times, mostly during the Christian medieval period. A feature of interest is the murder-hole above the first bend, an opening from which defenders could fire, throw or pour harmful substances onto any attackers.

Puerta en Recodo (the Bent Entrance)

The article below is the copie taken from the information board.

The Caliphal Castle

You are now in front of the heart of the original castle, dating from the Xth Century. It was built by the first Omeya Caliph in al-Andalus, Abd al Rahman III, as an answer to the challenge of the Fatimid Caliphate in North Africa.

He created a fleet and a system of fortresses along the coast,of which the best preserved is this. Its construction follows the propagandistic scheme common to all the official architecture from the Omeya State, as is the squared plan, here in Tarifa trapezoidal, a little bit narrow in this side because is adapted to the rocky platform.

We follow the route left around to the back of the castle.

It was and still is quite an impressive building.

The article below is the copie taken from the information board.

If stones could speak: A Castle with over one thousand years of history.

The Castle of Guzmán the Good is a medieval fortress built on the site of a Roman settlement. Work on the existing structure was begun in 960 by order of Caliph Abd al Rahman III, who built the first enclosure on a trapezoidal plan.

Over the ensuing millennium it underwent various reforms and alterations. The most important of which came in 1292 following the Castillian conquest. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the castle was transformed into a palatial residence.

Ill-equipped for artillery-intensive modern warfare, its importance as a military post gradually waned. Even so it did occasionally see action in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The article below is the copie taken from the information board.

Torres Califales Arrasadas (Razed Caliphate-Period Towers)

Two of the flanking towers from the Caliphate period (10th century) have disappeared from the castle's eastern side. The tower at the northeast corner was demolished in the early 20th, century, but the adjacent structure was torn down centuries earlier, back in the Middle Ages. The archaeological excavations conducted in 1994 brought the foundations of these towers to light.

Part of an old canon

and canon ball lay casually on the ground.

The article below is the copie taken from the information board

Barbacana Frente Este (Eastern Barbican)

Forward wall built by the Marquis of Tarifa in 16th century to defend the castle against the local population during the conflict between the nobleman and the people of Tarifa. Made of rammed earth, it has several stone embrasures for wielding firearms.

The article below is the copie taken from the information board.

Puerta Califal Oriental (Eastern Caliphate-Period Gate)

This gate was a direct entrance during the Caliphate period (10th century). It has undergone numerous transformations since it was built, disfiguring elements like the haunch of the arch and the inner jamb recesses. During the 1994 dig campaign, later additions were removed and the Caliphate-era pavement level was recovered.

Now we are in the inner courtyard, and as you can see, excavations are still on going.

On one side a modern extension was added which holds the visitor center.

As we enter the building we found our-selfs in an art gallery.

At the far end to the left you find archaeological remains.

Archaeological finding of remains of a forge 16th 17th century shown in violet on the plan.

Traces of the 17th-century cobblestone paving have survived shown in pink on the plan.

A statue of Guzmán el Bueno.

Coat of arms

Behind the Knights armour you see a heroic scene of Guzmán el Bueno.

Visitors can stand behind the armour and have a picture taken.

As with all castles they are always full of myth and legend.

The Muslim Benimerine threatened to kill the son of the Knight Guzmán the Righteous whom they kept captive, if he did not surrender the village. Guzmán el Bueno threw down his own knife from the tower for killing him. The Moors beheaded the child in full view of his father. But not even this was enough to break the will of him, and besiegers finally desisted in the year 1294.

(Copie taken from an information board)

On the left of the photo it shows the coat of arms of Tarifa and on the right of the family Pérez de Guzmán and the Ducal house Medina Sidonia.

Tarifa's coat of arms shows its castle, in gold against a red background, and three keys that allude to its strategic geographical location: the keys that lock and unlock the gates to the Iberian Peninsula and the Straits of Gibraltar.

The "Hall of Sea" or "Hall of Arms" (la Sala del Mar o de Armas)

The article below is a copie seen on the notice board.

is the noblest chamber in the palace built behind the walls of the medieval fortress by the Christians lords. In this large room, the restoration work done between 2011 and 2014 revealed and restored a series of fresco paintings that testify to the palace's rich decorative program as well as the humanistic education of the castle's new masters, evidenced by the early introduction of Renaissance fashions imported from Italy.

Seen here the restored works of decorative wall art which dates back to the 16th centuries.

These paintings were added when the room was remodeled by the

Marquis and Marchioness of Tarifa in the 16th century.

This article explains the navigation of the Straits.

Here you are able to see Mudéjar-style brick lacework design with eight-point stars.

It once adorned the roof crown of first noble palace built at the castle in the 15th century.

During the 2014 restorations part of the tower section destroyed by an old roof was replaced.

When you walk on the top of the castle wall facing south/west you have a good overview of the harbor and Isla de las Palomas and the castle of Santa Catalina.

Isla de las Palomas is the southernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula.

Since 1808 the island has been connected with the mainland by a causeway.

On the left you have the Mediterranean Sea and to the right the Atlantic ocean.

The article below is the copie taken from the information board

Island of Isla de las Palomas

In building the caliphal fortress (10th century) a very characteristic type of stone with shell fossils was used, known as oyster stone. Since at the same time the towns of Algeciras, Tangier and Ceuta were fortified, the caliphal builders sought out a single quarry from which to extract the stone and distribute it by ship, so they selected several extraction sites on Tarifa's Island of Las Palomas, where we can still see the marks of the caliphal stone masons work.

Close up view of Castillo Santa Catalina

Old quarter of el Arrabal

The article below is the copie taken from the information board.

The old quarter of El Arrabal

Full view of the fortified enclosure of El Arrabal, which was the last and biggest enlargement of Tarifa's enclosure in the Islamic period, although the village has grown and hidden the defenses, remains of El Pintor and El Corchuelo Tower can still be seen, in addition to the Jerez gateway, all on the northern side.

The first wall (Barbacana) a fortified outer wall which was constructed in the Almohad period (12th/13 century) for protection of the castle from any direct attack.

Marble slab with an inscription commemorating the founding of the Caliphate-period fortress (10th century).

Facing the harbour to the south and on the furthest point of the castle you see the tower of Guzmán el Bueno.

We walk along the wall to the tower of Guzmán el Bueno.

It must have been here where the Knight Guzmán el Bueno performed his selfless act, to save the castle and the village, to be recaptured by the Moors in 1294.

Standing here transcends time.

From here you get a good view over the harbor and the town.

Back at the main castle yard we take a last look through the Sea Gate and the port.

After absorbing much of Tarifa's history, we felt quite hungry, Tarifa has lots of good eating places. We found an interesting looking restaurant , where the decor was a mixture of old and new which was also reflected in the menu.