Castlemap

🇪🇸 Country

Castles in Spain

600 landmarks in the Castlemap atlas — every one mapped with a photo and its story, 348 with sourced founding dates, ranked by Wikipedia coverage and real readership.

The most famous castle in Spain is Alhambra, ranked #4 of 7,738 in the world — followed by Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and Royal Palace of Madrid.

The Castlemap atlas charts 383 castles, 77 fortresses, 65 palaces & châteaux and 75 ruins in Spain. They span more than 37 centuries — from Numantia (founded 1702 BC) to Castillo de Matrera (2015). Every one is plotted with its photo and story on the interactive castle map of Spain.

Map of castles in Spain

On the map they cluster thickest around Valencia — 73 within a 100 km day trip, then Madrid (59) and Alicante (57). The northernmost is Castro of Burela, the southernmost Torre del Conde — about 1,939 km apart.

Planning a visit? Day-trip guides: Castles near Madrid · Castles near Barcelona · Castles near Granada · Castles near Seville · Castles near Valencia · Castles near Málaga — and 14 more in the city index.

By region: Castles in Andalusia · Castles in the Balearic Islands.

See them on the map →

When they were built

Of the 600 landmarks mapped in Spain, 348 carry a sourced founding date. Most were founded in the 13th century — 42 of them. 239 predate 1500 and 44 were built after 1700.

All 600 castles in Spain

Frequently asked questions

How many castles are in Spain?

The Castlemap atlas maps 600 landmarks (383 castles · 77 fortresses · 65 palaces & châteaux · 75 ruins) in Spain — a curated selection of well-documented landmarks from Wikidata, not a count of every fortification ever built.

What is the most famous castle in Spain?

Alhambra, ranked #4 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's fame ranking, founded in the 13th century.

What is the oldest castle in Spain?

The oldest dated landmark in the atlas in Spain is Numantia, founded 1702 BC. Earlier structures may have existed — this is the oldest with a documented founding year.

Where are most of the castles in Spain?

They cluster thickest around Valencia — 73 of the atlas's landmarks within 100 km, then Madrid (59) and Alicante (57).

Which castles in Spain are UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

Per Wikidata, 28 of the mapped landmarks hold a UNESCO World Heritage designation — inscribed in their own right or as part of an inscribed ensemble: Alhambra, Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Reales Alcázares, Royal Alcázar of Segovia, Palau Güell, Aljafería, Generalife, Palacio Episcopal de Astorga, Roman Walls of Lugo, Castle of Xabier and 18 more.

How many castles are there in Spain?

See also: the most famous castle in every country · the oldest in every country · medieval castles · castle statistics.