Alcazaba de Estepa

Alcazaba de Estepa crowns the highest point of Estepa in Seville's Sierra Sur region, its nearly triangular floor plan adapted to the dramatic terrain of Cerro de San Cristóbal. The Islamic fortress, known in medieval times as Hisn Istabba, was captured by Fernando III in 1241 following an earlier protohistoric settlement. The complex encompasses multiple periods of construction: the Almohad alcazaba of the twelfth century, the Santiago fortress of the fourteenth century, and the sixteenth-century palace of the Marquis of Estepa. Visitors admire the distinctive eight-sided Almohad tower, the well-preserved Torre del Homenaje, and the former fortified mosque now transformed into the Church of Santa María, housing a Museum of Sacred Art. The fully restored site offers commanding 360-degree views across the landscape and stands as a masterpiece of Andalusian medieval architecture.