Castillo de Los Sotomayor Zuñiga in Belalcázar is an imposing Gothic fortress constructed between 1450 and 1483 on an artificial promontory at approximately 500 meters elevation. Built by Gutierre de Sotomayor, Master of the Order of Alcántara, it features eight towers including the Torre del Homenaje—one of Spain's highest towers at 45 meters—with five stories plus basement. In the 16th century, the castle was enhanced with a Renaissance palace by Francisco de Zúñiga, featuring decorative elements probably designed by Hernán Ruíz I. Now a Cultural Heritage Site owned by the Junta de Andalucía, this fortress exemplifies the transition from medieval defensive architecture to aristocratic Renaissance residence.
