Castillo de Pliego

Castillo de Pliego crowns the hilltop town of Pliego in Murcia, commanding a strategic position above the settlement in the Sierra Espuña region. Built in the late 12th century by Moors to protect the settlement of La Mota beneath it, the fortress transitioned to Christian hands following the Treaty of Alcaraz in 1243. By the early 14th century, it became a military stronghold of the Order of Santiago, and by the early 16th century it was abandoned and fell into disuse. The fortress exhibits a distinctive triangular form, reinforced by seven medium-to-small towers and one imposing main tower guarding the entrance. Today, though largely ruined, the primary tower and outer wall remain visible, and the castle was designated a Cultural Interest Site in 1985, preserving its significance as a frontier defense between Christian and Muslim territories.