Castillo de Úrbel

Castillo de Úrbel is a rock fortress in the municipality of Úrbel del Castillo in Burgos, Castile and León, dating to the 14th century with origins tracing to the territorial expansion of the Castilian County between the kingdoms of Pamplona and Castile. After Sancho III's death in 1035, the Úrbel line became the frontier between Castile and Navarra, making the fortress a crucial control point protecting irrigated agriculture and transhumance livestock grazing on moorlands. The best-preserved element is its distinctive pentagonal tower at the highest point of the crag, rebuilt in the 15th century by the Zúñiga family. The fortress belonged to the Order of Santiago and served alongside the tower of Nidáguila to protect herds and regional trade routes.