Castillo de Piedrabuena in San Vicente de Alcántara, Badajoz province, represents a fusion of medieval military and Renaissance palatial architecture. Originating in the late 13th century atop a Muslim fortress, it was reclaimed by Christian forces after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212 and became the head of the Order of Alcántara's encomienda. The fortress, alongside castles at Alburquerque, Mayorga, and Azagala, secured the strategic region between the Tajo and Guadiana rivers near the Portuguese border. Modified extensively in the 15th and 16th centuries with additions including stables and the Tower Hueca, it underwent romantic and neo-Gothic reforms in the 20th century and remains in excellent condition as private property.
