Portazgo Alto

Castillo del Portazgo Alto occupies a strategic position within the Puerto de la Cadena mountain pass in Murcia's Sierras de Carrascoy, serving as an essential control checkpoint for people and goods traveling between regions. The fortress is uniquely divided by the modern freeway crossing the Cadena Pass, with separate sections at different altitudes. The lower section originally housed stables, while the upper section functioned as the fortress proper, used for leisure by the ruling class. Notable surviving features include Arab arches, baths, and domes that date to earlier occupations. Today, Portazgo Alto sits adjacent to a rest area popular with families for picnics and strolls, serving as the starting point for an accessible trekking route that ascends toward the nearby Castillo de la Asomada, making medieval military architecture accessible to modern visitors.