Castillo Templario de Castellote rises dramatically from a rocky escarpment above the town of Castellote in Teruel province, Aragón. Conquered from Muslim rule in the 12th century by Alfonso I the Battler, the fortress became a Templar stronghold in 1196, experiencing its greatest prosperity under the Order of the Temple until Pope Clement V's 1308 decree led to the order's extinction. King Jaime II subsequently besieged and seized the castle that year, after which the Hospitallers occupied it until 1769. The 13th-century structure exemplifies military order architecture, with its keep and chapter house particularly well preserved following modern reconstruction, making it one of the most visited heritage sites in the Teruel region.
