Castillo Templario de Higuera de Vargas, also known as Castillo del Coso, is a 14th-century fortress in Badajoz province that embodies the Knights Templar's influence on Extremadura's defensive architecture. King Alfonso IX donated the castle to the Order of the Temple, which reinforced it before it eventually passed to Alfonso Fernández de Vargas in 1374 through a royal donation by King Enrique II. Around this fortress grew the town of Higuera de Vargas, named for the family that controlled the estate for centuries until it transferred to the Duke of Feria. Though the castle sustained serious damage in 1643 during Portuguese conquest, recent municipal acquisition from the del Pozo family enabled important restoration work. Currently dedicated to cultural activities, the Templar castle stands as testament to medieval military strategy and ecclesiastical fortification in southwestern Spain.
