The Castillo de los Adelantados, also known as the Palacio del Cid, stands in Sotopalacios near Burgos and ranks among the province's most emblematic monuments. Originally constructed in the 9th century as a defensive fortress during the Reconquista, the castle was substantially rebuilt from the 14th century onward by the Manrique family as a solariega seat for the Adelantados of Castile. Subsequent ownership passed through prominent noble dynasties including the Padilla, the Dukes of Lerma, Segorbe and Cardona, Medinaceli, and Feria. The current structure, dating to the 16th century, features a rectangular floor plan flanked by two substantial square towers on the west and south and a smaller tower to the east. The Molinar River served historically as a moat on two sides, with a drawbridge now vanished. Restoration efforts by its owner have preserved it as one of Burgos province's largest and best-maintained castles, though it remains private and infrequently open to public visits.
