CASTLES VÉLEZ DE BENAUDALLA

Castillo de Vélez de Benaudalla (also known as Castillo de los Ulloa) is a Renaissance-era fortress built on a rocky promontory with difficult access on the eastern edge of Vélez de Benaudalla in Granada. Constructed between 1494 and 1523 by Don Juan de Ulloa over probable Islamic-era remains, the castle served to maintain order in a historically restless region. The structure features an irregular hexagonal plan covering approximately 240 square meters, with crenellated walls two meters thick and openings that vary in height between 10 and 15 meters. Originally serving defensive and observation purposes, the two-story tower was purchased by the municipality in the 1990s and restored with workshop assistance. It now houses the Interpretation Center of Vélez de Benaudalla and remains in good state of conservation.

Castillo de los Ulloa rises dramatically from a rocky promontory dominating Vélez de Benaudalla in Granada province. Constructed between 1494 and 1523 by Don Juan de Ulloa, this fortress combines Castilian military architecture with remnants of earlier Islamic foundations. Its distinctive heptagonal plan features thick defensive walls enclosing approximately 240 square meters across two floors with large barrel-vaulted halls and a crenellated terrace crowning the structure. Carefully restored during the 1990s by the Workshop School, the castle now houses an Interpretation Center dedicated to local heritage, allowing visitors to explore both its architectural significance and the region's complex cultural history.