Yesterday we made a visit the Guzmanes Castle in Niebla, Huelva. I really wanted to visit this castle, because I did it as a child and I had very good memories of it.
As soon as we arrived at the town of Niebla, under a blazing sun despite almost touching the month of November, we tried to find parking as close as possible to the castle. Perhaps because we left with enough time (we arrived around 12:50 in the morning) it was not difficult for us to find a good place to park, and not too far away. A short walk away was not only the Castillo de los Guzmanes but also the Medieval Craft Fair that coincided this weekend. A medieval fair just outside the castle walls is the perfect companion if you are looking to recreate medieval scenes as realistic as possible.
In the Medieval Fair we could find everything: from the typical tarot reader who reads your letters, even the well scented ones stalls of soaps and essences, passing as not by one where the glass figures they were made at the moment, another where you could tattoo something in henna, others from leather jewelry, others from rubber utensils, others from cheeses, one of swords and katanas, etc. Obviously there were also restoration ones, to the delight of all of us who were present: pizzas, meats, crepes, craft beers, etc.. All this setting as not with its peculiar pasacalles where knights demonstrated their handling of the sword and beautiful ladies walked around in their best suits, etc.
Once we decided to pass the outermost wall of the castle, what we found inside were more stalls of the medieval fair, some houses of the inhabitants of the town and finally the door that led to the entrance of the castle. In there we pay our corresponding tickets, 4 euros each one, which included all the visits we wanted to the castle until its closing time (20:00 pm), archery shots, photos in period costume and a sightseeing tour of the area on the tourist bus.
Entering the Castillo de los Guzmanes
The first thing we find upon entering the castle is its quadrangular plan, divided into two large courtyards surrounded by several square towers. The keep rises in the northeast corner and has a square plan topped by defensive battlements. The material used in the construction of this castle is a mixture of stone and mud. The origin of this castle is from roman times, remains that were used in the Muslim construction, architects of the fortress that passed into Christian hands in 1262 thanks to the action of Alfonso X. That is, a castle by which Romans, Arabs and Christians have passed, although it is also believed that it had a Turdetan presence.
We were able to access several themed rooms such as the Chamber of the Countess, where with posters she explains who the countess of the place was and for what time she lived in the castle armory, falconry and dungeonsThe latter being the most fun and enlivened by the actors of the place ... In these dungeons you could find from chains hooked to the ground for possible prisoners that held up to more than 30 instruments and torture machines.
From several towers of the castle we could also contemplate the passage of the Tinto river, unique in the world for its composition and Roman bridge running through it.
As far as we know, this castle has withstood the great earthquake that occurred in 1755 (it caused some damage that was later restored) and the War of independence, where the French destroyed part of its wall.
As is customary in my articles, I like not only to write the experience but also to accompany them with photographs (these are personally taken) that can bring you a little closer to the day lived. In it you can see the decorated entrance to the castle, part of the Medieval Fair (concerning the falconry exhibition) and the two parade grounds, seen both from its plant and from the top of the towers.
As a final conclusion, I will add that I have found a very beautiful and well-kept castle, with a fairly important history behind it and with the luck of being in a small and friendly town, located very close to the city of Huelva (at so only 20 minutes). A must visit, without a doubt.