Medina Nogalte, the castle of Puerto Lumbreras

The most important visitor attraction in Puerto Lumbreras

The castle of Nogalte in Puerto Lumbreras in its current form is a reconstruction based on the remains of an Islamic fortress which was built by the Moors at some point in the late 12th or early 13th century, and on account of its origin it is sometimes referred to as “Medina Nogalte”, using the Arabic word for a fortified settlement.

The castle is located on the top of the hillside of the Sierra de La Torrecilla, in a strategic location which was chosen to allow the occupants to survey both the Guadalentín valley which extends below to the south and the mountain pass of the Rambla de Nogalte, which has for millennia been used as one of the main routes between south-eastern Spain and Granada. It is still easy to appreciate the strategic advantage of the location today, as the view from the castle extends as far as the castle of Lorca approximately 25 kilometres to the north-east, and at the same time it it possible to see much of the plain of the Guadalentín and the modern communications routes of the A-7 Mediterranean highway and the A-91, which heads inland towards Granada.

History

There is archaeological evidence of human settlements having existed on the site of the castle since as long ago as the Bronze Age, and numerous fragments of ceramics belonging to the Argaric culture have been unearthed during digs on the hillside. These digs have established that the Argaric town which is referred to as Barranco de las Cuevas was located only 160 metres south of the castle in the second and third millennia BC (see History of Puerto Lumbreras for more detailed information).

The lack of surviving documentation makes it impossible to ascertain exactly when the Moors built their fortress at Medina Nogalte, but the findings of archaeologists suggest that it was during the last years of Moorish rule in the kingdom of Murcia, in last years of the 12th century or the first half of the 13th. As the threat of Christian invasion loomed it became a matter of urgency to protect rural and agricultural areas, and this was most likely the purpose of the fortification in what is now Puerto Lumbreras.

Thus it can be supposed that the upper level of the castle, the part which dates from the time of Moorish occupation, was used as a safe area in which to store grain and other crops: the structures which have been unearthed support this theory, and in the centre of the upper level of the castle is a large well or water deposit.

When the Christians re-conquered the region of Murcia the fortress of Nogalte became a frontier defence on the border with the Nazarid kingdom of Granada, and the new occupants extended the castle by adding a lower tier, while at the same time re-modelling the top of the castle and the keep. This we know because the style of building corresponds to that which was established by Alfonso X of Castilla in 1261, and it is also documented that the fortress was entrusted to Juan García de Villamayor, one of Alfonso’s leading administrators: he it was who ensured that the turrets afforded good vantage points looking out towards the north and west, from where enemies were most likely to approach.

Logic would suggest that the lower area was designed to accommodate the population and cattle of the area, although as yet no archaeological confirmation has emerged to prove this beyond doubt.

However, in later centuries, especially following the expulsion of the Moors from Granada in 1492, the castle was left to deteriorate, and by the time interest was shown in it in the late 20th century what was left was only the most basic of remains of the lower parts of the walls. It has even been speculated that at some point between 1300 and 1500 the fortress was deliberately destroyed by the Christian occupants in order to avoid it falling into enemy hands as they beat a retreat to the impregnable castle of Lorca.

The insecure nature of life in the area of Puerto Lumbreras during these years is made clear by the events of 1392, when Alonso Yáñez Fajardo, the administrator of Lorca, defeated a Moorish raiding party in the Battle of Nogalte as they returned from an incursion in Christian territory. By this time Nogalte was a part of the land governed from Lorca, having been incorporated into the territory in 1299.

Since the castle was “re-discovered” what has been constructed on the hilltop is an informed estimate of how the castle walls might have looked in their heyday, based on the archaeological findings unearthed in annual digs at the site. In this way it has been found, for example, that the entrance to the castle on the east of the fortress was via a three-cornered passageway which made it impossible for attackers on horseback to storm the gate at speed.

Although the castle was primarily a military installation, recent findings also suggest that it may have been a place of permanent civilian residence: it is hoped that further digs will provide evidence to substantiate this theory.

Much of the information about the castle is contained within the complex of cave houses around the foot of the castle which have been restored and carry a number of exhibits about the different elements of the municipality includiong the history of, and construction of, the castle complex. The caves themselves occupy the largest part of the visit to the castle as the castle structure itself comprises mainly walls and viewing points. Information boards inside the caves carry English language text.

Visiting Medina Nogalte

Free guided tours of the castle and the cave houses just below it are available during a restricted timetable which differs according to the time of year. During these periods visitors are free to walk around the complex at will, entering the different cavehouses and walking up to the top of the castle. Information boards are in English:

Currently, only pre-booked guided visits are allowed due to Covid restrictions (December 2021). Call the tourist office on968 436 153 or 652 902 282 for more information.

English-speaking guides are not always available, but a guide is not really necessary as the complex can be visited without one.

Outside this timetable visiting the inside of the castle complex is not easy, as the gate which has been installed since restoration is normally padlocked shut, and for this reason it is necessary to book at the tourist office of Puerto Lumbreras (telephone 968 436 153).

On the other hand, visitors can reach the outside of the castle under their own steam, either on foot – although it’s a fairly steep climb – or by car, parking outside the complex of restored cave houses. This in itself is well worth it if only to admire the strategic advantages of the site: there is a panoramic view out over Puerto Lumbreras, the Rambla de Nogalte and the countryside of the Guadalentín valley, extending north-east to Lorca, and to the north along the road towards Granada. 

There is parking by the complex, so the external areas of the cavehouses can be seen, although the doors are locked.

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