While it seems that the witnesses to the Tavera vs.Fonseca lawsuit exaggerated a little bit, «and so thick a wall that in the space by the windowsill would go ten men», the architectural remains reveal a formidable structure of quality masonry with walls 2.30 m thick.
Located at the centre of...
According to the witnesses to the Tavera-Fonseca lawsuit, one of the buildings in the fortress was a chapel dedicated to Saint Euphemia. But the document does not mention its precise location or its characteristics. All it is said about it is association to one of the towers of the castle....
The castle had a complex hydraulic architecture to ensure a supply of water that was not dependent on outside sources. This was a key factor, particularly at times of war when it was not possible to leave the fortress. Water was needed for human and animal consumption and also in the event of a...
The premises of the castle were protected by a strongly walled enclosure whose main entrance faced the northwest. The wall had four round towers (one at each corner) and three square towers, one at each side of the walls except on the northwest, where the entrance was.
Both the towers and...
The castriño de Conxo (Conxo's small castrum) is located between A Rocha and the city of Santiago, at the parish of Santa María de Conxo next to the N-550 road (coming from Santiago towards Pontevedra), near the street by the name of Volta do Castro.
It is a castro culture settlement typical...
The castle of A Rocha Forte was the outside projection of the Cathedral-fortress of Santiago, the true ecclesiastic, administrative and military headquarters of the domain of the archbishops of Santiago. Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries new construction elements are added to improve its...
Rocha Forte is the local version of a type of fortress known as concentric castle, designed by French crusaders to control the territory conquered in the Holy Land. Following this model, it adds and strengthens such defensive elements as concentric walls or the ward and the division of space...
The Gesta Berengari (Facts by Berenguel) gives us a glimpse of how the castle worked during the war. Thus, in the tug-of-war between the archbishop and the citizens we learn that that war mainly consisted in besieging fortified enclaves, whether they were towns or villages, fortresses or...
During the Middle Ages, castles were the main organising element of the economic and social life: they were the symbol of power of feudal lords and a tool in the service of the interests of the nobility. Erected in 1240s by Archbishop Xoán Arias, the castle of A Rocha was conceived as a...
The castle was built with a clear purpose: dominating the lord’s land. Its location, few kilometres from the apostolic seat, made it the archbishop’sresidence in times of urgency and crisis. A place where to oppose and face the aggression of the city locals. But A Rocha was also an ...
Obvious Rocha Forte is not a maritime castle but it cannot be understood without its connection with the Rías Baixas. The archbishopric of Santiago built this monument to defend its political interests against the City Council of Santiago but also for profit. It is located at a crossroad...
Like early 21st century, the 14th century was also a time of deep economic crisis partly because of the thousands of people killed by the Black Death. In the Kingdom of Castile and Leon, the situation was even more poignant as a result of the political instability and the civil war that gave the...