EL CASTILLO DE BESELGA
The Beselga Castle, declared a Site of Cultural Interest, is located in the area of the same name, on the northern slope of Mount Garbí.
The origin of this architectural complex is in the construction of a sentinel tower in the time before the conquest. It is inscribed within the route of towers in the Palancia valley, on the Sagunt-Jérica road. The Llibre del Repartiment already mentions its existence, referring indirectly to it when it speaks of the delivery to Adam de Paterna of the castrum of Segart, which is located next to the castrum of Buselcam.
The construction is made of “tapiera”, with abundant spires and loopholes in the exterior walls. The staircase and the supporting arches located inside are made of cut stone. It is made up of four perimeter walls plus a central one, which gave way to the formation of two spaces, which were covered with barrel vaults. The two-flight staircase has steps made of Sagunto stone. The lower level of the tower seems to have had a cistern that collected river water and was later rebuilt during the Christian era. The intermediate level was where the occupants lived and the upper level served as a sentinel with defensive gaps on all four sides.
The Christian castle-palace, which is located next to the tower, dates from the end of the 15th century and was built during the time of the government of Baron Gracià de Monsoriu. Its rectangular floor plan consisted of two floors and an upper terrace. The main entrance was located on the north façade. On an upper floor it had two large windows, one of them above the door, twinned and Gothic in style. The first floor was supported by semicircular vaults. The second floor would be made up of beams. Its characteristics, therefore, are more related to those of a palace or stately home than to those of a defensive castle.
The function of the complex was diverse. The sentinel tower had a more specific use, which extended until the Christian domination. It is more difficult to determine the function of the castle-palace, which may not have been completely finished. What is clear is that it was destroyed in the first third of the 16th century.
This complex has survived the passage of time and, at present, after the collapse of the northern wall of the castle-palace on 7 July 2004 and the restoration of the whole, the tower has been recovered and rehabilitated, and the surviving elements of what was the castle-palace have been consolidated. Currently, the complex is a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC) and has been registered since 2002 in the Register of Assets of Cultural Interest of the Ministry of Culture.
Location
Estivella
Altitude
125 m.
Year
s.XV
Category
Cultural heritage
PLACES OF INTEREST
Location
Estivella
Altitude
125 m.
Year
s.XV
Category
Cultural heritage
