Things to do near Granada Spain

Fortaleza de la Mota – A Fun Stop Between Granada and Córdoba

Fortaleza de La Mota sits on a hilltop dominating the little town of Alcalá la Real, Spain. This interesting fortress-citadel is less than 60 km (37 miles) northwest of Granada, right on the way to Córdoba. It was one of those fun, unplanned discoveries. The night before we left Granada, I was just browsing the internet to see what interesting sights we might find on our way to Córdoba, and came across this gem! Its origins date back to the 8th century although what remains is largely 13th – 14th centuries and later. Originally a Moorish stronghold, it was the last defensive bastion standing in the way of the reconquest of Granada by the Christians in the 15th century.

Since the day of my visit was so cloudy and rainy, I couldn’t get a good photo of the citadel from the lower town, but these images show what it looks like from a bird’s eye view. The image on the right explains the major defensive fortifications.

Unfortunately the weather on the day of my visit was super windy, rainy and cold. So, I grabbed my umbrella and rain jacket and checked out the fortress on my own while my family stayed warm in the car. I am so glad I made the effort! The entrance to the citadel is not hard to find, just drive uphill by car from the modern town center. There is a little parking area, restrooms and visitors booth where you purchase your ticket before taking steep path up to the fortress.

The pathway into Fortaleza de la Mota. There are signs (in English) describing various sights within the Fortress. On the right the sign explains there was a bakery right there.

A display in the church showing what Fortelaza de la Mota may have looked like in its earlier days.

Once you reach the citadel, there are several things to check out:

Tower of Homage

I welcomed a visit to this tower, which gave me a few minutes respite from the cold wind and rain.

A view of the Tower of Homage in a wind and rain storm!
The Tower of Homage has several exhibits and provides great views of the citadel and on a clear day, the surrounding countryside.

Mayor Abbey Church

While no longer a functioning church, this structure is quite interesting with several displays and large screens in the nave, where the history of the citadel is explained in a short film.

The Mayor Abbey Church.
Views of the exhibits in the church and the nave where the film is shown. As can be seen, numerous graves were excavated beneath the floor.

Citadel Ruins

On the plateau outside the tower and church are numerous ruins of the once prosperous citadel. Sign posts help explain the layout and various activities that occurred there. Around the 18th century, the townspeople left the citadel and began to populate the area below it, which was much better suited to agricultural pursuits and population growth.

You can wander among the foundations of the community and imagine the hustle and bustle of life hundreds of years ago – shop keepers, wine makers, and all kinds of other trades to keep the citadel running smoothly.

Other views of the citadel homes and shops.

We can’t forget that the main purpose of Fortaleza de la Mota was defensive.

On my way back to the car park, I noticed other extensive ruins cascading down the hillside as the weather cleared a bit. However, I don’t think they are open for the tourist.

For a little history on Fortaleza de la Mota check out Wikipedia. If you take the drive between Granada and Córdoba, don’t miss this interesting sight! During my visit, I saw two other tourists – I pretty much had the whole site to myself – of course, the weather probably had something to do with that!