You Could Own Your Own Historic Spanish Castle

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We’ve stuck to the U.S. for the past few Historical Shelters, but this week takes us to the Spanish province of Segovia, where we found a beautiful castle with an impressive pedigree.

Listed by Sotheby’s International Realty Madrid, we had to do a little digging to uncover the actual name of this castle, since it’s not named in the listing. But, rest assured, being the intrepid writers we are, we set our Google fingers to work and quickly found the Castle of Castilnovo, and its rich history.

Declared Bien de Interés Cultural (Spain’s version of the U.S. National Registry of Historic Homes) in 1931, the Castle of Castilnovo built in the Gothic-Mudejar style, with some Arab, Isabelino, and neoclassical details, which is easily explained by the fact that researchers put the castle’s beginnings at either the Abd-al Rahman-era of the 8th century or 10th century. 

Many researchers feel that it was likely a fortress during the 8th century, then later the castle was built upon the footprint of that fortress.

A lot of influences and styles have come through the castle doors in that time. In the 14th century, the castle belonged to the royalty of Aragon. In the 15th century, it was given to a favorite of King Juan II, Alvarao de Luna, who enlarged it. 

It was once the home of Juana La Loca, the “mad” daughter of the King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel, and the sister of Catherine of Aragon, who later became the first wife of Henry the VIII. 

At one point, it was the prison of the sons of the French king Francis I, after they were captured by the Spanish in a battle in 1525.

Later the property was acquired by the Catholic monarchs, and eventually saw another alteration in the 16th century, and again in the 19th and 20th centuries. 

By the 19th century, it was the property of another royal family — the Hohenzollern family, who formed the ruling house of Brandenburg-Prussia from 1415 to 1918, and Imperial Germany from 1871 to 1918.

These days, the castle is considered to be in good condition and well preserved. While Sotheby’s says there are no relics still around from those very early days, there are some details — such as the arches — that can be traced back to the 12th and 13th century. 

The home also still has a traditional mill, a campsite, a crypt, and warehouses. It is listed for a little more than $16.5 million, and boasts 20 bedrooms and 20 bathrooms.

Want to see more? Check out the listing here.

Bethany Erickson

Bethany Erickson