Cuéllar Castle
Encyclopedia
Cuéllar Castle or The Castle of the Dukes of Alburquerque is the most emblematic monument in the town of Cuéllar
, located in the province of Segovia, autonomous community of Castile and León
, in Spain
. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural
(Property of Cultural Interest) on 3 June 1931.
It is conserved in good conditions and it has been built by different architectural styles from 13th century to 18th century, but mainly in Gothic
and Renaissance
styles. It is a military building that from 16th century was extended and transformed, turning it into a sumptuous palace property of the Duke of Alburquerque
. On its different building stages, masters as Juan Guas
, Hanequin of Brussels and her son Hanequin de Cuéllar, Juan
and Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón
, as well as Juan Gil de Hontañón "el mozo" or Juan de Álava among others, worked on it.
Among its historical owners, stands out Álvaro de Luna
and Beltrán de la Cueva
, as well as the successive Dukes of Alburquerque. Distinguished guests on it were some Castilian monarchs, as Juan I
and his wife the Queen Leonor de Aragón y de Sicilia, that died on it, or María de Molina
, that took refuge on this castle when her Kingdom was rejecting her. Also stands out figures as the painter Francisco Javier Parcerisa, or the writer José de Espronceda
, the generals Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo and Arthur Wellesley
, the Duke of Wellington
, who set his garrison
barracks in this castle during the Spanish War of Independence
.
The Dukes of Alburquerque lived in this castle for centuries until they moved to Madrid
to be close to the court
. Thereafter their use of the castle was as leisure and holidays palace, abandoning the building slowly. At the late 19th century the castle was almost completely abandoned, and was victim of robberies. In 1938 was a political prison was settled within the castle, and after was established also a sanatorium for prisoners affected by tuberculosis
. It was used as prison till 1966.
In 1972, the Department of Fine Arts carried out an intensive restoration, and made it the home of a Vocational Education
school, which continues to this day.
Cuéllar
Cuéllar is a large town and local government district in the autonomous community of Castile and León, in Spain. It had a population of 9,841 in 2008....
, located in the province of Segovia, autonomous community of Castile and León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
, in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural
Bien de Interés Cultural
A Bien de Interés Cultural is a category of the Spanish heritage register. This category dates from 1985 when it replaced the former heritage category of Monumento nacional in order to extend protection to a wider range of cultural property...
(Property of Cultural Interest) on 3 June 1931.
It is conserved in good conditions and it has been built by different architectural styles from 13th century to 18th century, but mainly in Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
and Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
styles. It is a military building that from 16th century was extended and transformed, turning it into a sumptuous palace property of the Duke of Alburquerque
Duke of Alburquerque
For the Portuguese title: see Duke of Albuquerque .For the Spanish title: Duke of Alburquerque may refer to:*Beltrán de la Cueva, 1st Duke of Alburquerque*Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 2nd Duke of Alburquerque...
. On its different building stages, masters as Juan Guas
Juan Guas
Juan Guas was a French artist and architect. He worked in a group of architects to create the Isabelline Gothic style. Born in Saint-Pol-de-Léon, he moved to Spain when he was young, and is often thought to have been Spanish...
, Hanequin of Brussels and her son Hanequin de Cuéllar, Juan
Juan Gil de Hontañón
Juan Gil de Hontañón was a master builder and Trasmeran mason of Spain during the 16th century. His first work was associated with Segovia, where he was associated with the school of Juan Guas...
and Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón
Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón
Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón was a Spanish architect of the Renaissance.He was born at Rascafría. His workings include the Palace of Monterrey in Salamanca, the Palace of Guzmanes in León, and the facade of the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso at the University of Alcalá de Henares...
, as well as Juan Gil de Hontañón "el mozo" or Juan de Álava among others, worked on it.
Among its historical owners, stands out Álvaro de Luna
Álvaro de Luna
Álvaro de Luna y Jarana , Duke of Trujillo, 1st Count of San Esteban de Gormaz, was a Spanish politician...
and Beltrán de la Cueva
Beltrán de la Cueva
Beltrán de la Cueva y Alfonso de Mercado, 1st Duke of Alburquerque was a Spanish nobleman and presumed lover of Queen Joan of Portugal.-Early life:...
, as well as the successive Dukes of Alburquerque. Distinguished guests on it were some Castilian monarchs, as Juan I
John I of Castile
John I was the king of Crown of Castile, was the son of Henry II and of his wife Juana Manuel of Castile, daughter of Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile...
and his wife the Queen Leonor de Aragón y de Sicilia, that died on it, or María de Molina
María de Molina
María de Molina was the wife of Sancho IV of Castile. She was queen consort of Castile and León from 1284 to 1295 and then regent until the coming of age of her son Ferdinand IV.- Biography :...
, that took refuge on this castle when her Kingdom was rejecting her. Also stands out figures as the painter Francisco Javier Parcerisa, or the writer José de Espronceda
José de Espronceda
José Ignacio Javier Oriol Encarnación de Espronceda y Delgado was a famous Romantic Spanish poet.-Life:Espronceda was born in Almendralejo, at the Province of Badajoz. As a youth, he studied at the Colegio San Mateo at Madrid, having as teacher Alberto Lista...
, the generals Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo and Arthur Wellesley
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
, the Duke of Wellington
Duke of Wellington
The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title in the senior rank of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first holder of the title was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , the noted Irish-born career British Army officer and statesman, and...
, who set his garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
barracks in this castle during the Spanish War of Independence
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
.
The Dukes of Alburquerque lived in this castle for centuries until they moved to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
to be close to the court
Noble court
The court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
. Thereafter their use of the castle was as leisure and holidays palace, abandoning the building slowly. At the late 19th century the castle was almost completely abandoned, and was victim of robberies. In 1938 was a political prison was settled within the castle, and after was established also a sanatorium for prisoners affected by tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. It was used as prison till 1966.
In 1972, the Department of Fine Arts carried out an intensive restoration, and made it the home of a Vocational Education
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
school, which continues to this day.
External links
- Ayuntamiento de Cuéllar
- I.E.S. Duque de Alburquerque
- Fundación de la Casa Ducal de Alburquerque y Archivo Histórico de Cuéllar
- Visita teatralizada al Castillo de Cuéllar