In the historic town of Medina del Campoin Valladolid, stands one of the most imposing and spectacular fortresses in our entire geography: the Mota Castle. This construction, which became the epicenter of the town during the Late Middle Ages, stands out not only for its architectural profile, but also for having witnessed some of the most relevant episodes in Spanish monarchical history. Although there is evidence of this fortress since the reign of Pedro I, the structure that is preserved today began to be forged mainly in the 15th century. Specifically, it was under the mandate of John II of Castile when work began on the current enclosure, whose walls were adapted and supported on the old medieval walls that dated from the 12th century.
Later, his successor Enrique IV was in charge of finishing the works on the interior enclosure and completing the great Torre del Homenaje, which would become the distinctive symbol of the Medinense skyline. However, they were the Catholic Kings who contributed the most significant defensive innovations at the end of the same century. Isabel and Ferdinand provided the fortress with a large defensive barrier and dug the moat that surrounds the entire construction, also integrating a modern underground shooting gallery. These reforms turned the Mota Castle into an absolute reference among the fortresses of its time, being one of the first castles in all of Europe to fully adapt to the use of artillery. This military vanguard allowed it to be considered one of the best artillery parks on the continent during the 15th and 16th centuries.
From an architectural point of view, the building has a huge parade ground and the chapel of Santa María, but it is his towerthat of Homenaje, the one that attracts all eyes with its almost 40 meters high. To reach its highest part and enjoy the views from the Mirador del Caballero, the visitor must overcome a challenge of about 160 steps. Inside the tower there are such unique rooms as the Hall of Honor and the Queen’s Hairdresser, which house anecdotes about the illustrious people who lived there. The historical wealth of the enclave is not limited to the medieval period, as its archaeological value goes back a long time. The current Visitor Reception Center sits on an interesting Iron Age site, which shows that the occupation of this hill has prehistoric roots.
In this way, the complex offers an evolutionary vision that ranges from the first human settlements to the complex defensive structures of the Renaissance. But if there is a name closely linked to the walls of this fortress, it is that of Joan I of Castile. And the queen, a victim of the political ambitions of her father, her husband and her own son to remove her from the throne, lived here one of her first periods of confinement: it was in the Castillo de la Mota where she was held for two years after a dispute with her in-laws and the departure of her husband Felipe to Flanders.
One of the most dramatic events narrated by experts who have studied the issue occurred in October 1504, when Juana desperately tried to leave the fortress to join her husband. Faced with the refusal of the lords and clerics who guarded her, the princess came to remain two days and two nights outdoors next to the castle barrier, suffering the intense cold of November and refusing to return to his chambers. This erratic behavior was later used by his detractors as evidence of supposed mental derangement.
There are historiographical debates about the exact details of this confinement, with versions that place the queen in a “humble kitchen” or near a drawbridge. However, chronicles such as that of Lorenzo de Padilla maintain that Queen Isabel, concerned about her daughter’s health but determined that she not return to Flanders, kept her in the castle while she resided in the Royal Palace in the Plaza Mayor of Medina. Doctor Julián, in correspondence of the time, described the princess’s condition as one of great sadness and weakness, suggesting the need for special care.
National monument
Beyond the tragedy of Joan, this fortress has been the scene of other crucial events, such as its function as an archive of the Crown or the spectacular escape of César Borgia. He also played a relevant role during the War of the Communities, a conflict that left deep marks in the town of Medina del Campo after the fire that devastated it in 1520. Over the centuries, the castle fell into disuse and lost a large part of its original interior rooms, until 1904 was declared National monument. After various restoration works started in the 20th century, the building housed the command school of the Women’s Section from the 1940s onwards.
Currently, the property belongs to the government of Castile and León and maintains a very active duality of uses. On the one hand, the Department of Culture uses the interior to hold courses and conferences, while the Department of Tourism of Medina del Campo manages its use as a first-rate tourist resource. In any case, whoever visits it will be able to enjoy the Visitor Reception Center, where they offer various types of tours, from guided tours that explore the underground shooting galleries and the parade ground, to the possibility of renting dramatized audio guides that allow you to learn about the history from the hands of the Catholic Kings. In addition, there are weekends in which the tower comes to life with dramatized visits starring characters such as Don Rodrigo and Doña Beatriz.
The Castillo de la Mota is presented today not only as a jewel of military architecture, but as an open book about the past of our geography. Through your educational program For educational centers and their thematic visits, the fortress continues to fulfill its mission to educate and amaze new generations. It is, in short, a place where the echo of artillery and the sighs of a captive queen still seem to resonate between the bricks of its imposing walls. And where you can see or sense secrets and treasures kept for more than five hundred years.
