The Castle (Interior)

Published on 04/06/2014

Jaén (Comarca Metropolitana de Jaén)

Monuments, Castles and Fortresses

Santa Catalina Castle is made up of three castles or alcázars: the new castle, the old castle and the castle of Abrehuy.
The parador was built on the old castle, or Old Alcázar. The upper level is the new castle, the part that can be visited and the best preserved.
It has six towers: the Vela tower, the tower of the embrasures, the Ladies’ tower, the albarrana tower of the Chapel of Santa Catalina, the albarrana tower and the keep. The last stands out, almost 40 metres high and with three floors.
The albarrana tower of the Chapel of Santa Catalina houses, as its name says, a small chapel with the image of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, patron saint of Jaén.
The parade ground, reached through a gate with a pointed arch, is the part that has been altered most. Since the castle reopened it can be visited, giving access to the dungeons beneath it.

More about this place…

Made up of three clearly distinct levels, the castle covers a total of 3,000 square metres. The present parador was built on top of the old castle, or Old Alcázar. The New Alcázar is the best-preserved part of the castle and can be visited since it reopened. The enclosure has six towers, above all the impressive keep, with three floors and almost 40 metres in height. The latest works turned the keep into a museum, where we can enjoy an audiovisual show on the history of Jaén and of Santa Catalina Castle.