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Alcazaba de Almería |
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The Alcazaba de Almería is a fortress built on the ruins of an older fortress high on a ridge lying parallel to the coast. Its construction was ordered by Abd al-Rahman III in 955 when Almería was the principle Moorish port. It has 1430 metres of fortified walls enclosing an area of around 18 acres. It fell briefly to the Crusaders (1147-1157), only to be reconquered by the Moors, who also withstood the siege of James III of Spain in 1307 .
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The fortress comprises three areas of development. The earliest site has now become a pleasant formal garden, which was constructed over the original medieval buildings. From the extreme eastern end of the walls, yet another wall (built 1014 - 1028), reaching up to St Christopher’s Hill, gave protection to the old city. A much later addition, about 1763, is the bell tower of Saint Mary the Great, used to warn the inhabitants of pirate attacks.
The second sector encloses later medieval buildings – the living quarters, a mosque, baths and cisterns. Of these, the cisterns (aljibes), a hermitage built on the order of Catholic kings, and a reconstructed Moorish house, can be seen today.
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The third area, whose thick ashlar* walls and solid circular towers denote its defensive, military purpose, is at the most westerly part of the Alcazaba. This fortress was built at the end of the 15th century by Ferdinand and Isabella, and organised around a parade ground, its towers providing an excellent lookout over the harbour.
It is open most days but closed on Mondays. If you can prove you’re an EU citizen then admission is free, otherwise it’s €1.50.
*Ashlar - Dressed stonework
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