Santa Catalina Castle

If you want to see the city and the surroundings of Chaen from height, then you just need to go up to Castle of Saint Catalyna. This grandiose building is seen from anywhere in the city, it is located at the highest point of the area – On the hill Cerro de Santa Catalina – 820 meters above sea level.

Interestingly, the hill where the Castle Catalina is now located as a fortification point even to our era. When excavations on the top of the hill, the bronze century products were found, as well as traces of the settlements of the Iberians. And the first stone fortifications here were built by Roman commander Hannibal.

Arabs also did not leave the hill without attention, and in the 8th century the first Arabic citadel was erected here. It was actively completed and expanded up to the 13th century. It was she who played a decisive role in the war with «The army of Christ».

Immediately the fortress began to rebuild under the needs of Christians. So the foundation under the new fortress was laid, a Gothic Cathedral was built. By the 15th century, the main works on the construction of a new fortress were completed, and the old walls came to decline. Until the 18th century, internal premises of Santa Catalina Castle were periodically rebuilt.

Almost became the end of the fortress of Napoleonic Wars. When Napoleon occupied Khan, the fortress was determined under the post by the soldiers and warehouses. With the waste of troops, Santa Catalina castle was blown up and empty, gradually destroying. However, in 1931, everything that remained from the castle, the royal decree was determined in architectural monuments, which literally saved the structure. Restoration work began.

Today Castle Santa Catalina is a calling card of the city of Khan. On its territory there is a hotel, weapon courtyard, several towers and the cross of Castile.