Castell De Miravet

Nestled on the banks of the Ebro river is the town on Miravet, a little village rich in history and beauty. While the village is small, it is home to a castle that has had more than its fair share of use. First established by the Moors, the castle crowns the cliffs above Miravet and looks over both the town and the river. It was taken by the Knights Templar and made into a fortress-monastery in 1153. They controlled it through many battles and sieges until 1314 when the Templars were dissolved. It was then controlled by la Orden del Hospital until 1835 when they were forced to leave. It was last occupied by Franco's Nationalist forces in 1938 during the Spanish civil war. The castle is in very good condition despite being involved in the war of succession, the Peninsular War, the Carlist Wars and the Battle of the Ebro, plus many demolition attempts. It is one of the best examples of both Templar and Romanesque transition architecture in Spain. General admission is €3.50 and guided tours can be booked for weekends.