Just A Short Day Trip From Madrid, This Spanish Castle Is Worth Visiting
A visit to Spain would not be complete without viewing an impressive Castillo or Alcazar!
There are a wide variety of locations to visit and things to do in the capital of Spain. Madrid is the ideal vacation spot for a memorable time, especially if tourists want to add some wonderful classic architecture and interesting rich history to their trip. The city is filled with museums and monuments, but the real gems are some of Spain's most well-known and best castles. Additionally, a visit to Spain would not be complete without viewing an impressive Castillo or Alcazar. Amazing architectural fusion was used in their construction. These astonishing monuments narrate the history of Spain from the Romans to the Moors... They possess all of the qualities of majestic, imposing, classic, stateliness, and beauty. There are several castles close to Madrid that are great day getaways if tourists do not have much time. The New Castle of Manzanares el Real is a worth-visiting castle and is just a short day trip from Madrid. Here are what tourists can expect on their Spanish castle tour.
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One of the best-preserved castles in the Madrid region is the New Castle of Manzanares el Real. The castle was constructed as a defensive stronghold in 1475. However, it should be noted that it was quickly changed into a lovely and breathtaking royal location that was well suited to be a residential one. Now it is a museum with tapestries and a collection of Spanish castles. It is dubbed the New Castle since it took the place of an earlier castle that was close by and is situated on the Manzanares River. The Mendoza family only spent about a century residing in the new fortress. The Gothic gallery on the quadrangular granite castle's four round towers is regarded as attractive by military standards. The castle is particularly lovely at night or against a backdrop of clear skies. Its walls dominate the surrounding area and the surrounding environment. The massive exterior serves as a barrier made up of tiles, cool gardens, and graceful columns. Visitors have access to some of the most astounding sights. A guide in costume can help them explore the location. Additionally, there are actors who play reenactors and enliven castle life. Here, there are numerous daily events and exhibitions that examine modern technology, music, culture, and monarchy.
Tourists exploring Madrid and visiting the castle can attend numerous events and enjoy different activities. They can check the official website of the monument to see what is on the schedule and suits their visit.
Families can visit a workshop at El Castillo de Manzanares el Real to observe firsthand the renovation, maintenance, conservation, and restoration work being done on the castle and the various artworks it houses. Some important work must be done to protect and maintain the cultural heritage, which was left by the Spanish ancestors and is a vital component of the country's history and identity. Both adults and children will gain knowledge about the value of proactive conservation through this exercise. To achieve this, each family will work on their own field notebook during the tour, studying two museum objects - a coat of arms and a tapestry - in order to subsequently investigate and learn about the materials that they are made of. They will also have the opportunity to tour the restoration workshop and learn about the preventive conservation work being done on the castle.
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For a few days each year, the palenque in the castle garden is turned into a special enclosure where demonstrations of medieval fighting are shown. They accurately portray these fights, which feature multiple competitors, a referee, and period-appropriate clothing and weapons. This activity, also known as Historical Medieval Battles, is today regarded as a contact sport, and Ursus Custodes is the primary group in Madrid that is in charge of performing it at the Castle. The presenter of this exercise is in charge of teaching visitors the many forms of warfare, demonstrations of the various modalities in succession, duels using swords, embedded weapons, shields, hands-and-a-half, and groups of three versus three, as well as descriptions of the offensive and defensive tactics utilized.
Through these theatrical productions, the castle brings the Spanish Renaissance to life through a few extremely remarkable figures from the Mendoza family, one of the era's most powerful dynasties. The narrative of Brianda de Mendoza, a maiden endowed with the spirit of the Renaissance who is consigned, for no other reason than that she is a woman, to roles that are in opposition to her ambitions and goals, transports visitors back in time. She hopes to apprentice under the great master Juan Guas, who designed the Manzanares Castle renovation. She must confront Don Inigo López de Mendoza, her father, in order to do this. Between the Middle Ages and the new stage of upheaval and rupture that the Renaissance meant, the public is caught between two worlds and will experience the contrasts typical of a time of transition. The allusions to women that show their determination and will to pursue equal opportunities will also be visible at this time.
Manzanares el Real is 53 kilometers (32.9 miles) from Madrid and is situated in the Sierra del Guadarrama National Park. If traveling by car, tourists can take the Colmenar M-607 and then the diversion to the M-609, which will take them to Colmenar Viejo. The M-862 will take tourists to the town, and they will then simply need to connect with it. When they get to the town, they should head towards the historic center; nearby streets have parking available. Additionally, Calle Real has a free public parking lot that is only closed from August 1 to 5 for regional holidays. If tourists want to travel by public transportation from Madrid's Plaza de Castilla or Colmenar Viejo, they should take bus lines 724 and 720, respectively.
Maria is a travel passionate who loves to share her knowledge and experience with others to help them enjoy their planned excursion. Maria promotes initiatives that make the world a better place to live and enjoy!
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