We have a lot of history right on our doorstep here in Manilva which I don’t think we appreciate enough. One such example is the Castle in Castillo de la Duquesa.
The castle itself was built in 1767 by Francisco Paulino of Seville. As a reward for his services, the Spanish King, Carlos III compensated him by placing him in command of a cavalry company that was to be installed in the castle.
The castle is situated in a position commanding a broad view of the coast, which allowed the cavalry to defend the area from seaborne landings especially from pirates. The original foundations were built in roman times and the castle was built on top of them with everything arranged around a central courtyard.
The castle’s garrison consisted of over 50 soldiers, including artillerymen, infantry and cavalry. The castle was taken by the French for a short period during the early part of the 19th century who used the Castle to control the main coastal road.
Unfortunately, by the early 1900’s the Castle had fallen into disrepair and was even occupied by homeless people for several years. In 1975, the castle became the home for the local Guardia civil who used it as their barracks.
In 1994, the Town hall of Manilva officially acquired the castle and it is now home to the Manilva Foreign Residents department and several museums. As well as this, the castle is used as a venue for different events throughout the year, such as exhibitions, markets and concerts. It has also recently been used as a film set…and you can even get married there..
So make the most of our history and visit the castle.
