After talking to you about the Vall de Boí Romanesque Complex , which occupies the first place in the ranking of the 7 Rural Wonders of Spain 2013 , we now want to talk to you about the corner that occupies the second place on the list and that, as you can imagine, also deserves worth knowing.
It is the Citadel of Jaca , a pentagonal fortification, built at the end of the 16th century that preserves each and every one of its characteristic parts: moat, bastions, escarpments, barracks, powder magazines, tunnels … It even preserves a beautiful entrance to the one that is acceded by means of a drawbridge. Do you want to know more about this Spanish rural wonder? Well then we give you more details.
The only one in the world
The Citadel of Jaca is the only construction of this type of fortress , developed in the 16th century, that is preserved in its entirety in the world (that of Liège is also almost complete, but has other constructions attached to it). Its real name until the 19th century was Castillo de San Pedro, but today everyone knows it as the Citadel of Jaca, and its extension as the glacis.
Few warlike vicissitudes
Its construction was ordered by King Felipe II to defend the Pyrenean borders during the religious conflicts that took place in the 16th century. Although since its construction the fortress has always maintained a military garrison within its walls, the truth is that the warlike vicissitudes that accompany it are scarce, the most notable being the one that occurred during the War of Independence.
Enhance the value of the Citadel
At present, the Army maintains its presence in the Castle and a Consortium formed by the Ministry of Defense, the DGA, DPH and the Jaca City Council, is in charge of enhancing its cultural value and managing its conservation, restoration and revitalization.