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1194
A king of Navarre probably built it in 1194
The castle is thought to have been built in 1194 by Sancho the Strong, King of Navarre, over a simpler construction, possibly little more than a watchtower. It was on the list of Navarran fortresses transferred to the King of Castile in 1200.
Charles V
In 1520 the emperor ordered the ruined castle restored
In 1520 Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, ordered the restoration of the ruined castle, to plans drawn up in 1524. In 1526 a large semi-circular bastion, the cubo de la Reina, was added to the keep, named after Joanna of Castile.
Ten troops
In 1541 the castle's garrison was reported to be ten troops
In 1541 the governor wrote that although a lot of money had been spent on fortifications, they were badly guarded, and asked for 100 soldiers. That year the captain general of Guipúzcoa reported that the governor had a garrison of only ten troops, with old artillery pieces and arquebuses without ammunition.
Lightning
In 1688 lightning set off the powder magazine
A new keep had to be built after the explosion of the magazine in 1688, which was caused by a lightning strike. Fierce debate broke out on whether to restore the castle or to design a new fortification at the top of the hill. Much of the castle was destroyed.
Today
Most of what stands dates from 1863 to 1866
Much of the current structure of the castle dates from between 1863 and 1866, with further restoration in 1965. It was first declared a monument of architectural and artistic interest in 1925, and a national monument in 1984.
Day 3, morning
Next is Zurriola Beach.
More stories from this trip idea
The words are a retelling of the Wikipedia article La Mota Castle (San Sebastián), and are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. They are checked against those articles, and a fact that is not in them is left out.