Huéscar

At the beginning of the 14^th century, Ismail II, the Sultan of Granada, marched on the eastern border of the kingdom and destroyed the rock castle of Huéscar defended by the Knights of the Order of Santiago. A fortress and a fortified wall with a moat were then built in the town, probably on a site previously occupied by a Roman pantheon, which would explain why the fortress keep has ashlars and tombstones bearing Latin inscriptions. This was the origin of the modern town of Huéscar. Thereafter, Huéscar and Baza were the Nasrid line of defence and attack in this eastern part of the kingdom.

The keep was recently restored and received a Special Mention at the 5^th edition of the European Prize for Urban Public Space.

Visits to the keep are currently included in a guided tour that also includes the José de Huéscar Museum. It is also home to the legacy of the famous comic book artist who illustrated the adventures of “Private Rin Tin Tin and Corporal Rusty”.