Castrovido: the defensive line of the 9th century

In the locality of Castrovido, in the province of Burgos, there stands the tower of Castrovido, an architectural site first referenced in the 974 Fuero of Salas. It was built near the river Arlanza and a Roman road. The name Castrovido is interpreted as 'castro de Vito' or 'de Víctor', referring to Víctor, a companion of Gonzalo Gustios, who likely built the structure to form a defensive line of castles protecting new territories from aceifas.

In 1002, the leader Almanzor crossed the pass of Castrovido during an aceifa that destroyed San Millán de la Cogolla. However, upon his return from the campaign, Almanzor suffered his first serious defeat in Castrovido, where his infantry could not overcome the resistance of those protected on the hill of the castle. From the 11th century, the castle was one of the holdings belonging to the señor de Lara.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the castle passed to the Velasco family, who were the señores de Salas. In 1380, Pedro Fernández de Velasco y Castañeda founded a mayorazgo for his son Juan Fernández de Velasco y Sarmiento, which included Castrovido. At this time, the castle was reconstructed, possibly adding the fortifications of the hill that remain today. The tower is a rectangular keep with walls almost two meters thick, built on rocks atop a hill.

The structure features a basement, three floors, and a roof protected by a parapet. The entrance was located three meters above the ground on the east facade, accessed by a wooden ramp that could be retracted during an attack. Today, the ruins were restored in the first decade of the 21st century for cultural and educational use.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons