The Castillo de Sarracín, also known as Castrum Sarracenicum, is a defensive fortress located on a peak on the slope of the Vilela mountain (Villaus), in the municipality of Vega de Valcarce in the province of León. The site was declared a Bien de Interese Cultural on April 22, 1949.
There are several theories regarding the construction of the castle. It was probably built during the reign of Ordoño I by his son, Count Gatón, and given the name of his son Sarracino Gatónez, Lord of Sarracín, Count of Bierzo and of Astorga, around the year 850. Another theory suggests it was built by Sarracino himself, which would place its construction between 852 and 885.
The original castle was apparently destroyed by the governor of the Umayyad Caliphate, Musa, in the year 714. Its reconstruction began at the end of the 9th century, following the reconquest. The Vilela mountain is mentioned in the Codex Calixtinus.
Today, the Castillo de Sarracín is being restored by the Xunta de Castela e León.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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