The two-metre-thick wall of the Castro de la Peña de Sámano

The Castro de la Peña de Sámano is a fortified site in the municipal term of Castro Urdiales in Cantabria. It is located on a limestone massif called Peña de Santullán and is believed to have been inhabited by the Autrigones until the Roman era. The site covers approximately 10 hectares and sits at a strategic point dominating the valley and the coastal area, surrounded by steep slopes.

The fortification of the castro utilizes the natural defensive conditions of the location, combining natural structures with man-made ones. The result is a strongly fortified site where passage is conditioned through specific points, such as gates and paths, while other access is hindered or prevented by solid structures. The thick wall surrounding the castro is more than two metres thick and is a battered work that allows the defender to be in a higher position than the attacker. Due to its considerable width, it also serves as a means of communication, as it can be used as a path.

In the north, the wall reaches its greatest development, covering almost half a kilometre in length. Here, a large entrance called Puerta de la Sangaza measures 30 metres long by almost 3 metres wide. To the southeast, the wall gains more power due to the easier accessibility of that area. In the south, the relief accentuates, and in the southwest, the defenses are reinforced with a strategic element called La Puerta del Vallegón. Access to this gate requires passing through the Alto and Bajo passes, and it provides entry to the western part of the castro.

The castro consists of a single enclosure with two differentiated sectors. The western sector has better conditions for habitation and protection, where structures associated with abundant archaeological material have been excavated. The eastern sector is larger and can only be accessed from the previous sector, though no housing structures or archaeological materials have been documented there. In the west, a small cavity known as La Cueva del Ziguste yielded metallic materials such as spearheads and brooches. The site was poorly treated by clandestine excavations before its official discovery.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons