Would you like to discover a medieval castle? To unravel its most well-kept secrets and explore every single one of its marvellous rooms? If the answer to all of those questions is yes, then I know the perfect place for you! This beautiful place is Cardona Castle.
This place is the one and only Castle. And when I say “one and only” I mean it, because this castle is for sure one of a kind. Now, you may be wondering why. What does it have to be so special? Why people go specifically to Cardona to visit its castle?
Construction of Cardona Castle.
Well, let’s start with its history! The Cardona Castle was built in 886 by the count “Guifré el Pilós” and was the official residence of the noble family of Cardona between the 11th and the 15th century. The nearby valleys were controlled from the castle, the Valley of the Salt being one of them.
First period.
The first period of the castle’s history was one of abundance and wealth thanks to the salt of the valley. Its power was such that the Cardona noble family was known as “the lords of the salt” and the Catholic monarchs named them as dukes.
Another important period.
Another well-known period for this castle was the War of the Spanish Succession when the Crown of Aragon positioned themselves with the Austrian heir Philip V. The Cardona Castle is known to be the last resistance in this 13 years conflict before losing against the Bourbon heir side.
If the historical importance of this castle hasn’t convinced you to go pay a visit then I’ll tell you something that definitely will.
The legend of Cardona Castle and Love.
The castle has a legend. A loved one. The legends started in the time that Spain was being conquered by Muslims and Cardona was just a little fortified village made out of sand and stone.
The parties at the castle were frequent and the duke decided to invite the Muslim prince Abdala to one of them. There, while he was walking through the gardens of the castle, he met with Adalés, the Cardona’s duke daughter. And it was there, where they both fell in love and swore eternal love to each other.
As they knew their love was forbidden they kept meeting until once when they were discovered. When the duke realized, he got so mad that he decided to lock up her daughter in a tower, exiled Abdala and declared war against him. After some time the duke decided to forgive his daughter, but when he got to the tower to let her out Adalés had already died of sadness. Nevertheless, she had shown her faith engraving a cross onto a wooden door before dying.
The legend says that if you go to the castle at midnight you can see the ghost of prince Abdala wander outside the tower where Adalés was kept to save her and take her with him.
I’m sure this is convinced you enough to have you craving for a visit to the ”the Cardona Castle”! It would definitely be a visit to remember, right? And who knows, you even may be able to meet some of its ghosts!
Castle of Cardona Tour.
Visit the wonderful medieval castle of Cardona and explore a salt mine in the Salt Mountain Cultural Park, one of the most important salt deposits in the world. Marvel at the defensive structure of the ancient Castle of Cardona. The structure also enjoys a privileged view of the Cardener River Valley. You can visit the ”Castle of Cardona” and feel your wonderful legend.