Castillo de Los Vélez

Under the auspices of the Council of Lorca, the housing compound of ‘Casas de los Alumbres de AlMazarrón’ was created, including the Los Vélez castle and the house of the Marquis of Villena.

Both houses were built in late XV century, after Henry IV granted privilege of mining rights to both Marquisites.

The castle has an irregular layout, with a surface of more than 3,000 m2 with two different areas: the fortress and the parade ground. Walls are 1 meter wide and are built against parent rock.

From the inner original structure of the castle (González Simancas visited the castle in 1903), some remains of the rooms, pavements, doors with lintels of wrought limestone, decorations with red plasters, decorative elements, stairs, subterranean buildings and other details dissapeared or are hidden under the pile of an old mine, open in the inner part of the facilities.

The Marquis of los Vélez used to live there from time to time, but the Governor of the town lived there all year long. The facilities also harbored a small garrison to prevent Berber attacks. When these threats took place, the castle was also used by the population as a defensive spot.

The site is declared Asset Of Cultural Interest.