Castro Urdiales

About

A Roman colony was first established in the area in 74 AD, most likely to take advantage of the abundance of iron in the area. In was in 1163, however, that the town of Castro Urdiales first received its municipal charter. The town benefited greatly from its strategic location, at a crossroads in the trade route between northern Europe and Castile. It was destroyed by the French in 1813, but was quickly rebuilt and fortified. Visitors to Castro Urdiales can enjoy El Faro Castle, a 13th century pentagonal fortress; the Church of Santa María de la Asunción, a Gothic basilica church with 3 naves, built under the protection of King Alfonso VIII of Castile in the 13th century; the palace, castle-observatory, and Ocharan gardens, dating back to the early 20th century; the 16th-century city hall, and the Roman milestone, opposite the church of Santa María, dating back to 61 and marking the distance to Pisoraca.