About 500 castles are for sale in Spain

Do you know how many castles there are in Spain? The Spanish Association of Friends of Castles (AEAC) has recently done math for us – they have so far inventoried 10,500 fortifications. However, some estimates put the number as high as 20,000. And of these castles, half a thousand properties are for sale all over Spain.

As with the 1 euro houses in Italy, some castle owners in Spain want to get rid of their castles, which can rightly be described as nothing more than ruins, albeit authentic. So they go on sale for a symbolic price. Of course, there are properties with a bigger price tag, like a 12th-century watchtower in the upper part of the village of Cáceres in Andalusia that will cost you around €80,000. It was once part of the old Muslim fortress that stood on the border between the Muslim and Christian worlds.

But if you are really after a proper castillo you will be happy to call home, prices start at 350,000 euros. The most expensive castle at the time of writing is Castilnovo in Segovia, Castile and León. To own this medieval property, you will have to fork out around 15 million euros. Originally built by the Arabs in Mudejar style, it was later rebuilt by the Christian owners. The castle has 6 round and rectangular turrets of brick and masonry and arched, split windows.

But if you think you can buy a cool historic property and shut yourself off from the rest of the world, the next bit will be disappointing. According to the Spanish Historical Heritage Law, "owners of such historically important properties must allow free public visits at least four days a month," says Miguel Ángel Bru Castro, director of travel and cultural events at the Spanish Association of Friends of Castles, as quoted by El Pais.

Acquiring a castle is not the end of the journey - it is only the beginning. Because transforming a castle into your home is a very difficult task and you will have to face challenges at every step: from installing a proper sewage and ventilation system, to repairing the rotten structures, to making the premises suitable for living in and not preventing enemy forces from entering. After all, castles were built with one purpose in mind - to repel attack.

The key is to understand what it is. If it's your fixer upper for the next 20 years, get ready for surprises and tiresome bureaucratic battles.

Source: El Pais