Castle of La Mota

Anyone approaching Medina del Campo sees it long before arriving: the Castle of La Mota stands on a small rise in the land, the *mota* (mound) that gives it its name, and from there it keeps watch over the town and the whole broad district around it. It is one of those silhouettes that, on its own, explains how important this spot once was on the plateau of the province of Valladolid.

The first thing that strikes you is its colour. The fortress was built in the reddish brick so typical of the area, with stone reserved for specific details such as the gunports and coats of arms. That contrast between the warm mass of brick and the stone finishing touches is one of the highlights of a visit, and it places the castle within the style of fortification known as the Valladolid School.

The castle was not conceived as a standalone building. From it ran a walled enclosure that embraced the town and was enlarged on three occasions, evidence of how the town grew over time. Some remains of those walls survive today, and they are well worth seeking out to picture what fortified Medina once looked like.

Its value was recognised early on: it was declared a National Monument on 8 November 1904 and is protected as a Site of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural) in the monument category. To round off the experience, the nearby Mudéjar theme park in Olmedo has a scale model of the building, an intriguing way to take in the whole complex at a single glance.