Penafiel Castle, Spain

Penafiel Castle is a remarkable and large-scale medieval fortress located in the Spanish village of the same name, located in the province of Valladolid in Spain. Penafiel Castle is located on a high hill at one end of the village, and its huge size is a truly impressive sight. Below remains the picturesque valley of the river Duero.
The elongated top of Penafiel Castle determines the special construction of the building, which is limited between two nearby fence walls. The massive fence walls reach a height of 90 feet, and the main building of the castle is located in the middle of the palace complex.
The architectural style of Penafiel Castle is called "Gran buque", which literally means ship. In fact, the high-rise castle with its fortifications resembles a ship, only built of stone blocks. What is special about Penafiel Castle is that on the very ridge of the hill is built another long wall, which is strewn with many small towers. At one end sits a larger observatory, looking at the other similar one, erected at the opposite end of the wall.
It is believed that Penafiel Castle was built by Don Juan Manuel, who was one of the richest lords in Castile and who played a very active role in the politics of the kingdom. Apart from being an influential political figure of his time, the ruler of Penafiel Castle also occupied a central place in Spanish literature, as one of the most important writers of the Middle Ages.