Defensive towers of Cantabria

[1] These buildings, generally battlements, were erected mostly between the 13th and 15th centuries by noble families and influenced significantly in the architecture of Cantabria, passing some to be forts-houses, prelude to the future casona montañesa.

The first, around the 7th and 12th centuries, is documented with an about twenty of sites that correspond with small castles, presumably linked to respective alfozes, and are the first organization in the Cantabrian territory not monastic nature.

At the end of the stage, the new castles, related to the founding of the four villas (Castro Urdiales, Santander, Laredo and San Vicente de la Barquera), there are more complex and are located in the same urban centers.

[4] On low medieval stage the family fortifications splashed the Cantabrian geography with buildings designed to defend the coast and protection against war of the bands[5] It is isolated towers built between the late 12th century and early 15th, which meet certain military function and watchtower over the territory.

Its have, as common features, square plants and walls of masonry with reinforcements of ashlar, narrow windows and mullioned or ensaetadas, usually a single entry and wood floors.

Usually it has three to four floors, being the services in the lower (cellar, salting), a banquet and reception at the first and stately premises on successive; The main staircase was located near the entrance and was usually of wood.

It is known that the king Henry IV of Castile sent down in 1403 the Tower of Arce; others were demolished by order of the Catholic Monarchs, speculated that were enough, as happened in Gipuzkoa and Galicia.