Manzanares El Real

If you made a two week trip to Spain, there would not be time to visit Manzanares el Real because it is a small and unimportant destination. Yet, having been there, I would go back to this mountain village, home to about 3,000 people. From a distance, the "skyline" is dominated by the castle and the craggy cliffs of Le Pedriza behind. Up close, it is a small residential castle, built in the 15th century by the Dukes of Infantada. These pictures were taken in January 2000 on a day that dawned sub-freezing and warmed to the mid 40's by early afternoon.

Do Not Adjust Your Set: These pictures were taken in between 1997 and 1999 with a first generation digital camera. They are as big and as good as they'll ever get.

The castle, named Castillo de los Mendoza, is quite small, easy to walk around in 3 to 5 minutes. Perched on a hill, it looks formidable and difficult to storm, but the military trappings are mostly for show. It was never used for military purposes.
The castle, named Castillo de los Mendoza, is quite small, easy to walk around in 3 to 5 minutes. Perched on a hill, it looks formidable and difficult to storm, but the military trappings are mostly for show. It was never used for military purposes.
The castle, named Castillo de los Mendoza, is quite small, easy to walk around in 3 to 5 minutes. Perched on a hill, it looks formidable and difficult to storm, but the military trappings are mostly for show. It was never used for military purposes.

One of the highlights of the 45 minute tour is a collection of Flemish tapestries. Because the castle is somewhat murky, the colors aren't always easy to see. Note where a ray of sunlight illuminates the tapestry to the left and how vibrant the colors are.
Looking straight down one of the many spiral staircases.
Most castles have holes in the walls through which weapons can be fired. These are unusually shaped, not for military reasons, but as a tribute to the Christian beliefs of the family that built the castle..

Manzanares el Real is clean, orderly and in good repair owing to it's primary purpose, a place where the wealthy of Madrid maintain summer residences to escape the heat. Interestingly, it is only a 45 minute drive from the heart of Madrid.
Manzanares el Real is clean, orderly and in good repair owing to it's primary purpose, a place where the wealthy of Madrid maintain summer residences to escape the heat. Interestingly, it is only a 45 minute drive from the heart of Madrid.