Zoraya's Castle
There was a time when the Nasrid sultan Muley Hacen reigned in Granada, back in the 15th century. In one of his battles against the Christians, the king met a beautiful Christian whom he took captive to the Alhambra falling madly in love with her. It is thought that she was locked in the Torre de la Cautiva, one of the towers of the walled city, named in her honour but Isabel de Solís fell at the feet of Muley Hacen, whom she married. She converted to Islam, taking the name Zoraya, which means "Morning Star." This provoked the ire of the king’s first wife, Aixa, Boabdil’s mother. A great rivalry was born between the two, causing Aixa to move to her palace in the Albaicín for a time, the Palacio de dar-Al Horra (“The House of the Honest One”, named in honour of this brave sultana). Meanwhile, the love between Muley Hacen and Zoraya grew stronger and stronger.
As a symbol of this, a castle in Mondújar, in the heart of the Lecrín Valley, stands out. According to all accounts, it was a wedding gift from the Sultan to his beautiful princess Zoraya. Due to the power struggle with his son Boabdil, "El Rey Chico", who succeeded in taking the throne, Muley Hacén was forced to move with Zoraya and their two children, to this castle. The castle in which he lived, and it is thought that he died in, being buried on the highest peak of Sierra Nevada, called Mulhacen in his name.
The castle is located in one of the most spectacular enclaves of the province of Granada: the Lecrín Valley. On a small hill, in the municipality of Mondújar, stands this fortress from the Nasrid period, built in the 15th century. Its structure is irregular due to the terrain, and the entrance ramp and double bend inside the tower are preserved. A technique used to make it difficult for enemies to enter. In addition, the monument also had other towers and watchtowers that allowed for the control of the entire area, becoming one of the most important strategic places in the province during the Nasrid period.
A water supply was essential, so you can also see the remains of the cistern and the ditch that brought the water to the castle. The cistern consisted of a half-barrel vault with an altitude of 1.64 metres from the ground. In addition, you can see traces indicating the existence of garden areas.
On the other hand, the discovery of a Muslim cemetery near the Mondújar hamlet is remakable. According to written history, Boabdil decided back in 1491 to exhume the remains of his ancestors who were resting in the Alhambra, and transfer them to Mondújar, where he believed they would rest in peace for all eternity. There are references that Morayma, Boabdil's wife, was buried near this castle in Mondújar. Later in 1925, one of the most important conservator architects of Granada, Leopoldo Torres Balbás, carried out excavations, finding more than 70 empty tombs in the Alhambra, These, according to his writings, proved that the transfer of remains to Mondújar was done very carefully.
Article by María Lopez Rodríguez
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