Coca Castle

The castle of Coca was built in the late fifteenth century by Don Alonso de Fonseca, one of the most magnificent and luxury-loving magnates of Castile. The castle of Coca lies in the province of Segovia but is close to the border of Valladolid. Cuellar, Arevalo, Olmedo, and Coca formed a square of great strategic importance.

The castle of Coca is built in a sandy, wooded land, poor in stone but rich in mudejar masons, it was naturally built of brick, as were the castles of Arevalo and Medina del Campo, and a multitude of churches in the area. But despite the brick construction of the castle of Coca, it is not Islamic in plan or disposition. In this respect the castle of Coca is completely Christian. The outer enclosure of the castle of Coca, with polygonal towers at the corners and semicircular ones on the walls, emerges from a huge moat with views of the artillery defenses. Behind it rise the extremely strong walls of the main part of the castle of Coca, which repeat the polygonal and round towers of the outer enclosure. These polygonal forms are especially suited to brick construction of the castle of Coca.

The castle of Coca was built around 1600, primarily as a residence. The castle of Coca looks a bit too ornate to be taken seriously as a military castle, but the castle of Coca features extensive crenellations and some very interesting cross-and-orb holes, ostensibly for shooting. The construction of the castle of Coca is entirely of brick, in alternating tan and white layers. The castle of Coca is surrounded by a moat about 40 feet deep, and consists of three concentric walls around a central tower. Coca castle is currently used as a school, but is almost entirely accessible to visitors. The castle of Coca lies about an hour north of Segovia, and is near Mota castle, which is similar in age, size, and style. Of the two, Coca is perhaps slightly more interesting, but both are worthy of a visit if you're in Segovia and/or driving north toward Leon.