Castillo de Loarre

Castillo de Loarre was built in the early 11th century by King Sancho III of Navarre as a frontier stronghold to control the approaches to the Huesca plain and push south against Muslim-held territory. Later, King Sancho Ramirez expanded the complex and founded an Augustinian monastery within its walls, making it at once a military base, a royal residence, and a place of worship. The castle is encircled by a defensive wall with nine towers, and inside stand a well-preserved Romanesque church, a royal hall, the Queen's Tower, and a crypt dedicated to Saint Quiteria. The site became known internationally after Ridley Scott chose it as a filming location for the movie Kingdom of Heaven. From the battlements, the views stretch across the entire Huesca plain — a wide, flat landscape framed by the foothills of the Pyrenees.