Maldegollado Castle

• The Blázquez family

In the middle of the Sierra del Cambrón, very close to Los Blázquez, are the remains of the Castle of Maldegollado, also known as Castle of Los Blázquez or Tolote. This archaeological site preserves the memory of the ancient medieval town of Tolote, a settlement inhabited between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries and located at a high altitude, from which the surrounding landscape is widely dominated.

Its location was not accidental. The height, relief and visibility of the site gave it a clear strategic function, linked to the control of the territory and the historical roads that crossed the north of the province of Córdoba. Several regional sources relate the Maldegollado Castle to the Almohad period, especially between the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, a period in which Tolote played a prominent role in the area.

Today, the visitor will not find a monumental castle, but an archaeological landscape full of interest: remains of stone walls, living spaces, street layouts and structures such as two cisterns, witnesses of the life that existed in this ancient settlement. Reddish ceramic fragments have also been documented, similar to those found in other settlements in Sierra Morena.

Maldegollado Castle is an ideal place for those who enjoy historical heritage, mountain panoramas and uncrowded enclaves. The visit allows you to imagine the importance of Tolote in the Middle Ages while contemplating one of the most unique landscapes of the Guadiato Valley. In addition, popular tradition has linked the name of Maldegollado to local legends passed down from generation to generation, giving the place an added attraction between history and mystery.