Castle of Alfaiates

The castle occupies a roughly four-sided plateau position and follows a compact, quadrilateral layout. From this high ground its ramparted enclosure looks out over the rugged Ribacoa terrain, a placement that underlies the fortress’s original military purpose. The surviving plan makes clear the intention to defend approaches on all sides and to dominate the surrounding countryside.

A prominent square tower crowns the highest point of the enclosure and faces toward the settlement below. This tower served as the summit strongpoint of the complex and remains a defining element of the silhouette. The inner face of the surrounding enceinte survives only in part, with sections reduced to ruin while other stretches still stand, giving a clear sense of the original enclosed circuit and its altered state.

Outside the core enclosure a second ring of defences once existed and included angular turrets shaped with three distinct faces. These outer works formed an additional defensive layer and are recorded as part of the fortress’s phased construction. The principal gateway projects forward from the curtain wall and is surmounted by a Manueline sculptural composition, featuring a central royal crown flanked by two armillary spheres and by two crosses associated with the Order of Christ, a decorative program that marks a later episode of embellishment.