La Yedra Castle, also known as the Castle of the Four Corners, stands atop a rocky spur on the side of Cerro de Salvatierra. The summit of this hill is home to the Castle of the Five Corners, which overlooks the town centre of Cazorla. La Yedra Castle is a walled complex consisting of a series of stepped enclosures that have been adapted in line with the uneven terrain they stand on. Today, the site comprises three distinct sections laid out in an ascending terrace arrangement along the north-east slope of the hill: the albacara, the middle enclosure and the alcazarejo, which are connected to one another by ramps and steps. 

The albacara is constructed from rammed earth and dates back to the Muslim era, when it formed part of an earlier fortification that occupied the upper reaches of the current castle area. Inside are the remains of a cistern and adjoining water tank. Originally, this enclosure was constructed from rammed earth stabilised with lime; the towers of dressed stone were added during the Christian period. The albacara is accessed from the east side, through a gateway with a pointed arch above which there is another, semi-circular arch to distribute the building’s weight. The gateway was built between the 12th and 13th centuries. At a later date, the coat of arms of the Bernardo de Sandoval y Rojas family and the year 1606 were added to the outer façade.

Nestled within the albacara or outer enclosure (which surrounds it almost entirely, except to the south) is the castle’s middle section, which occupies the steepest part of the site. This section was entered from the albacara via a bastion-type structure that made it difficult to access. This is laid out in terraces, which are connected to one another by pathways incorporating ramps and sets of steps. 

The Christian conquerors improved these defences during the second half of the 13th century using masonry and bricks to reinforce existing elements and to add new ones, such as the alcazarejo and the towers of dressed stone added to the wall of the albacara. 

The alcazarejo was connected to the rest of the complex via a narrow, winding entrance to the south-west, which snaked its way up a series of ramps and steps. Standing at the highest point of the site, the alcazarejo is enclosed by an irregularly shaped wall that surrounds the keep and bailey and follows the line of the rocky spur on which the castle stands. It is constructed from masonry and rammed earth stabilised with lime. The interior of this small enclosure is accessed via a bent entrance, almost a postern gate, located on the south-west side. The square-shaped keep, which incorporates a cistern and three rooms, was one of the latest additions to the complex: built during the 14th century, it now houses a museum dedicated to the folk art and customs of the Upper Guadalquivir region.

In the area around Cazorla, evidence has been found of Neolithic settlements on the lower terraces established on the banks of the River Cerezuelo, along with other settlements dating to the late Copper Age and the Bronze Age on Cerro de la Bola, which stands next to Cerro de Salvatierra.

This area was subsequently settled by the Romans, who named it Saltus Tugiensis and referred to the nearby mountains as Mons Argentarius owing to the silver mines they found there. A number of archaeological remains from this period have been found within the modern-day town of Cazorla itself.

The archaeological excavations carried out at Salvatierra Castle have identified the remains of a mountain settlement, possibly a small hamlet, which was laid out in line with the rugged terrain of the hilltop. Cazorla must have had a similar layout; however, it was during the time of the first taifa kingdoms, and above all during the period of Almohad rule, that the first fortified structures were built in the area. These small fortifications not only stood guard over the local territory, but also provided a place of refuge for nearby peasant communities. Between the 12th and 13th centuries, when the border was established in the Upper Guadalquivir region, these areas existed in a state of continuous flux. Thus, in the face of the advance of the Christian armies, these fortifications became an important line of defence south of the River Guadalquivir and were responsible for guarding the routes of communication that provided access into the interior of Andalusia. 

In 1231, by way of royal privilege, Ferdinand III granted the villa of Quesada (which had not yet been conquered) as a feudal estate to the Church of Santa María de Toledo, so that the Primate Archbishop of Toledo, Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada, could take it in his name. Some months later, the archbishop conquered Quesada and all of the nearby territories including Cazorla, thereby seizing control of the hub of what would become the feudal estate of the Adelantamiento de Cazorla.

Cazorla (which, in his 13th century work De Rebus Hispanae, Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada referred to as Castorla) began to play an important role as a strategic military location. Work may have been done to strengthen La Yedra Castle at this time, and some of the fortified structures at Salvatierra Castle may have been constructed during this period. In 1265, Cazorla was among the territories controlled by the Brotherhood of Andújar. 

Midway through the 14th century, during the civil war between Peter I and Henry II of Trastámara, Cazorla remained loyal to the king, while the Archbishop of Toledo supported the claim of the House of Trastámara. Consequently, after the conflict ended, the archbishop granted the town of La Iruela the status of villa in gratitude for its loyalty. As Cazorla’s fortifications had fallen into disrepair, during the first decade of the 15th century renovations were made and the keep was added to La Yedra Castle. Work was also carried out on Salvatierra Castle during the second half of the 15th century, particularly under the rule of Archbishop Alfonso Carrillo.

After the kingdom of Granada was conquered towards the end of the 15th century, the Adelantamiento lost its function and status as a military march or border region and gained greater independence from Toledo.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, having been deprived of their military function, Cazorla’s castles were left abandoned. However, when the French invaded and the Peninsular War broke out at the start of the 19th century, the castles became more important again and a French garrison was installed in La Yedra under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Navilles. This was the last military conflict that Cazorla’s castles were involved in, and they subsequently endured a long period of deterioration until La Yedra Castle underwent restoration between 1973 and 1978.

LEGENDS

“The Legend of La Tragantía”. Legend has it that, ahead of an imminent attack by Castilian troops, the King of Cazorla ordered the town to be evacuated and abandoned the castle. Aware of the dangers his flight would involve, and thinking he would soon return to take back Cazorla, the king decided to leave his daughter inside the castle, hidden (along with all of the provisions she might need) in a set of ancient underground chambers whose existence was known only to him. However, as he fled, an arrow pierced the king’s neck and he died without being able to tell anyone where his daughter was. 

The Castilians took Cazorla Castle and the surrounding lands, while the princess wandered around her dank underground chambers, waiting for her father to return. Eventually, she realised that everyone must have forgotten about her. Having consumed all of her provisions, the princess had no choice but to lie down on her bed, where she was tormented by horrible nightmares. Upon awakening, she saw that her legs had been transformed into a reptilian tail. Horrified, she spent her final days slithering around in the cold basement, while her body mutated into that of a snake. That is how the unfortunate princess became the beast known as “La Tragantía”. Ever since, on the eve of the feast day of Saint John, La Tragantía sweetly sings the following rhyme:

I am La Tragantía, daughter of the Moorish king / And anyone who hears me sing / Will neither live to see the dawn / Nor celebrate the Eve of Saint John.

It is said that the monster will devour any children who hear this song when they should be fast asleep in bed.