page_title: List of castles in Spain
section_title: La Rioja
hierarchical_section_title: List of castles in Spain / La Rioja
caption_attribution_description: Español: Castillo de Davalillo
context_page_description: The castles in Spain were built mainly for the country's defense, particularly with respect to fortification. During the Middle Ages, northern Christian kingdoms had to secure their borders with their Muslim southern neighbours, thus forcing both Christian and Muslim kings to grant border fiefs to their liege noblemen so as to keep and maintain defensive fortresses. When the Reconquista advanced, those border castles lost their initial purpose, and, as in the rest of medieval Europe, they were used as noble residences and fief-keeps. Sporadic threats of war maintained their initial military purposes as enemy invasions were common. In some locations, such as the Basque country, fiefdoms did not exist as such, and noble families could not afford nor did they need huge fortresses, giving rise to many tower houses. In Muslim Spain many castle-palaces were built: the petty taifa kingdoms that arose after the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba were militarily weak thus castles began taking on a more aesthetic purpose.
context_section_description: Castle of Aguas Mansas in Agoncillo, restored and converted in the town hall.
  Castle of Aguilar del Río Alhama, there are only a few ruins.
  Castle of Arnedo
  Castle of Autol
  Castle of Castañares de las Cuevas
  Castle of Clavijo
  Castle of Cornago
  Castle of Davalillo
  Castle of Herce
  Castle of Jubera
  Castle of Leiva
  Castle of Quel
  Castle of Sajazarra
  Castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra
  Castle of Cuzcurrita de Río Tirón
  Tower fort of Anguciana
  Walls of the Revellín (Logroño)
caption: Castle of Davalillo
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