The House of the Commandery

The Villahermosa Commandery House is directly linked to the territorial organization developed by the Order of Santiago after the Christian conquest of the Campo de Montiel region in the 13th century. In this context, the town became integrated into a control network based on commanderies, administrative units from which resources, population, and territory were managed. These houses were not isolated buildings, but rather key components within the Santiago order's system of manorial rule.

The building follows a functional typology that combines residence, warehouse, and economic management space. Within its walls, the income from the surrounding territory was concentrated, especially from grain, livestock, and taxes, and the daily activities of the commandery were organized. Its structure must have included storage areas, living quarters, and an enclosed area that, in some cases, may have exhibited features of light fortification. This model is repeated in other sites in the Campo de Montiel region, where the so-called "houses of the order" served more as logistical centers than as fortresses in the strict sense.

Unlike castles, which are situated in elevated positions for visual control of the surrounding territory, the Commander's House is integrated into the urban center of Villahermosa. This location reflects its administrative and economic function, directly linked to the life of the town. During the Late Middle Ages and the beginning of the Modern Era, these buildings reached their peak of importance, although many were later transformed, losing their original configuration.