Fig Tree Tower

The Higuera Tower It rises in the north of the municipality of Villamanrique, on a rise that overlooks the Vega stream. It is located next to the road that sought passage through the Sierra Morena mountain range. Montizón Castle from Torre de Juan, a route closely linked to livestock trails and the presence of milling.

Before the tower, this place was already inhabited: there is prehistoric evidence, the Roman site of Huerta de Don Reyes and later, a Andalusian farmhouse active between the 9th and 11th centuries. The fortress was founded between late 13th and early 14th centuries, within the framework of the deployment of the Order of Santiago and of the works in the Montizón Castle. Leaving aside its function as a watchtower, linked to any fortress, it is related to the seigniorial control of the territory and the exploitation of the territory.

What we see today is not a simple tower, but a small complex with two sections: an exterior area, now largely destroyed, and the keep itself. The keep's robust construction, the elevated access system, and, particularly interestingly, its three-story layout are still preserved. A walk around the surrounding area also allows one to appreciate the strength of this military stronghold.