No more staring at walls without understanding a thing; by the end of this, you’ll know why that castle you can see in the distance is there and not two kilometres further on.

The Mirabel Castles and Fortifications Interpretation Centre focuses on the the history and architecture of fortifications and defensive systems within the UNESCO sites in the province of Cáceres. Here, the guided tour covers watchtowers, battlements and military strategies; which castles held the most power, who obeyed orders, and who played dumb when it came to defending the area.

And it does so with panels, models and stories that sound like historical gossip: that this castle guarded such-and-such a pass, that that other one underwent more renovations than an old house, that there were border disputes here which were eventually settled.

All told with clarity and masterful storytelling, rigour, accessibility and entertainment. Close the gate and raise the drawbridge!