Manzanares El Real

In the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, at the gates of La Pedriza, is the Manzanares el Real castle, also known as the Mendoza castle or new castle. This late medieval castle, built in the 15th century as a palatial residence for the powerful Mendoza family, is the best preserved in the Community of Madrid.

The Manzanares el Real castle was built on a Romanesque-Mudejar church and stands out for its mix of Elizabethan Gothic styles and Spanish-Muslim elements. It is the work of architect Juan Guas and served as a precedent for the Palacio del Infantado in Guadalajara.

It currently houses a Medieval Interpretation Center, as well as a collection of tapestries, paintings, armor and furniture from the 16th to 19th centuries. It was declared a Historical-Artistic Monument in 1931.

The castle offers guided tours and allows events to be held.

The dramatized visits to the Manzanares Castle are intended to bring us closer to the period of the time, through characters belonging to one of the most influential families of the time, the Mendozas. During the plot we will discover the history, architecture, uses and customs of the different rooms of the castle. In addition, you will be able to tour a large part of the castle, thus being able to see the connection of rooms and knowing the social provisions of each social group.

Without a doubt, the most educational and fun way to learn about the culture and history of Madrid.

The Sierra de Guadarrama, declared a National Park, invites you to explore a world of wild beauty just a few kilometers from Madrid. Its mountainous landscapes, centuries-old forests, and green valleys will captivate you with their tranquility and rich biodiversity.

The Church was built in the late 15th century, on the orders of a nobleman, II Duque del Infantado, Don Íñigo López de Mendoza y Luna. The same architects who built the 15th century castle, Juan Guas and Lorenzo Vázquez de Segovia, were given the commission. Its architecture is a blend of Gothic and Roman styles, while maintaining the characteristics of each. It is a church with three naves, separated by arches on stone columns. The central nave is Roman in style and headed by a pentagonal presbytery. The portico is located at the south of the building and was built in the mid-16th century in the Renaissance style with eight elliptical arches and one round arch. The building is accessible by all.

Visitors can have a panoramic view of La Pedriza from this shrine which is located on the cliff of Peña Sacra. First built in the 16th century, it was subsequently added to in the 17th century. The image of the Virgen de la Peña Sacra is a modern copy of the original 19th century image which disappeared, with the exception of the Child, which is an original. Different works have drawn connections between the Peña Sacra and Druidic cults, owing to the presence of Celtic priests who celebrated their rituals in these forests in the 1st century BCE. In 1769 a fire that broke out on the Virgin’s feast day destroyed the church, with the exception of the sacristy. Although the shrine is not accessible, visitors may come to this location for the unforgettable views of the town and La Pedriza that the site provides.

The Old Castle lies on one end of a hill, on the banks of the River Manzanares and has magnificent views of the urban centre and La Pedriza, the most important granite structure in the Sierra de Guadarrama. Built as a fortress during the Reconquest and with links to the De la Cerda family through Leonor Núñez de Guzmán, in 1383 it was transferred to the Mendoza family by King Juan I of Castile. They erected the manor estate of Manzanares. Its use and splendour diminished in 1475 when this powerful family decided to build a new castle.
The difference between the old and the new castle built in a similar style, lies in the latter’s dimensions and the use that was made of it. Where the first was meant for defence, the new castle was also a palatial residence.
The remains are open to all, although its current state is in striking contrast to the magnificent restoration that was carried out on the neighbouring castle of the Mendoza family. Exploring the bases of the ancient castle walls evokes an idea of its splendour and defensive use. Also of a quadrangular layout, we can distinguish the bases of the old towers at the corners, three cylindrical structures, with the largest one serving as the keep. Its walls, some of which are still four metres high, were built in the Mudejar style with granite masonry and linked with brickwork. The shields of the families that, through matrimonial ties, owned this castle can still be seen: Mendoza, Velasco and Toledo.
It has been declared an Asset of Historical Interest within the Region of Madrid.

The Santillana dam was built in 1908 and is part of a larger project initiated by the Marqués de Santillana. He sought to provide water and electricity to Madrid and nearby towns. The project consisted of several dams located at different points of the River Manzanares, the largest of which was the dam of Santillana. It was also the first one to be built. The dam is of historical interest as it recreates the architectural style of the castle of the Mendoza. The intake tower is the most characteristic element of the dam, both for its aesthetics and its height. It is also the only element visible in the flooded zone, with a height of 35 metres. It has an octagonal shape and is decorated with stone balls on the sides that are reminiscent of the castle, and may therefore, be considered as homage to the latter.

Its origins date back to the founding of the town, although it has a more modern look, thanks to multiple restorations and repairs that it has undergone throughout the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Juan de Herrera and Juan Bautista de Toledo are said to be responsible for its building. It is constructed of stone masonry, has just one arch and is perfectly adapted to the landscape. The importance of this bridge lies in the fact that it was an essential part of the former road called the Cañada Real Segoviana, used by the Mesta association of livestock owners to transport their animals in Spain. This was an important source of income for the town which charged a toll –called El Pontazgo– for the passage of animals and goods.

It is a fountain with a drinking trough, a distribution chamber and several canals (early 16th century). It was used by the Mesta in their passage along the Cañada Real. The fountain is built with large blocks of granite, topped by a pediment decorated with the coat of arms depicting the betrothal of Don Íñigo López de Mendoza and Doña María de Luna. The distribution chamber is a cubic structure of granite stones and mortar. It collects water from two canals and distributes and channels it into the fountain by means of a third canal located in the south, where a spout provides water for human consumption.

The Visitors’ Centre is located at a distance of two kilometres from Manzanares El Real, along the trail that leads through Collado de Quebrantaherraduras and intersects with Canto Cochino.
It consists of two buildings. The main building, which is also the National Park’s area for environmental education, has a permanent exhibition titled Journey to the Sierra de Guadarrama, which takes visitors from the peaks to its valleys and offers innumerable trails and activities for all tastes, along with trails for the youngest visitors, workshops on amphibians, legendary trails or excursions to adjoining villages.
The outer section of the centre has nine thematic areas that depict different natural aspects of the Sierra de Guadarrama, with special emphasis on an itinerary for persons with visual disabilities. Both the centre and its facilities may be accessed by people with reduced mobility.
By means of trails that wind through peaks and paths, or routes of varied difficulty, we arrive at El Yelmo, Canto Cochino, El Tolmo, el Cancho de los Muertos or Cuerda Larga, natural spaces of undisputable beauty where visitors can spend a day hiking, rock climbing or bathing in the natural pools of Charca Verde or Tranco. It’s also possible to have a picnic on the banks of the river or the spot earmarked for this purpose near Canto Cochino. Above, in Prago Piluca is a shelter with the best views of La Pedriza.

This is a simple tour through some of the most beautiful places and villages in the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. The area is just full of natural and scenic value. Because of the length and differences in level that must be overcome, using an electric bike is recommended for people not very accustomed to rather long trips. Nonetheless, it can also be done on a traditional bike. The bike route takes about 4 hours. Continue reading...

It is a linear route, round trip and 4.1 km of low difficulty. From the Castle of Manzanares begins the route following the layout of the M-608. Part of the route is made by the Cañada Real Segoviana, via protected livestock, one of the four large royal canyons that cross the Community of Madrid. It is not necessary to leave it until the height of the Km. 20,500, where the Road of the Jaralón is taken towards the reservoir to finish the itinerary.

The Santillana reservoir dates back to 1907 when the old dam was built, whose last stone was laid by King Alfonso XIII in 1908. The present one, which regulates the flow of the Manzanares River, was completed in 1969. It has an area of ​​1052 hectares ( maximum) and the distance between opposing banks, 30 km, yields a total capacity of 91 hm³. In its waters, pike and carp predominate. It also has an outstanding ornithological interest, since there are many birds that take refuge there.

From any of the viewpoints enabled in its surroundings (such as the Peña El Gato or the Mirador del Embalse), you can see a rich and varied ornithological fauna among which stand out examples of mallard, common spoon, mallard frieze and duck Colorado. There are also other species such as common teal, tawny duck, lavanco loon or common grebe. Other common aquatic birds are the European porrón, the porrón, common coot, the large cormorant and the seagull gull.

The best time to travel the route is spring and winter, breeding and wintering seasons of waterfowl nesting there.

The web http://viaspecuariasdemadrid.org/ offers precise maps of this route.

Descubrir la riqueza de las tradiciones de Manzanares El Real es la mejor forma de conectar con la esencia de una villa que ha sabido convertir sus costumbres y su amor por la cultura en espectáculos de gran arraigo popular. El evento más emblemático tiene lugar cada primavera con el célebre Festival de La Pedriza, una cita imprescindible que reúne competiciones de escalada, proyecciones y conferencias de alpinistas de primer nivel, transformando el municipio en el epicentro nacional de la montaña. No menos espectaculares son el mágico Festival de Cuentos, celebrado habitualmente en verano, donde narradores orales toman los rincones históricos de la villa, y el aclamado FIMMER, el Festival Internacional de Cortometrajes y Mediometrajes que consolida la apuesta de la localidad por el talento cinematográfico y el séptimo arte.

La vida festiva también late con fuerza el lunes de Pentecostés con la Romería de la Virgen de Peña Sacra, una sobrecogedora procesión que fusiona devoción y naturaleza a los pies de la sierra, y alcanza su máximo fervor popular en septiembre con las Fiestas Patronales en honor al Cristo de la Nave. El privilegio de vivir la tradición de la villa se completa al cierre de estas celebraciones con la degustación de su famoso guiso de Toro con Patatas, una receta de origen trashumante que reúne a vecinos y visitantes en torno a un gran caldero solidario. Para planificar tu escapada en los momentos más vibrantes del año, te recomendamos consultar el listado oficial de eventos de Manzanares El Real, una herramienta esencial para descubrir el alma de esta histórica localidad.