Mendoza

#172 Castillo nuevo de los Mendoza
Manzanares el Real
Province of Madrid, Spain
1475 plus
This is NOT an official Lego site

For many years there was confusion as to who built the beautiful palace-fortress at Manzanares el Real, located about 30 miles north of Madrid, at the base of the Guadarrama Mountain Range. The lands were ceded to Pedro Gonzáles de Mendoza I in 1383 for loyal service by King John I [Juan I] of Castile & León. In 1445 El Real de Manzanares was re-granted to Pedro's grandson, Don Íñigo Lopez de Mendoza, a great poet and statesman. It was assumed he built the castle, the date of which was unknown for a time. However the style of the castle and its architect did not occur until nearly 20 years after Íñigo's death in 1458. It is now thought that the castle was begun in 1475, the year Íñigo's son, Diego Hurtado de Mendoza was made the 1st Duke of the Infantado by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Castle construction was continued by his son, Íñigo Lopez de Mendoza y Luna, the 2nd Duke, but the powerful family moved it's primary residence to Guadalajara, and the fortress was never completed. The building is in the florid Gothic style with Mudéjar [from Moors who remained in Spain after the reconquest] and Renaissance influences.

The inner fortress is square in pattern, with round towers at three corners, and a larger square tower at the fourth, capped by an ornate octagonal turret. This tower functions as the keep. On the east side is a large chapel which incorporates a much older apse, likely from the church that accompanied the earlier Castillo antiguo de Manzanares el Real, of which little remains of the ruin nearby. The inner castle is encircled by a low embattled curtain wall with numerous arrowslits in the shape of the Jerusalem Cross. The fortress-palace, vacant and abandoned for several hundred years, was well clear of much of the turbulence of history, and thus in a pretty descent state when it was given to the Madrid County Council in 1965. An ambitious three-year restoration plan began in 1974, with medieval furniture, rugs, tapestries and paintings added, making the castle a prime venue not only for tourists, but conferences, seminars and cultural events.

Photos of the Lego Model under construction February 2019

Construction begins on February 5 with the very large project laid out in five sections.	Here's a picture from the side for perspective. It will likely not be around for long...	Later that first day the sections begin to be 'shored up' with plates on every seam, etc.	On Wednesday, Feb. 6 all five sections have been rendered strong and moveable. Almost time to begin building...


But first the inner castle needs to be defined, which occurs the next day.	On February 9 landscaping begins, and the tan stone can begin to be appreciated in section 1!	By February 15, basic landscaping has occurred on 4 sections, and the outer courtyard is defined.	Here's a view of the substructure. Hate to have elements tumble under there...


The round corner towers are defined,...	...as is the small gatehouse in front of the castle.	I was having so much fun building I took no pictures for 3 weeks. Sorry!	But this is what the castle looked like on March 8: ready for the inner castle.


By March 21 work is under- way on the courtyard, to be built in two parts...	...and the Chapel now even has stained glass windows.	Even the front gatehouse is complete -- ready to welcome guests and deter potential foes.	I now have built for more than five weeks without taking a picture. Here's the front on April 29. ☹


All that remains to be added are turrets and battlements.	Plus the decorative wall walk for the Mendozas and their powerful friends.	Even the inner courtyard is completely roofed with the Lego equivalent of clay tiles.	Finally a snapshot on the 10th of May. For the finished castle, please see below.


Here is the exquisite two story courtyard. North view.	The east end overlooking the gatehouse.	And the symmetrical south side.	Finally, here's the now ruined residential story atop the chapel. The stairs are my take on access to the roof.


Drawing	The ruin before restoration	Castle Plan	Haven't decided...

Photos of the Lego Model Built February-May, 2019

Here in the first two rows are general views of the castle. From the WSW.	From the SSW.	From the SSE.	From the southeast.


From the east, the chapel end.	From the northeast.	From the north.	The northwest view...	...and the west side, aka the front.


This detail show the gatehouse steps.	The numerous arrow- slits which soon were gun ports.	The steps to the outer curtain wall walk.	Very interesting construction around the circular towers!


The main door into the inner castle.	The rare stone studs atop all four towers.	The covered wall walk for owners and visitors alike.	The octagonal donjon with its interesting merlons.	And a visiting Cardinal exiting the Chapel.


Elevation maybe	Cross-section maybe