Castillo El Castellón
There are certain confusions whether this castle was linked to Vélez Blanco or Rubio, since the Arab authors cite only, Vélez. In the tenth century it was certainly inhabited and there are descriptions of it the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It was conquered by the Christians in 1488. In 1520 the Catholic Monarchs forced the castle’s population to descend and form the current town. Located 1 km south of the town. GPS 37.63745 -2.08084
There are some castle structures remaining to see including an interior water cistern.
The castle was made up of two spaces, one in the upper area, in a rectangular shape, with towers in three of its corners, and its angles oriented to the four compass points. A large masonry tower dominates the complex, behind which there is a cistern with a slightly banked barrel vault. The other space contains a smaller rectangular cistern covered with a groin vault. Access to the citadel was by a ramp through a tower-door. The thickening of the wall, typical of the Nasrid period, show openings cut in the plaster exposing the stone masonry. These are different from others found, so it could be they are a later modifications.
The path to the summit of Castellón (signposted Paraje de Ginte) is steep but well worth the climb for the stunning views from the summit. The total walk is about 10km return. From Velez, cross the motorway and skirt round the east if the hill and climb by footpath from the back. Wikilock Route