Ley lines meet on the hilltop where El Castillo de Monda stands today. Is this why since earliest times man has sought refuge here?

According to local legend, Munda and Monda are one and the same and from Julius Cesar’s memoirs, it was in 45 BC, when the famous Battle of Munda was fought, bringing the Roman civil war between the forces of Cesar and Pompeii to an end.

Before the Romans, Monda Castle has been an important settlement and garrison. An archaeological dig found pottery and tools from the Phoenicians in 2000 BC and since then many artifacts from the Moors have been found, who had the strongest identity for centuries.

The castle was thriving under it’s Moorish influence and restoration in the sixth century by the Hammudies.

Trouble flared when Catholic King Ferdinand and Isabella tried to reclaim Spain from Muslim rule in the 8 th century. Feuding ensued throughout the peninsular and by the 9 th century only the kingdom of Granada (Monda stayed in this kingdom) was still under Muslim rule.

This lasted till 1485 when the catholic forces finally took over the ramparts. The defeated Muslims were allowed to stay inside the castle walls, provided they convert to Christianity.

The castle finally became forbidden territory following the Mudejares uprising in 1570. All the inhabitants were expelled and the village of Monda settled at the bottom of the hill.

It remained neglected for over 400 years until the present owners saw their dream of restoring a castle in a spectacular setting come true. After 6 years of painstaking craftsmanship Mr Freestone and Mr Norris opened El Castillo de Monda as a distinctive and timeless hotel.

Today it is not just a landmark but a second home for others to share in a unique position above the village of Monda protected by the Unesco biosphere of the Sierra de la Nieves.