Occupying Dalt Vila's very highest ground, Ibiza's semiderelict castle is an assortment of historical buildings constructed over a 1000-year period, including the Moorish-era Tower of Homage, the former governor's residence, the 8th-century Almudaina (a Moorish keep) and, on the western side, infantry barracks from the 18th century. Today, the castle's facade has been restored (after decades of neglect) and its interior largely stabilised, though long-term plans to transform the building into a parador (luxurious state-owned hotel) have stalled.
During the Spanish Civil War, mainland anarchists massacred over 100 Ibizan Nationalist prisoners here before fleeing the island.
The best view of the structure is from the huge bastion Baluard de Sant Bernat, on the southern side of Dalt Vila's ramparts, though the castle itself is closed to visitors.