Built by the Knights Templar in the 13th century, the walls of the fortress-monastery Castillo Templario rise high over Río Sil, and the square, crenellated towers ooze romance and history. The castle has a lonely and impregnable air – a striking landmark in Ponferrada’s otherwise bleak urban landscape. It houses the Templars' Library, some 1400 books.
![Façade of the 12th century Templar Castle in Ponferrada, Spain.](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2023-07/iStock-1055465146.jpg?w=1920&h=640&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cedges&auto=format&q=75)
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Castillo Templario
Castilla y León
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Encina
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Nearby Castilla y León attractions
1. Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Encina
0.12 MILES
The Gothic-Renaissance Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Encina, up the hill past the tourist office, is very impressive – especially its 17th-century,…
10.37 MILES
The ancient Roman goldmines at Las Médulas, about 20km southwest of Ponferrada, once served as the main source of gold for the entire Roman Empire – the…
28.03 MILES
Astorga's Museo Catedralicio, attached to the cathedral, features the usual religious art, documents and artefacts.
28.05 MILES
The cathedral’s striking plateresque southern facade is created from caramel-coloured sandstone with elaborate sculptural detail. Work began in 1471 and…
28.1 MILES
Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí left his mark on Astorga in the fairy-tale turrets and frilly facade of this palacio. Built in the 19th century, it now…
28.32 MILES
Housed in the Roman ergástula (slave prison), the Museo Romano has a modest selection of artefacts and an enjoyable big-screen slide show on Roman Astorga.
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Astorga's former Roman Forum once occupied one of the highest points of the Roman city. It now consists of low-lying ruins a block from Plaza de España.
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Remnants of a villa that once belonged to a wealthy Roman family survive under glass just down the hill from the Plaza de San Bartolomé. The highlight is…