Castle of Artajona (Castillo de Artajona)

The Castle of Artajona is better described as a fortified town enclosure than as a single castle, and it is known locally as El Cerco, the enclosure. It crowns a hill in Artajona, a small town in the Zona Media of Navarre, and it formed part of the kingdom’s defences along the frontier with Castile in the Middle Ages, against Castilian pressure. The Navarre’s kings valued the position, which commands the plain, and the walls and towers that were built around the summit made it a strong point in the system of fortresses that protected the kingdom. The origin is usually placed in the twelfth century, with additions in later periods, though the earlier history is less clear.

A wall with buttresses and a ring of towers surrounds the summit. Originally the enclosure had around fourteen towers, and a number of them still stand, giving a sense of the scale of the defences. Inside the walls, narrow streets of stone houses climb towards the church, and the visitor passes through gateways that were once guarded. The structure is a good place to understand how a medieval hill town protected itself, since the walls and the houses were part of one defensive system.

The Church of San Saturnino, inside the enclosure, is itself a fortified building. It is a Gothic church of the thirteenth century with a decorated portal, where sculpture shows the martyrdom of the saint who gave the church its name, Saturninus, bishop of Toulouse, a figure widely honoured in Navarre. Inside is a Gothic altarpiece painted in the early sixteenth century. Excavation and restoration at the site have revealed older features, among them a medieval cistern. The visit to the church and the walls is usually done on a short tour, and the guides explain how the buildings fit together.

The address is Calle San Saturnino, in front of the church. Opening arrangements change with the season, with longer hours in summer and reduced hours on weekends in the colder months, and groups can often arrange visits at other times, so check the local tourist office before going.

Artajona itself is a pleasant small town with views across the surrounding farmland, and the Museo de la Vida Rural gives context on traditional life in the countryside. The town is also linked to the pilgrim routes of the region, and the Camino de Santiago passes through the wider area. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, because the summer sun on the open hill can be strong. A visit takes about an hour, and it fits well with a trip to Olite and the other castles of Navarre.