Muñatones Castle, a treasure of our history.

Get to know the Muñatones Castle, one of the most important buildings of the Middle Ages in the Basque Country.

Muñatones Castle is one of the many treasures hidden in Euskadi. A building of great interest, which has made us fall in love thanks to its history and architecture. This fortress of Muskiz, is one of the many attractions that we find in the westernmost region of Bizkaia, and is that, the route that consolidate places such as the forge the Pobal, the Torre Loizaga museum, the Castle of Muñatones, the museum La Encartada, the Karpin or the cave of Pozalagua has become a claim for all the people who visit Bilbao and surroundings. A rural environment full of surprises. The structure of Muñatones Castle has been modified throughout history according to the needs of the time, but always maintaining its impressive central tower. And it is that, following the architectural tradition of our land, behind the walls, we find a tower house, a type of building typical of Euskadi. But it is not a common tower house, we are in front of the tower house of Lope García de Salazar, one of the most outstanding characters of the Middle Ages in Bizkaia.

During the guided tour of the Castle of Muñatones, they show us the majestic architecture of this place while they narrate the adventures of Lope García Salazar, thus obtaining one of the most attractive spaces of the Biscayan region of Enkarterri. A guided visit 100% recommended. An epic space. The Castle of Muñatones, is a unique complex due to the system of walls that protect the tower and the continuous attacks to which it was subjected. We are in front of one of the few tower houses that has the rank of castle in all Euskadi. Its origins date back to the year 1339, at the end of the historical period known as the Middle Ages or Medieval. It was then, when the so-called wars of sides or flag wars proliferated, a series of violent clashes that occupied the land that today we understand as the Basque Country. In the case of Bizkaia, the sides were very clear, the Butrón dominated the right bank of the Nervión while the Salazar dominated the left bank.

During the guided tour, we were amazed by a couple of details that Ander, our guide, told us. Did you know that storming one of these castles was mission impossible at that time? Did you know that these castles were defended with only 12 soldiers? Did you know that the moat surrounding the castle never had water? Did you know that Muñatones Castle is one of the great architectural heritages of Bizkaia? If these peculiarities have caught your attention, we recommend you to keep reading, the visit to Muñatones Castle is not to be missed.

The current Muñatones Castle is the result of centuries of construction and destruction, of victories and defeats. A to and fro of historical moments that took place between the eleventh century (construction of the original tower), the thirteenth century (modification of the tower by Lope Garcia de Salazar) and the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries (wars of the sides). Currently, Muñatones Castle is the only castle in Bizkaia that retains most of the original features of its time.

We are in front of a unique space, one of the last tower house with the rank of castle of all Euskadi. This was the main argument for declaring this Basque space as a Monumental Site, a title that accredits it as one of the spaces to be mentioned within the architectural heritage of our geography. The love affairs between the great families of the time, the disagreements between fathers and sons and the desire to control Bizkaia, led Muñatones Castle to be the epicenter of the most important episodes of medieval Bizkaia. All this, we can affirm it with total rotundity thanks to the historical legacy that Lope Garcia de Salazar left us by means of his writing the “Bienandanzas e fortunas”, a book, in which many of the most important chapters of that time are compiled.

Small details: Around the Castle of Muñatones, in the fields surrounding it, we find several objects that make us immerse ourselves fully in the Middle Ages. Bows, swords and breastplates invite us to play and take pictures with these typical objects of the Middle Ages. A detail that, in addition to enliven the wait for the visit, makes the smallest of the house (and not so small) have a great time. A small incentive, with which to complement the beautiful experience of Muñatones Castle. Do not miss the opportunity to play archery and take pictures with the armor and sword, it is worth it. For the most respectful and prudent people, comment that both the sword and the armor are fake, they have no historical value, you can photograph you with them quietly. By the way, how much do you think the sword weighs?

Architecture: The castle of Muñatones is apparently a very simple structure, a building that, formed by two walled enclosures, a moat and a tower, shows the purchasing power of one of the most important families of the time. It all began with the construction of the tower house, a nucleus on which the rest of the elements that we contemplate today were built. This architectural complex has 2 defensive enclosures, the first of them, square in shape, with a cube in each of its corners, was surrounded by a moat over which there was a drawbridge. The second enclosure, older, simpler, contained only battlements and arrow slits. More than enough to be able to resist all the attacks of the enemy sides.

Of all the elements that make up this architectural ensemble, the tower is the one that has undergone the most modifications over the years. Did you know that the current tower hides the remains of the original tower behind its walls? Curious, isn’t it? On the other hand, the 3 coats of arms that we find in the upper part of the main door represent the 3 families that formed one of the most important alliances of Euskadi, the Muñatones, the Salazar and the Butrón.

Surely at this point, you will have realized the relationship that Muñatones Castle keeps with Butrón Castle, another of the fortresses that we find in Bizkaia. Located about 30 minutes from Muñatones Castle by car, Butron Castle is another of the fortresses that we recommend, yes, you can only see it from the outside, as it currently does not allow visits. It is said that the castle of Muñatones was built on the model of Butrón, is it true?

History: We can say that the recent history of Muñatones Castle begins in 1944, when it was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument, along with the rest of the buildings that make up the Muñatones complex (palace and chapel). Shortly after, in 1949, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia bought the castle in order to restore it and open it to the public. The Salazar Palace had a period in which it was closely linked to the tourism of our land, since it was ceded to the Ministry of Tourism for its use as a Parador between 1968 and 1973. From that year on, Petronor acquired all the land and buildings adjoining the Muñatones Castle, converting the palace into the company’s offices.

Forge of El Pobal: The Forge of El Pobal, another of the must-see places in the region of Enkarterri, has a close relationship with the Castle of Muñatones. Ochoa de Salazar, grandson of Lope Garcia de Salazar, was the person who built this forge. A legacy that his descendants kept for more than 200 years. You have to visit it. To see in person, how they transform the mineral into everyday gadgets of our daily life is simply impressive. We keep with great affection the nail that they created during the demonstration of our guided tour.

Petronor: This Basque company and the Castle of Muñatones have maintained an idyll since the beginning of time. And the fact is that, where in the past we used to find sides trying to besiege the castle, today we find the facilities of Petronor, one of the most important companies in Bizkaia. Petronor, the company that owns the land surrounding the Castle of Muñatones, has the presence of the Castle of Muñatones in its logo, thus becoming a sign of identity of this Basque giant. The company’s headquarters are located in the Salazar Palace, less than 10 meters from the castle gardens, thus maintaining a collaborative relationship between the two institutions.

Guided tour: The guided tours to the Castle of Muñatones are one of the most anticipated events of Easter and summer, and is that this Basque castle, only offers regular visits to its interior a few days of the year. We arrived at the castle by car, and although there is no parking where we can leave our vehicles in the vicinity of the castle, you can park right next to the entrance, of course, as long as we do not hinder traffic or the entry and exit of vehicles from the surrounding farms. Upon entering, going down some stairs on the left hand side, we found a small prefabricated hut where we were welcomed. It was here, where we met Silvia Rubio, one of the guides who assisted us a few years ago at the El Pobal Ironworks. Very attentive, she told us about the different shifts of visits that existed at the same time that she solved all the doubts that we had about this guided visit. After buying the tickets, we ventured into the castle gardens, where we had a wonderful time shooting archery and posing next to the huge sword that we found at the entrance, a medieval photocall in all rules. After a short wait, it was time.

Ander Salinas, another of the guides of this Basque jewel, met us in front of the entrance of the castle to start the long awaited guided tour. We don’t want to reveal everything that this medieval experience has to offer, so we are only going to surprise you with a couple of details. Look at the door of the central tower, also called the keep, more than 3 meters high, how did they enter inside? In addition to plunge into the Middle Ages through the various anecdotes of Lope Garcia de Salazar, being able to walk the walls where the soldiers were once stationed is surprising to say the least. A totally different perspective from which to see the history surrounding this fortress. The only downside to this guided tour is not being able to go inside the tower, it would be impressive to see in person the spaces in which they lived at that time. Although it has nothing to do, this visit reminded us of our adventures in the Palace of Olite, incorrectly called Olite Castle. At the end of the visit we were lucky enough to meet Marta Zabala, director of the El Pobal Ironworks and responsible for the guided tours that take place in the Castle of Muñatones. She was the one who recommended us to visit the castle during the annual dramatized visit. We will be back.

Enkarterri: The westernmost region of Bizkaia surprises us with an incredible natural landscape, a place rich in culture and history that offers us a getaway to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. This Basque region is located on the border of Euskadi, bordering with Cantabria and Castilla y León, where the Karrantza Valley plays an important role. Enkarterri is formed by the municipalities of Abanto-Zierbena, Alonsotegi, Artzentales, Balmaseda, Galdames, Gordexola, Güeñes, Karrantza Harana, Lanestosa, Muskiz, Ortuella, Sopuerta, Turtzioz, Zalla and Zierbena. An extensive territory, in which we recommend you to visit the following places:

Dramatized visit: Once a year, in July, framed within the actions of the European Cultural Heritage,Muñatones Castle dresses up to host one of its most special visits, the dramatized visit. Led by a historian and organized by the El Pobal Ironworks, this hour and a half long visit takes us back in time to the Middle Ages. A very special visit that has a great demand and limited places, we recommend booking.

School: Although the Muñatones Castle is closed to the general public for much of the year, it is still open to schools. And this space continues to tell the history of Bizkaia to the little ones of the house during the months of May to October, from Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00.

Location: The location in which Muñatones Castle is located, next to the Petronor facilities, 5 minutes walk from the center of Muskiz and 6 minutes drive from the Arena beach, provides us with a strategic situation from which to enjoy all the attractions of the surroundings. Although nowadays Petronor’s facilities do not allow us to appreciate the proximity of the sea and the marshes, the Barbadun river and its tributaries guide us on our way to the sea, to freedom.

Rates: The rates for the guided tour of the Muñatones castle are practically symbolic. Or at least, that was the impression it gave us.

If we value the duration of the guided tour (1 hour), the quality of it and the small details that it has, we can conclude that the price of the guided tour of the castle of Muñatones has a great value for money.

TurismoVasco Tiketa: Our humble accreditation has gone this time to the Castle of Muñatones. A small sticker that attests to the historical value of this incredible architectural heritage. A different space, unique, that we recommend to visit to all our readers.

Videos: As usual, we have uploaded a video about Muñatones Castle to our YouTube channel, we hope it will help you to get a more realistic idea of what awaits you in this small corner of Muskiz. On the other hand, we encourage you to subscribe to follow our adventures throughout the Basque Country. We are sure that the videos are a perfect complement to our social networks(Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) and website.

The Muñatones Castle is a small historical jewel of our land. A space, dynamic and striking, that we invite you to know so that you can appreciate in person the power that the Salazar family had in Muskiz and surroundings. We are sure you will love it. We look forward to your comments.