Built in the 15th-century by the powerful Marquis of Villena, Belmonte is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Spain. It is located in the province of Cuenca, birthplace for some of the oldest Castilian lineages, ninety miles from Madrid.This castle has been the scenery of great historical moments such as battles to conquer the Castilian crown, Royal Lodge to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, or the birth of the renaissance poet Fray Luis de Leon. It has also been the setting of the film “El Cid“ with Charlton Heston and Sofia Loren as main characters.The Interiors are dominated by outstanding stucco works of Gothic and Moorish style and a Neo-Gothic courtyard built during the 19th century restoration accomplished by its former owner, The Empress Eugenie, who passed it on to his nephew the Duke of Peñaranda de Duero.