Cerro del Mirabel near Granon

[Wombat]

Hi All,

My wife and I walked the Camino Frances in September and October last year and are now in the process of looking through our photographs. I was intriqued by this hill, about a kilometre to the north east of Granon. From another photo attached to Google Maps it appears to be named "Cerro del Mirabel".

The hill appears to have a terrace cut near the top and I was wondering if that terrace was man made or of geological origin. Has the hill been used as a fort in prehistoric times? I noted similar terraces on other hills along the way.

Can anyone enlighten me?

Kevin

 

[Steve.Belfast]

It does look like the remains of an ancient hill fort. Imagine a palisade around that 'terrace' and it would be a strong defensive retreat.

 

[Patricio83]

I found this in the spanish Wikipedia article on Grañon.

Cuentan los documentos recuperados de la época que el origen de Grañón se remonta al siglo IX, en que se data la construcción de un castillo por orden del rey de Castilla, Alfonso III, sobre la cima de un cerro situado junto a la villa, conocido como Mirabel o Mirabelia. Según las Crónicas Najerenses, en Grañón había un castillo hacia el año 885. Otros estudios indican el año 889 como la fecha de construcción del castillo. Esta fortaleza, junto con otras cercanas, servía para defenderse de las incursiones musulmanas en territorios cristianos.

It basically says: Documents from the time tell us that the origins of Grañon go back to the 9th century when a castle, known as Mirabel or Mirabelia, was constructed on a hill top close to the town on the orders of the king of Castille, Alfonso III....blah blah blah....This fortress along with others served to defend against Muslim incursions into Christian territory.

Nothing about prehistoric hill forts was mentioned.

Patricio.