Is Templar Castle visible when coming into Ponferrada?

[JoyceTL]

Hi, just trying to remember if we could see the Templar's Castle when we entered Ponferrada and made our way to the albergue. Anyone out there remember if this was the case? Thanks.

 

[jstorybook]

You can just barely see it in the distance if you look at the right spot. When I was there last October the castle was closed on Sunday and Monday.

 

[Tincatinker]

I do not recall any view of the Castillo from the approach to Ponferrada, more its sudden discovery during a stroll along the Calle /Ave el Castillo. There may have been a point during the approach where it was visible but certainly not prominent. The castle was built to dominate the confluence of the Rios Sil & Boesa rather than the approach to Ponferrada from the east. The Templars assumption in 1178 was of a site that gave command over river traffic but, conveniently, stood on the emerging pilgrim roads to Santiago.

 

[Camino Samoset Santiago]

Free entrance on Thursdays! And a nice stamp.

 

[whariwharangi]

Try google earth street view ... My recollection is of nearly walking past it before I saw it.

 

[Dan]

I have a distinct memory of approaching Ponferrada and looking for it - was sure I had located it - but I was wrong! You enter the outskirts of the town along some river flats, then into some ordinary looking suburbia. Couldn't see it. Discovered that it is to the left of the hump of the town on its hills, near the river and the fairly big mountain on the left of the river as you approach. I agree with whariwharangi, you seem to suddenly come upon it.
pic: https://www.dropbox.com/s/73puh3twmldo5yx/DSCF2041.JPG

 

[scruffy1]

Alas, one should never say disparaging things about the Camino-I find the "Templar" castle a tarted up Disney-Land sort of place-if free consider visiting, do get the sello but I for one, was disappointed. The walk out of Ponferrada is, well, not a Camino highlight, so buckle up your good spirits.

 

[Dan]

Dead right scruffy. The castle is a better thing on the outside than the inside. Very little has been done to restore and redevelop it. There is no sense / presence of the old Templars; just some mock-up costumes etc etc. And as you say the walk out of Ponferrada is a shocker. Fortunately we found a place called the Cafe Missouri on the outskirts. The wife of the owner is a lovely woman from the Phillipines, and she did us proud with a lovely dinner. Her name is Daisy.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The castle is great!!!

You glimpse it in the main route, but not on the shorter alternate.

 

[unadara]

Glad falcon chimed in here, first time we took direct route through town, early morning, dawn, and I did stop to take photos as we went by on our way out of town. 2nd time we followed the route "around" the town, and met a group of pilgrims in a very new posh? coffee/tea shop directly opposite a view of the Castle, the coffee was great and this time I walked up into the street complex to get a better view and went out of town by a little steps to "face" into the "industrial" zone. I didn't need the alberque either time and prefer to walk though. The signposted route around town is a long option and of no benefit except you come across an old bridge and see the "Castle".

 

[rickster]

I guess I'm the exception because I didn't have a great depth of understanding of the Templars and really enjoyed touring the castle and learning more about the history of the Templars. Not for the sake of any awe-inspiring architecture, but more for the representation and explanation of the various segments of society at that time and the history of the Templars.

 

[Thengel1]

The best views of the castle were indeed from the outside (and hence free), but there was one redeeming feature to paying the entry fee. Upstairs, there was a collection of old books, open to pages with illustrations. Some of the books dated back to 9th century and the illustrations were just amazingly detailed and beautiful. However, I am not 100 percent sure the exhibit was permanent. (I passed that way in April 2013).

 

[karenfromcali]

Hmm...really have been looking forward to seeing the castle and am surprised by the mixed reviews. Guess I will just have to see for myself. Does anyone know if it is open year round?

 

[nreyn12]

It depends on which route you come in on. The trail markers give two choices, shortly before Ponferrada. If you go to the left, via the road, you will end up in the old historic center and may feel a bit lost. Nonetheless, it's the shorter way to go. If you go to the right, you walk through a suburb of Ponferrada (Campo?) and once you arrive in the city, just after a small bridge, you have a choice. At that juncture, you can go to the right to get to the albergue, or to left which does take you directly past the castle.

Regardless of which way one goes, it's good to ask for help to find the castle, because it's well worth a look!

 

[Whalleyranger]

If you follow the route via Campo I'm sure when you arrive in the town centre the castle walls are right in front of you - the arrows on the wall either point you to the albergue or the Camino. I didn't go into the castle but sort of wish I did - if you've read her book you'll recall that this was where Shirley McLean lost it big time.

 

[TheTinkerBell]

Free entrance on Thursdays! And a nice stamp.

Mmm, I was sure it was Tuesday when I got in for free last summer???

Anyway, the castle itself has been added to / extended over the centuries on at least two or three occasions, meaning that little of the first Templar fortress remains. In fact, it's almost certain that the original defences were wooden and that the stones walls are a later, non-Templar addition.
The book collection, as far as I know is a permanent collection (many of the illustrated pages are reproductions of the originals). They have a particularly fine replica of a page from the Book of Kells.

The route into the city that I took brought me to the front gates of the castle. Took me a while to locate the main albergue afterwards though!!!

 

[scruffy1]

One last somewhat pedantic word-the Templar castle was only Templar for 20 years and with the dissolution of the Order in 1312, passed into other hands. The structure then passed through different landlords evolving through a checkered narrative of capture, royal grants, purchase, and all the expected misadventures which history can offer. During the 19th century much stone was removed as readily available building material for houses and even sidewalks. For those really interested the Museum del Bierzo Calle del Reloj, 5, has an exhibition concerning the castle-those prefering to believe or cherish the Templar myth should not visit.
Far more interesting in my eyes is the Iglesia de Santa Maria de la Encina and the Virgen de la Encina image-another story which if founded in faith or in myth is far more enchanting.

 

[Peronel]

The books were there in May 2012. I spent several happy hours nosing round the castle. Sadly, all the people I was walking with were too set on the bed race to stop.

 

[indyinmaine]

Hi, just trying to remember if we could see the Templar's Castle when we entered Ponferrada and made our way to the albergue. Anyone out there remember if this was the case? Thanks.

I followed the yellow arrows into town (it takes forever to get there). To tell the truth, I don't see how you could miss it. It stands right in the center of the city. I was on my way to beyond Villafranca del Bierzo that day so just stopped for a beer and tortilla right beside it.

 

[pattymo97206]

I remember seeing the castle, only I have no recollection of which route I took into the town or out of it, for that matter. It was closed when I was there. Actually, the photo you see to the left was taken in Ponferrada. Geez! I remember very little about the town except for that very friendly looking guy.

 

[GunnarW]

From the castle, you can see the military antenna on the hill between MANJARIN en EL ACEBO.
So normally, if the weather is nice and if your eyes are OK, you should see it from the hill. I remember only seeing the black modern building.

 

[Sue M]

I seem to remember the coffeee shop opposite thencastle was called Godiva, which, since I come from near Coventry, made me smile!

 

[t2andreo]

The municipal albergue is on the road into Ponferrada. The Templar castle is at the top of the hill. Others here are correct that if you are at the albergue, you need to be looking at the correct spot and then you only see a small piece of the castle. To see it proper, you need to walk up the hill from the albergue and work your way left.

I looked at the outside, took photos, and did not venture inside when I was there.

 

[Tincatinker]

Scuffy1 is on the nail with the issue of the Templar tenure of the castle. Other than the scant exhibits in the "exhibition" that are Templar related there is nothing physical that was created by the Templars, only that that was briefly occupied by members of the Order. I remember a sense of irritation when I visited at the comment in the leaflet issued at the gate that the Templars "abandoned" the castle in 1312. After all it does seem unlikely that you would pop back for tea or even to collect your luggage having been burnt at the stake or hung drawn and quartered. (Of course the lay brethren were merely hung, anything else would have been too costly.) I remain unconvinced that they all got up one May morning and just decided to move out.

The association of the Templars with the Camino provides an opportunity for the tourist boards to put a "hook" on their castle but it is as tenuous as the "view" as you approach. However it is a fantastic extant example of a fortified command site offering control over major communication routes and will therefore remain of interest to historians, geographers and passing pagans.

For an alternative Templar site consider Calzadilla de Los Hermanillos, the place of the little brothers of the road, a clue in the name of a way station on the Calzada Romana. The little brothers, without land or title to be claimed, escaped, mainly, the suppression of the Templar Order and carried on delivering their mission.