VILLAVICIOSA DE ODÓN

Located next to the Guadarrama River, 20 km southwest of Madrid. Its castle houses the Historical Archive of the Air Force, and its archaeological site Calatalifa, was declared of Cultural Interest in 1949. 

In the castle of Villaviciosa de Odón, built in the late fifteenth century, stands out above all its beautiful courtyard in the Herrerian style. King Ferdinand VI died within its walls in the middle of the 18th century. It houses the Historical Archive of the Air Force, and it is possible to visit its interior through the guided tours that are managed at the Municipal Tourism Office (Plaza de la Constitución). In front of the castle is the Fuente de los Caños, whose authorship is attributed to the great architect Ventura Rodríguez.

On the left bank of the Guadarrama, in the place known as Calatalifa, vestiges of a wall and Muslim ceramics from the 10th century appeared, the so-called Calatalifa castle, which was built by order of the Cordovan caliph Abderramán III, in the 10th century, but is currently in ruins although it is in the process of reconstruction.

Another significant building is known as Casa-Palacio de Manuel Godoy, which is so named because the first minister of King Carlos IV acquired his palace from the Countess of Murillo. This construction can be visited.

The entire municipality is included in a protected area by the region of Madrid, the Regional Park of the Middle Course of the Guadarrama River and its surroundings. It has many natural environments among which are El Forestal, the pine forest of Prado Redondo, the Historical Garden, the Sotillo, or the Monreal, among others.

More information: Villaviciosa de Odón