The Castle of Charles V, also known as the “El Emperador” parador, has a quadrangular shape and smooth facades, without towers or turrets. Its roof is made of wood, except for the top floor, which is vaulted. At its peak, the building had six levels and was fully equipped with all the necessary facilities for the garrison and troops. Some walls reached up to three meters thick, reflecting its defensive character.
On the rear terrace, overlooking the Labourd bank of the Bidassoa River, up to twelve artillery pieces were positioned. During Gorosabel’s time, the interior could accommodate an infantry battalion.
A royal palace also existed nearby, of which only remnants remain today. This palace housed high-ranking visitors, including members of the royal family, such as Charles I, Philip III and IV, Isabella of Valois and Bourbon, as well as the poet Garcilaso de la Vega, military governors, and lieutenants of the fortress.
The castle’s dungeons also held notable figures of the time, including Miguel de Oquendo and the brothers of Saint Francis Xavier, highlighting the strategic and political importance of the site.
- CENDOYA ECHÁNIZ, Ignacio: La Semana Santa en Gipuzkoa. Estudio histórico-artístico, Cuadernos de sección, Artes plásticas y monumentales nº 13, Donostia, Eusko Ikaskuntza, 1995, pp. 77, 93, 107, 125, 189 y 203.