Watchtower of Torrelodones
The Watchtower of Torrelodones, or Atalaya de Torrelodones, is a Moorish defense tower built my the Muslims during the Umayyad Dynasty in the 9th century. It is situated in Torrelodones near Madrid, Spain and was used in the Al-andalus age to guard the city from the attacks of Christians during the conquest of the Iberian peninsula.
The tower has a very interesting history. Legend has it that during the Noche de Difuntos (Night of the Dead) the overseer of the tower, Mr. Tirso Lodón, came home to find his children had mysteriously died. Since he was unable to explain their deaths, and feared that he would be charged with their murder, he hung their bodies outside the tower and told the people of the town of that they committed suicide.
The tower is in excellent condition and was deemed an Historical & Artistic Monument by the Ministry of Culture of Spain in 1983.
