Castle Stern - Castell de la Popa – Castellcir, Spain - Atlas Obscura

Castle Stern - Castell de la Popa

Castellcir, Spain

These striking ruins of a castle resemble a ship's stern. 

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Named for the part of a ship that rises over the main deck aft, Castell de la Popa (“Castle Stern” in English) is an unsusual rock formation in Spain.

Ruins take many shapes and sizes, but typically they more or less resemble what they once were. A building. A temple. A castle. 

But this particular castle resembles something wholly different: The stern of a massive ship, rising jagged and rocky out of the landscape. Thus came its nickname, the Castle Stern. Visitors come to this landmark in the countryside to see what was once a castle, but just as often to see the new shape – the accidental ship.

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November 16, 2011

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