Mocha Tower of Loreto

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Espartinas. Torre Mocha de Loreto vista desde el patio del Convento

This tower, the only one in good condition in this municipality, dates to the times of the conquest of Seville by Saint Ferdinand. It is an eloquent testimony to the Christian settlers’ capacity to follow the organisational structure that existed in the recently annexed territory.

The purpose of this tower was to defend the village of Loreto, built by the Christians on the site of the ancient Muslim farmhouse of Lorit, which had in turn been constructed over the Roman Laurentum, whose remains can be found nearby.
The tower is currently integrated into the farmhouse, precisely on the wall dividing the convent from the house. Both buildings are called Loreto. The site has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.

It has a rectangular plan when the chamber and staircase are also taken into account. It has three overlapping rooms. The lower chamber, filled with debris, is below the present ground level. The roof is a dome on pendentives. There is a hole in the keystone (nowadays filled with wrought iron). Its structure is highly complex. It has clearly been used for different purposes over the years. Several openings in the walls seem to be from different periods. The second chamber is very different. It has a ribbed vaulted roof with thick, pointed ribs and without a keystone. Inside it has a half-barrel vault with a segmental arch and a semi-circular arch on the outside. The third chamber has a sail vault and is the least consolidated.

Although the tower was built with earth, mud and bricks, the primary material was brick. It can be found both inside and outside the structure.

Opening times

Check the opening and tour hours

Closed Tuesday.

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