Framed on a block sheet that shows an aerial view of the town of Marcilla, the stamp dedicated to the castle of the same name shows an intaglio of it.
Marcilla's life revolves around her imposing 15th century castle. Located in the middle of the town next to it, its inhabitants gather and celebrate their festivals, all of which has currently been demolished.
Marcilla Castle is a Gothic fortification built in the 15th century, at the end of the reign of Charles III the Noble, king of Navarre, who ordered its construction to Mosén Pierres de Peralta, a cursed character since in 1469 he supported Nicolás de Chávarri as bishop of Pamplona, who some time later would order his death by spear.
In addition to a defensive role, this fortress also served as a palatial mansion for the Marquises of Falces, descendants of Pierres de Peralta.
In 1516 it was in danger and, on the verge of being demolished by the Gipuzkoan troops commanded by Captain Villalva, intended to demolish the fortress following the order of Cardinal Cisneros.
He was saved from such disaster by Doña Ana de Velasco, wife of the marquis, Alonso Carrillo. This fact gave rise to the most famous of the Marcilla legends, immortalized in the film “The Warrior Lady, Doña Ana de Velasco.”
The castle had inside a large parade ground around which the rooms were distributed. In modern times, lower buildings were added that reduced this interior space.
It was built with bricks on stone slopes. Surrounded by large moats it had the typical drawbridge. Strong prismatic towers rise at the four corners of the square. It had another higher one in the center, but less thick, provided with battlements and angled arrow slits.
In this building, the sword Tizona del Cid was kept since 1470, given to Mosén Pierres by Ferdinand the Catholic, remaining there until the Civil War.
