Castillo Colomares Tickets: Prices and Complete Visitor’s Guide
In this guide, we tell you everything you need to know before organising your trip: how to buy your tickets for Colomares Castle, current prices, opening times by season, and the ultimate tip for combining this activity with a visit to the Benalmádena butterfly house - Monowa, Europe’s largest butterfly park, which recreates an authentic tropical ecosystem; its building is designed in the style of a traditional Thai Buddhist temple, right on the Costa del Sol.
What is the Colomares Monument Castle and what is its history?
Colomares Castle, in Benalmádena, is a memorial built between 1987 and 1994 by Dr Esteban Martín Martín with the help of two local craftsmen. Its architecture combines stone, brick and concrete to recount Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas in 1492.
The architecture of Colomares Castle combines Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic and Mudejar influences. Its decorative details evoke the Catholic Monarchs and Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas, featuring depictions of the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa María. Before buying your tickets for Colomares Castle, learn about its history so you can recognise these symbols during your visit.
Key highlights to discover during your visit
Through its architecture, Colomares Castle tells the story of Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas. During the tour of the exterior, you’ll discover depictions of the ships and other features that help to interpret the monument’s history.
The three ships are the centrepieces of the complex. La Niña appears beneath the Rábida arch, a reference to the monastery that took Columbus in. La Pinta occupies part of the main façade alongside the figure of Pegasus, whilst the Santa María is depicted separately from the other two to commemorate its shipwreck.
Among the monument’s curiosities, the church of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary stands out. Its 1.96 square metres have earned it a place in the Guinness World Records as the world’s smallest church. It forms part of the complex, although the tourist visit is limited to the exterior.
The Chinese pagoda offers another clue to understanding the history. Its presence serves as a reminder that Columbus set out on his voyage with the intention of reaching Asia by sailing westwards. This detail links the castle’s architecture to the original purpose of the expedition.
The mausoleum, with its Gothic rose window, invites reflection on the navigator’s final days. Esteban Martín, the monument’s creator, conceived it as a representation of Columbus’s fifth voyage: his journey into eternity.
The perfect combo: Colomares Castle and Butterfly House tickets
