Avances en la investigación arqueológica de la fortaleza medieval de Aguilar de la Frontera (Córdoba, España)

The Fortress of Aguilar de la Frontera, together with the defensive fence of the town, is one of the oldest fortifications studied in the province of Córdoba, whose origins date back to at least the 9th century, the main episode of war being the Battle of Poley, a key historical milestone for the future of the Umayyad Caliphate. During its more than 1.000 years of history, it has undergone an architectural evolution that has been investigated over the last three decades from a historical and archaeological point of view, based on the remains of buildings and material culture that are still preserved on the hill on which it stands. Partially razed to the ground by the barbarity of the 19th and 20th centuries, it has been possible to recover almost all its ground plan, although the fortified perimeter of the town has not suffered the same fate and is in constant deterioration. This work aims to show the results of these years of historical and archaeological research, in which it has been possible to document elements of the original Muslim fortress, its Christian transformation and the great reform orchestrated by Don Alonso Fernández de Córdoba, Lord of Aguilar and elder brother of the Gran Capitán, as well as the conservation measures adopted and the dissemination programme put in place since 2010 by the town council of this town, owner of the monument, in a clear commitment to its recovery and enhancement.