This fortress was a Templar house and a part of the castle line that defended the Ebro frontier, that separated Al-Andalus from the Christian territories. The Templars (feudal lords, half monks half soldiers) received it, besides other compensations, as a payment for their help in conquering the city and their participation with men and weapons.
The castle of Gardeny is not only linked to Lleida by its physical situation, but also for the will of the citizens of the city. The many contributions made –mainly by the small nobility- represented a wide heritage. This way, the Templar house of Gardeny became one of the main decision-making centres of the Templars of the Crown of Aragon.
The Castle of Gardeny was part of a defence line during centuries, along with the castles of Miravet, Monzó, Peñíscola and Tortosa. But long before it was part of the medieval defence net, and because of its strategic position at the top of the plain, it was an operations centre of outstanding soldiers like Julius Caesar.
For Badia Vinagres the silhouette of the Castle of Gardeny, the distinctive sign of its range of high quality vinegars, is a symbol of the strength and dynamism of Lleida throughout the history, in the past and the present.
