The historical mortars of the castle of Cifuentes (Guadalajara, Spain)

Abstract

This communication analyzes the results of the mineralogical and petrographic characterization of the rendering and masonry mortars from Cifuentes Castle. The castle has five towers, a 400 m2 courtyard and an Islamic influence main door. During the centuries several modifications have been done, reaching nowadays a state of almost abandonment. As part of a broader study of the materials and conservation state of the castle, this study allows us to differentiate several types of mortars that correlate with different construction periods of the monument: the core of the masonry of the courtyard wall made with gypsum mortar, and possibly with an Islamic origin; the main construction period of the castle, that used lime mortars with clay impurities and ceramic fragments; a reparations period with lime mortars that get thicker the core masonry of the courtyard; and a final rendering with lime and gypsum mortar finished with a layer of gray gypsum mortar.