Before and after pictures of Castle Matrera. (Photo by The Guardian)
From Medievalists.net:
“A botched restoration attempt in Spain has garnered international attention and condemnation from locals, historians and conservationists. Located in Villamartin, a city in the province of Cádiz Spain, the crumbling Moorish castle has been wrecked in an bungled attempt to save it from further destruction. The castle was built in the ninth century by Christian convert, Omar Ben Hasfun (850-917 AD), and was last officially used five centuries ago to defend against Moorish incursions. The 1100 year old ruin was already in a delicate state after heavy rains caused its final vault to crumble three years ago. Recent complaints over inaction to protect heritage sites in Cádiz prompted conservationists and city officials to undertake a restoration project to salvage what was left of the ancient structure.”