Comtal
Comtal is a historical term used in the Iberian Peninsula to designate a fortress or castle that belonged to a count in medieval times. The word derives from the Latin comitis, through Old Spanish and Catalan forms, and denotes property or authority associated with a count. A castell comtal, or comtal castle, typically functioned as the administrative and military center of a county, serving as the count’s residence and as the hub for governance and defense of surrounding territory.
In design, comtals varied widely. Some were compact complexes with a keep and surrounding curtain walls, while
Timeline and context place many comtal structures within the 9th to 12th centuries, with continued modifications
Today, the term survives primarily in historical scholarship and toponymy. Many towns preserve ruins, archaeological remains,