The Legend of the Celles Tower in Siero

Published on January 21, 2026 | Translated from Spanish
Photograph of the Celles Tower, a ruined medieval stone structure, with a dramatic sky in the background, evoking its mysterious legend.

The Legend of the Celles Tower in Siero

In the Asturian municipality of Siero stands the Celles Tower, a defensive construction from the Middle Ages dating back to the 14th century. Within its stone walls endures an ancestral tale about a noble young woman who, as the story goes, was imprisoned alive within the walls by her own father as punishment for loving a knight from an enemy lineage. 👻

The Echo of a Tragic Love

Oral tradition assures that the lady's soul does not rest. Those who live nearby and visitors who approach the site recount unsettling auditory experiences, especially when there is a full moon. They speak of perceiving moans and groans emerging from the ancient masonry, sounds that many directly link to the alleged tormented spirit. These phenomena sustain the site's reputation as a hotspot for strange events.

Details of the popular narrative:
  • The punishment was in response to challenging the agreements and alliances between powerful families of the time.
  • The story has been passed down uninterrupted from parents to children for centuries.
  • The tower, in consolidated ruins, preserves an atmosphere that immediately evokes the tragedy.
"That explains the sigh, not the sadness they say the air brings." - Local skeptical comment.

A Monument with Double Value

Beyond the legendary component, the tower serves as an important example of military architecture from the late medieval period in Asturias. It first belonged to the Celles family and later to the Bernaldo de Quirós, forming part of the factional disputes between the nobility. Its construction, made with rubble masonry and ashlar, has withstood the wear of time.

Historical and architectural aspects:
  • It represents the power and tensions between Asturian noble lineages.
  • Its defensive structure is characteristic of fortifications from that era.
  • Today it can be viewed from the outside, acting as a monument that combines documented history and legend.

Between Myth and Reason

Some skeptical voices suggest that the famous laments could originate from the wind filtering through the cracks in the ancient stone. However, for believers in the legend, this rational explanation fails to cover the deep sensation of sorrow and melancholy that many claim to perceive in the surroundings. The Celles Tower remains thus, as a physical symbol where historical past and folklore intertwine inseparably. 🏰