Castillo de Colomares is a monument dedicated to the adventures of Christopher Columbus. Its construction took place near Benalmádena in Spain, between 1987 and 1994. In just seven years, Dr. D. Esteban Martín and two masons managed to build the castle in their spare time.
Covering an area of 1,500 square meters, Castillo de Colomares is the largest monument in the world, but also contains the smallest church in the world (1.96 square meters).
The design is a mixture of various styles that are Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, and Mudejar. Around the structure, there are various referances to Columbus’ historic journeys like the statues of the three ships that he used on his voyages across the Atlantic. There are also numerous carvings of the coats of arms of the Catholic monarchs and other gentry that accompanied Colombus. Inside the castle, one can also find a large book giving details about the historic voyages along with carved references to the three main religions that are Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Over the years, Colomares Castle has functioned as a falconry, then as an iguana centre. Today, it is one of most popular tourist attractions in Spain.
