The imposing figure of the Keep, or Armory, is a substantial part of the profile of Alba de Tormes. It is also a key element of the urban route that allows a suggestive tour of the historic complex.

Its origin is uncertain. It is initially believed to have stood as a mere watchtower and defense tower. Later, in the fifteenth century, begins its true transformation of the hand of Don García Álvarez de Toledo, First Duke of Alba and origin of this lineage.

The castle became under the Grand Duke of Alba, Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, a palace fortress that housed an illustrious Renaissance court. It had six towers decorated with marbles and murals such as those preserved in the Keep, some frescoes showing passages from the Battle of Mühlberg, painted by Cristóbal Passin and Miguel Ruíz de Carvajal.

After the splendor, the castle suffered the vicissitudes of time, fights and confrontations, mainly of the War of Independence, which reduced its size considerably.

At present, and after several interventions, you can visit the main tower that houses the above paintings, the Interpretation Room and ascend to the panoramic outdoor viewpoint, which allows a formidable vision of the environment. Outside, you can walk through the ruins corresponding to the archaeological excavations begun in 1991 that have been discovering the splendour that came to have the Castle, declared a Site of Cultural Interest.