Everything You Need To Know About The Castle Of Denia
Denia is a picturesque port city along the Mediterranian coast of eastern Spain.
The diverse archaeological sites, monuments, and streets in Denia bear the imprints of the diverse civilizations that have lived there at various points in history.
The Castle of Dénia dates back to more than thousands of years. It has Islamic roots that serve as the seat of an incredibly fascinating archaeological museum.
Situated atop a 60-meter high hill, the castle sits at the heart of the city. Visitors can reach the castle by following San Francisco Street in the Les Roques neighborhood.
Once you reach there, an ominous warhead-shaped entrance reminiscing Islamic architecture will greet you. Then follow the planted path that will take you to the ticket office.
Gear yourself for a small hike because private cars are not allowed to preserve the castle in its current state.
History Of The Castle
Remnants of Roman buildings near the castle show us that the castle was around the time the town was known as Diannium.
To get a better understanding of the castle’s roots, we must travel to the Islamic periods during the 11th and 12 centuries. The castle saw many new features during this time.
Originally the citadel of the castle was the residence of the ruler it was an Arabian palace.
The most important part of the enclosure's gates is the Mig tower (Torre del Medio), which is inside the citadel.
The most significant entrance to the citadel, the Portal de la Vila, is also located there. It comprises split-key arches and pointed horseshoe arches.
The castle has 2 concentric compounds; the upper floor and the lower floor. The king resided on the upper floor, which was the palace. Al-bacar or the lower floor housed the livestock.
In 1304, the castle transformed due to the relocation of the inhabitants to the walled compound.
This led to the formation of Vila Vella or the Old Town which subsequently became the town center till the Spanish Succession war.
During the Renaissance period, many new important additions were made to the castle.
This includes the Torre Roja or the Red tower, and the strengthening of the Defensive systems at the governor’s palace. Duke of Lerma who was Philip III’s Chief minister used to reside at the castle during his visits.
After the inception of the Spanish Succession War, the Old town and the palace were in ruins.
It was during the 19th century, that the castle passed onto private hands after the castle was no longer used for military or defensive purposes.
Current State Of The Castle
During the 20th century, the castle was returned to the people.
The Dénia Castle tunnel connects the Ronda de las Murallas and Plaza del Consell. The condition and look of this step have much improved after it underwent repair in 2011.
The tunnel located under the Dénia Castle was built as a bomb shelter during the Spanish Civil War. To shield the civilian population from the La Pava aviation's shellings, it was built between 1937 and 1938. It continued to operate after the war was done, connecting the two areas of the city.
To attract tourists, several restoration works were carried out on the Castle of Denia. The castle remains to this date as a significant souvenir of Denia’s rich cultural heritage.
Now, the Castle hosts an Archeological Museum.
It has four chambers that represent the Iberian, Roman, Muslim, and Christian periods and is found at the top portion of the castle. As it is a part of the ticket, access to it is free.
Visit the Dénia castle; it's an easy, inexpensive, and really entertaining activity for people of all ages.