DENIA CASTLE
Costa Blanca, Spain
The town of Denia is one of the most unspoilt along the Costa Blanca; hardly a high rise in sight it exudes the charm and joie de vivre which so typifies Spain. Indeed, Denia and the area immediately surrounding it was recently announced as being the healthiest place to live in the whole of the world! Quite an accolade!!
There are remains here from the original Roman fortifications which stood on top of the hill. Denia (Dianium to the Romans) has a natural harbour, one of the best in the area, and the hill in the centre of town is an obvious place for a fortification. Some remains at the eastern end of the Castle date from the Roman period.
It was, however, when the Moors overran Iberia that Denia - like so many of Spain's Castles - really came into being. Much of the central section of the Castle date from the Moorish period, much of it built in the 11th and 12th Centuries.
After the Moors were thrown out of Spain by the Castillian Spanish a walled precinct was built around the Castle and the centre of the town for protection. In this period the Red Tower and Council Tower were added (15th Century) and bastions and bulwarks were constructed using the then modern concept of angle bastions (pointed walls to deflect shot). In the 16th and 17th Centuries a residence was built inside the Castle walls by the Marquis of Denia. Sadly in the Spanish War of Succession (1701 to 1714) the Castle and town were subjected to fierce fighting and in 1859 the Castle was finally abandoned as a military post. Since then it has lain in ruins until more recent years have seen the remains shored up, rennovated and today the Castle is open to the public.
© Text copyright - Raving Loony Productions and Andrew J. Müller
© Photos and Artwork - Andrew J. Müller and Jacqui Harris
© Web Design and Layout - Andrew J. Müller
2009
