From the top of Mount Benacantil, a rocky hill rising 166 metres above the sea, the Castillo de Santa Barbara looks out over the city of Alicante and the whole sweep of its bay. The height gave the site great strategic value, since defenders could watch the bay and the surrounding land for any approaching threat. Remains from the Bronze Age, the Iberians and the Romans have been found on the slopes, but the castle itself dates from the 9th century, in the period of Muslim rule. On 4 December 1248, the feast day of Saint Barbara, the fortress was taken by Castilian forces led by the future King Alfonso X, and it was named after the saint to mark the day. Later rulers, including James II of Aragon and the Habsburg kings, rebuilt and strengthened the castle, adding Renaissance walls and bastions. The fortress is laid out in three enclosures on different levels, with the oldest part, crowned by the keep known as La Torreta, at the very top. Over the centuries it served as a stronghold and a prison, before being opened to the public in the 20th century. Visitors can drive or walk up, or take a lift bored through the rock from near the beach, and are rewarded with wide views over the Mediterranean. The hill itself is part of the city's identity: seen from the beach, its profile is said to resemble a face, known to locals as the face of the Moor. A lift bored up through the rock rises from a point near Postiguet beach to the upper levels, saving the steep climb for those who prefer to ride. The castle was used as a prison at various times, and was declared a site of cultural interest in 1961 before becoming one of the city's main attractions. From its walls the view takes in the harbour, the long curve of the bay and the streets of Alicante spread out far below. Among the largest medieval strongholds in Spain, its silhouette on the skyline has become an emblem of the city.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: Alicante, Spain