Like many towns in Spain, Alicante has a castle, Castillo de Santa Barbara. It is located in the center of the city on Mount Benacantil (elev. 166 m) and commands an excellent view of the bay and surrounding lands. The image of the mountain from the beach resembles a face and thus has been dubbed “the face of the Moor”.
The origins of the castle date back to the 9th
century and at the time of Muslim control of the Iberian Peninsula. In 1248,
the castle was captured by Castilian forces and was named after Saint Barbara,
upon whose feast day the castle was recaptured from the Arabs.
From the 18th century the military role of the castle declined and it was sometimes used as a prison. During the Spanish Civil War it was used by Franco in 1939 as a concentration camp for Republican prisoners.
From 1940 to 1963 it remained abandoned until it was opened to the public. Elevators accessed by a tunnel were installed to provide passage up to the castle from the beach area.
We, of course, climbed up to the top from the town, passing through the very scenic Calle San Rafael on the way up.
The castle is free to enter and you can purchase tours,
workshops and access to other programs such as wine tastings, beer tastings and
chocolate tastings.
Standing on the ramparts, you can appreciate the strategic importance
of the castle and enjoy some of the best views in Alicante.
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