The Grapevine Issue 172 2014|
The castle stands as a
reminder of the town’s
importance as the
capital of the Marina
Alta area.
The town prospered
under Arabic rule and
the castle was built
to provide a mighty
fortress
against
intruders and pirates.
After the Moors fled
when the Christians
claimed back the land
in 1244, the castle was
left to crumble until the
19th century when it
was partially rebuilt
during a brief French
occupation.
In the past few years,
Denia
has
been
painstakingly restoring
the castle and its
magnificent walls.
Today it’s a favourite
tourist
destination
where visitors can learn
more about Denia’s
history
and
enjoy
fabulous views of the
marina, beaches, port
and Montgo mountain.
Under the castle is
a tunnel which was
excavated
between
1937 and 1938 to
provide shelter for
residents during air
raids in the Spanish
Civil War.
It also
became a makeshift
factory
where
the
Republicans
made
bullets to fight Franco’s
mighty army.