Santa Bárbara Castle
The Castle of Santa Bárbara (Castillo de Santa Bárbara) is a fortifcation in the center of Alicante, Spain. It stands on the Mount Benacantil (166 m).
History
Bronze Age, Iberian, and Roman artifacts have been found on the slopes of the mountain, but the origins of the castle date to the 9th century at the time of Muslim control of the Iberian Peninsula. The Arab medieval geographer Al-Idrisi calls this mountain Banu-lQatil, and the toponym may derive from the words pinna (Arabic for "peak") and laqanti, adjectival form of Laqant, the Arabic name for Alicante.
On December 4, 1248, the castle was captured by Castilian forces led by Alfonso of Castile, later King Alfonso X. It was named after Saint Barbara, on whose feast day the castle was captured. It was conquered by the Aragonese in 1296 during the reign of James II of Aragon, who ordered its reconstruction. Peter IV of Aragon, Charles I of Spain and Philip II of Spain would oversee further reconstructions.
The castle was bombarded in 1691 by a French squadron. During the War of Spanish Succession, it was held by the English for three years. In 1873, it was bombarded, along with the city, by the cantonalistas from the frigate Numancia.[1]
From the 18th century the military role of the castle has declined and it was used sometimes as a prison.[1] The castle remained abandoned until 1963, when it was opened to the public. Elevators were installed inside the mountain.
References
- ^ a b History of the Castle Alicante Town Hall
External links
- Castle of Santa Barbara at Alicante Town Hall: brief history, detailed history, sketch map
- Catálogo del Patrimonio Cultural Valenciano Template:Es icon
- Reportaje Documental sobre el Castillo de Santa Barbara Template:Es icon