Peníscola () or Peñíscola (), anglicised as Peniscola, is a
municipality in the
Province of Castellón,
Valencian Community, Spain. The town is located on the
Costa del Azahar, north of the
Serra d'Irta
Serra d'Irta (, es, Sierra de Irta) is an 18.8 km long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat comarca, Valencian Community, Spain. Its highest point is Pico Campanelles (573 m).
Location
The Serra d'Irta stretches in a northeast-southwest ...
along the
Mediterranean coast. It is a popular tourist destination.
History
Peniscola, often called the "
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
of
Valencia", and locally as "The City in the Sea", is a fortified seaport, with a lighthouse, built on a rocky headland about 220 feet (67 m) high, and joined to the mainland by only a narrow strip of land (
tombolo). ''Peníscola'' is a local evolution of Latin ''
peninsula
A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...
''. The history of the place goes back to the
Iberians. Later the town became
Phoenician, named ''Tyreche'', then
Greek, under the name ''Chersonesos'' (meaning "peninsula"). It was next captured by the
Carthaginians under
Hamilcar Barca; legend has it that this is the place where he made his son
Hannibal
Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Puni ...
swear an oath that he would never be a friend of Rome.
The present castle was built by the
Knights Templar
, colors = White mantle with a red cross
, colors_label = Attire
, march =
, mascot = Two knights riding a single horse
, equipment ...
between 1294 and 1307. In the fourteenth century it was garrisoned by the
Knights of Montesa
The Order of Montesa ( va, Ordre de Montesa, Aragonese and es, Orden de Montesa) is a Christian military order, territorially limited to the old Crown of Aragon. It was named after the castle of Montesa, its headquarters.
Templar background
T ...
, and in 1420 it reverted to the
Crown of Aragon. From 1415 to 1423 it was the home of the schismatic
Avignon pope Benedict XIII (Pedro de Luna), whose name is commemorated in the ''Castell del Papa Luna'', the name of the medieval castle, and ''Bufador del Papa Luna'', a curious cavern with a landward entrance through which the seawater escapes in clouds of spray.
The castle
The castle where Benedict lived from 1417 until his death in 1423 was restored, improved and new walls were added in 1960 when
Anthony Mann's film ''
El Cid
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (c. 1043 – 10 July 1099) was a Castilian knight and warlord in medieval Spain. Fighting with both Christian and Muslim armies during his lifetime, he earned the Arabic honorific ''al-sīd'', which would evolve into El ...
'' was partially filmed there. The town and castle of Peníscola played the role of
Valencia. The castle is now a popular tourist attraction and the beaches and surrounding area are a popular family holiday resort.
Music festivals
Each summer, Peniscola hosts two music festivals : the International Festival of Ancient and Baroque Music (since 1996) and the International Jazz Festival of Peniscola (since 2004). At the beginning of August, a pyromusical show opens the International Festival of Ancient and Baroque Music.
[El Mundo, 08/02/2019]
La Pirotécnica Peñarroja iluminará el piromusical de Peñíscola
/ref>
Film festival
Peniscola hosted an annual comedy film festival that draws Spanish and foreign actors and filmmakers, and features screenings in historic venues. That the festival celebrates comedy is a natural fit; the city was the backdrop for Luis García Berlanga
Luis García-Berlanga Martí (12 June 1921 – 13 November 2010) was a Spain , Spanish film director and screenwriter. Acclaimed as a pioneer of modern Spanish cinema, his films are marked by social satire and acerbic critiques of Spanish culture ...
's comedic masterpiece ''Calabuch
''Calabuch'' (US title: ''The Rocket From Calabuch'') is a 1956 comedy film directed by Luis García Berlanga.
Synopsis
Calabuch is a little village in the coast of Spain. There arrives Dr. George Hamilton (Edmund Gwenn), a scientist expert in ...
''.
References
External links
Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peniscola
Municipalities in the Province of Castellón
Baix Maestrat
Seaside resorts in Spain
Phoenician colonies in Spain