Força Réal is a rocky peak overlooking the region of

Roussillon Roussillon ( , , ; ca, Rosselló ; oc, Rosselhon ) is a historical province of France that largely corresponded to the County of Roussillon and part of the County of Cerdagne of the former Principality of Catalonia. It is part of the reg ...

in Southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. From the height of 507 metres, it has a view that stretches from the peak of the

Canigou The Canigó ( ca, Canigó, french: Canigou ; la, mons Canigosus or Canigonis) is a mountain located in the Pyrenees of southern France. The Canigó is located less than from the sea and has an elevation of . Due to its sharp flanks and its dra ...

to the cape of

Port-Vendres Port-Vendres (; ca, Portvendres) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, southwestern France. A typical Mediterranean fishing port, situated near the Spanish border on the Côte Vermeille in southwestern France, Port-Vendres is re ...

. From here, one can see the geographically contrasting valleys of the

Agly The Agly (; ca, Aglí; oc, Aglin) is a river in southern France. It is long. Its source is in the hills of the Corbières Massif, near Camps-sur-l'Agly. It flows through Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet, Estagel, Rivesaltes and Saint-Laurent-de-la-Sal ...

and the Têt. It has been used historically as a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

, on account of its unique shape and proximity to the ports of

The Castle: The Royal Fortress

From the Treaty of Corbeil in 1258, the new rulers of

(the kings of

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...

and

Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...

), built a castle which fell into the defense of the northern border of the region. It completed the line composed of the Château de Salses and Opoul among others. This castle was nicknamed "the Royal Castle", which the Catalans translated as "Força Real". The estate was occupied in 1343 by King Pedro IV of Aragon the Ceremonious, which ended the kingdom of

Mallorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...

. From the beginning of the fifteenth century the castle lost its importance. Its mission was to serve as lookout, the last mission before the

Treaty of the Pyrenees The Treaty of the Pyrenees (french: Traité des Pyrénées; es, Tratado de los Pirineos; ca, Tractat dels Pirineus) was signed on 7 November 1659 on Pheasant Island, and ended the Franco-Spanish War that had begun in 1635. Negotiations were ...

dismantled it permanently. In 1693, the castle and the tower were finally destroyed. It remains in ruins. Panorama roussillon forca real

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forca Real Mountains of Pyrénées-Orientales