The Route of the castles of Vinalopó is a historic and cultural route
/ref> located in the interior mountains of the Province of Alicante
Alicante (, , ; ; ; officially: / ) is a province located in eastern Spain, in the southern part of the Valencian Community. It is the second most populated Valencian province, containing the second and third biggest cities in the Valencian Co ...
in Spain. It connects castles built to protect the populations of the Vinalopó
The Vinalopó is a small river flowing through the Province of Alicante, Alicante province, of Spain. It flows from north to south and, with a length of 81 km., it is the longest of the rivers which flows for its entire length within the l ...
Valley during the Middle Ages.
The route is about 75 kilometres long and passes through nine different municipalities in the valley, connecting numerous defensive castles and fortifications, among the most of any region in Spain, including those at Villena
Villena (; ) is a city in Spain, in the Valencian Community. It is located at the northwest part of Alicante (province), Alicante, and borders to the west with Castilla-La Mancha and Region of Murcia, Murcia, to the north with the province of Vale ...
, Biar
Biar (; ) is a town and municipality in the ''comarca'' of Alt Vinalopó, province of Alicante, Spain. Biar lies at the foot of the Serra de Mariola and is located 39 km from the city of Alicante.
The economy in Biar is based on manufac ...
, Banyeres de Mariola
Banyeres de Mariola (), known simply as Banyeres ( ), is a settlement and a municipality in the north of the province of Alicante (Spain), 860 metres above sea level, with a population of 7,500. The main employer is the local textile industry. T ...
, Castalla
Castalla (; ) is a town located in the Comarques of the Valencian Community, comarca of Alcoià, in the province of Alicante, Spain. Castalla is located in a mountainous area, 35 km from Alicante.
Location
Castalla Castle sits on a hill ove ...
, Sax, Elda
Elda (; , ) is a city and municipality located in the province of Alicante, Spain. , it has a total population of 55,618 inhabitants, ranking as the 7th most populous city in the province. Elda joins together with the town of Petrer to form a ...
, Petrer
Petrer (; ) is a town and municipality located in the '' comarca'' of Vinalopó Mitjà, in the province of Alicante of the autonomous community of Valencia, Spain.
Petrer joins together with the city of Elda to form a conurbation with over 95 ...
or Novelda
Novelda (, ; ) is a town located in the province of Alicante, Spain. , it has a total population of 27,135 inhabitants.
Novelda has important quarries and mines of marble, limestone, silica, clay and gypsum. It is a major centre of the marble in ...
. They are a military and architectural heritage of the era of Muslim rule in Andalusia (''Al-Andalus'' in Arabic), and later of Christian rule, when the area formed the borderlands between the Kingdom of Valencia
The Kingdom of Valencia (; ; ), located in the eastern shore of the Iberian Peninsula, was one of the component realms of the Crown of Aragon.
The Kingdom of Valencia was formally created in 1238 when the Moorish taifa of Valencia was taken in ...
and the Kingdom of Castile
The Kingdom of Castile (; : ) was a polity in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. It traces its origins to the 9th-century County of Castile (, ), as an eastern frontier lordship of the Kingdom of León. During the 10th century, the Ca ...
.
Itinerary
The Route of the Castles of Vinalopó the following itinerary, in order:
* Atalaya Castle, in Villena
Villena (; ) is a city in Spain, in the Valencian Community. It is located at the northwest part of Alicante (province), Alicante, and borders to the west with Castilla-La Mancha and Region of Murcia, Murcia, to the north with the province of Vale ...
*Castle of Banyeres
The castle of Banyeres (Alicante), Valencian Community (Spain), is an Almohad fortress built in the 13th century, which is situated on the ''tossal de l'Àguila'' (Valencian), English: 'Hill of the Eagle', in the geographical center of Banyeres, ...
, in Banyeres de Mariola
Banyeres de Mariola (), known simply as Banyeres ( ), is a settlement and a municipality in the north of the province of Alicante (Spain), 860 metres above sea level, with a population of 7,500. The main employer is the local textile industry. T ...
*Castle of Biar
The Castle of Biar stands on a hillock overlooking the town of Biar, in the comarca of Alt Vinalopó (Valencian Community, Spain).
History
During the Muslim rule had already news but few of the fortress, which began to be relevant to the tim ...
, in Biar
Biar (; ) is a town and municipality in the ''comarca'' of Alt Vinalopó, province of Alicante, Spain. Biar lies at the foot of the Serra de Mariola and is located 39 km from the city of Alicante.
The economy in Biar is based on manufac ...
*Castle of la Mola, en Novelda
Novelda (, ; ) is a town located in the province of Alicante, Spain. , it has a total population of 27,135 inhabitants.
Novelda has important quarries and mines of marble, limestone, silica, clay and gypsum. It is a major centre of the marble in ...
*Castle de Elda, in Elda
Elda (; , ) is a city and municipality located in the province of Alicante, Spain. , it has a total population of 55,618 inhabitants, ranking as the 7th most populous city in the province. Elda joins together with the town of Petrer to form a ...
*Altamira Palace, in Elche
Elche (, ; , , , ; officially: ''/'' ) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality of Spain, belonging to the province of Alicante, in the Valencian Community. According to 2024's data, Elche has a population of 234,800 inhabitants,
*Castle of Castalla, in Castalla
Castalla (; ) is a town located in the Comarques of the Valencian Community, comarca of Alcoià, in the province of Alicante, Spain. Castalla is located in a mountainous area, 35 km from Alicante.
Location
Castalla Castle sits on a hill ove ...
*Castle of Sax, in Sax
*Castle of Petrel, in Petrer
Petrer (; ) is a town and municipality located in the '' comarca'' of Vinalopó Mitjà, in the province of Alicante of the autonomous community of Valencia, Spain.
Petrer joins together with the city of Elda to form a conurbation with over 95 ...
See also
* Route of the Monasteries of Valencia
*Route of the Borgias
The Route of the Borgias is a cultural route, that includes sites associated with the Borja or ''Borgia'', located in their native Valencian Community, Spain. The marketing of the route was inaugurated in 2007.Source: ABCPaseo por la hi ...
*Route of the Valencian classics
The Route of the Valencian classics, (in Valencian language, Valencian ''Ruta dels clàssics valencians'', in Spanish language, Spanish ''Ruta de los clásicos valencianos''), is a cultural route Source: Valencia Terra i Mar. Diputación de Val ...
References
External links
Route of the Castles of Vinalopó
The Route at the website of Valencian Community Tourism
Guide in pdf of the Route at Costa Blanca Tourism
Guide in pdf of Valencian Community Tourism
Map of the Route
Guide of the route
{{DEFAULTSORT:Route of the Castles of Vinalopo
History of the Valencian Community
Castles in the Valencian Community
Tourism in the Valencian Community
Tourist attractions in the Valencian Community
Gothic architecture in the Valencian Community
Cultural tourism in Spain