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Arab fortress of Petrer

Petrer, El Vinalopó Mitjà, Alicante

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Arab fortress of Petrer

Monument · Petrer, El Vinalopó Mitjà, Alicante

The fortress of Petrer (Alicante), of Muslim origin and built in the late 12th or early 13th century, has a polygonal plan with rubble masonry and ashlar at the corners, with Romanesque features and Arab influences. It retains a large two-storey square tower, whose basement was a cistern in Islamic times, and a large vaulted hall that was the setting for the feudal lord's festivities. Taken by the Moriscos during the revolts of 1265, it was reconquered shortly afterward when Alfonso X of Castile called on the help of James I of Aragon. Its original function was strategic, controlling the passage between the Castilian plateau and the Mediterranean coast. Declared a Monumento Nacional (Spain's former national-monument heritage designation) in 1983, it now hosts chamber concerts, exhibitions in its tower and civil weddings.

Photo: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

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