If we climb the steps situated next to the Town Hall, in Hospital Street, cross de la Bretxa Street and carry on climbing the next section of stairs situated on our left, we’ll come across the narrow del Cid Street. Here we only have to look right and our eyes will meet the Castle of Dénia.
Two towers are situated on both side of the entrance gate: the Torre Roja, or Red Tower, a defensive tower from the 15th c., owing its name the local reddish sandstone used and the Torre del Cos de Guàrdia, (Guardian Corps Tower) from the Muslim period (12th c.) although very much reformed in the 16th and 17th centuries, used as a lookout by the guardians who were in charge of surveillance of the entrance gate.
The entrance is known as the Portal de la Vila, the town’s gate, of Almohade style, with posterior reforms. Outside we find pointed arches of Almohade style and inside we find a barrel vaulted arch, of which parts of the original part still remain.
This entrance connected the Muslim medina or town with the castle.
Once inside the castle and next to the ticket office we find the Torre del Consell, (Council Tower) from the Christian period (15th c.). The Town’s Council met in this tower to organise, debate and take decisions. Although a secondary defensive function is clearly defined by cavities which were used by artillery.
Once we enter the castle the ascent begins. We have two choices: a cobble stone street (on the left) or the road which has been opened.
If we take the asphalted road we shall go through all the area where the Vila Vella (Old Town) was situated in the Christian period. All this area, where the Al-bacar stood in Muslim times, became a part of the town in the Christian period, since it was well sheltered.
During the ascent we’ll be astonished by the magnificent views of Dénia spreading before us with parts of the city and port, the Montgó Natural Park, beaches and coves, etc. spreading before us.
Once we reach the Castle’s upper part, we shall find the Esplanada del Governador (Governor’s Esplanade)and thePalau del Governador, (Governor’s Palace), which currently house the Archaeological Museum.
Once in the upper part of the Castle, known as the Esplanada del Governador, a low rise building calls our attention. The verticality of its façade, the imperial style stairway (inverted T) and two files of semi ruined towers warn us we are just in front of the city’s Archaeological Museum.
The visit to the Archaeological Museum takes us to imagine how the origins of Dénia must have been, how the Roman Dianium was set up, the Muslim Daniya and its Taifa Kingdom, the Christian Conquest, the marquisate of Dénia and a lot more.
The Museum has 4 areas where the Iberian, Roman, Muslim and Christian periods are exhibited.
The balsam flask represents the god Mercury (2nd c. BC), the collection of Islamic bronzes, many of them of oriental origin (9th/11th c.), the ataifor (a brass washbasin) representing an Andalusi vessel proceeding from Qayrawân, the Treasureof les Rotes, from the 15th c, the coin collection or the locally produced or imported Andalusi ceramics, are the foundation of this Museum’s proposal, which is always linked to the sea and to the relationship between cultures.
Once we have visited the Archaeological Museum and back again in the Esplanada del Governador, we must mention the use of this esplanade for the summer “Música al castell” (Music at the Castle) concerts carried out on certain summer nights, bringing us popular rhythms from different countries and regions. Furthermore, it is the place where mock battles are carried out during the Moors and Christians fiestas.
In the lateral right we have the Quarter dels Infants (Infantry Barracks) used as a warehouse or lodgings for a permanent defensive troop.
If we go to the opposite side, to the left of the museum, we can see some arches which prove the existence of a previous entrance gate: it is the Portal del Baluard, (Bastion Gate) with arches from three different periods and the Bastion Tower, a bastion of great strategic importance since it controlled the entrance path to the palace’s enclosure (18th c.).
From here, and making sure we have chosen comfortable footwear, we shall descend down the cobble stone street. The street’s bended shape wasn’t easy at all for horses.
If we go down the street we’ll reach the Punta del Diamant, (Diamond Point), a defensive bastion, which received its name due to its diamond like shape.
A little bit later on, in an open space, the Vila Vella (Old Town) church stood in the Christian period. Its destruction was so absolute that, at the present time, without archaeological excavation, we have no vestiges at all on the spot. Nevertheless, the existing historical documents confirm the exact point where the church stood next to the Punta del Diamant and to the south of the fossar of Mediaeval Christian cemetery.
If we carry on down the cobblestone street we can observe the Aljub, or cistern used to collect water. After the cistern we’ll be back at the starting point. This cobblestone street was the only access, which could be used with wheels and it was considered the Main Street. Its cobblestone pavement dates from the 15th c.
Soon we’ll be at the Castle’s entrance gate and our route around the enclosure we’ll have reached its end.
Once we’ve gone out of the Castle, we’ll be in the quarter of Les Roques, one of the city’s traditional boroughs, the place where the medina or town was situated during the Muslim period.
Built throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, it doesn’t have noteworthy monumental buildings but we point out the collection’s popular whitewashed and simple Mediterranean architecture. We recommend a visit to the following streets: Hospital, Sant Francesc, Sant Cristòfol, Guant and Salt.
Once we’ve been around this quarter we’ll go back on our footsteps and we’ll descend the stairway until we’re back again opposite the Town Hall and the església de l’Assumpció (Church of the Assumption) where our visit we’ll have reached its end. |
