The castle of Castell d'Alfofra is a 13th-century relic that crowns the Guadalest Valley, the strategic high ground between sea and mountains. The castle is a small but very strategic fortification, situated on a steep hill at 1100 m above sea level, making it the highest point in the province of Alicante.
The name of the building derives from the alquería musulmana del rey Al-Azrac, the origin of the current town of Benifato. After being conquered by Jaume I in 1264, the castle was donated to Vidal de Sarrià as a fundamental enclave for safeguarding communications between La Marina and the Foia d'Alcoi. Since then, it underwent a deep reform and passed through the hands of the Sarrià family, the infante Pedro, and the Cardona and Ariza families.
Of Muslim origin, the structure was deeply reformed after its conquest. Despite being in ruins, many elements of the castle can still be observed. The outer perimeter preserves a few sections, including a square tower and a circular one built on the cliff edges. The inner enclosure is larger, featuring a battlemented wall with an access door under a semi-circular arch, reinforced by two more towers.
In the 17th century, the castle played a prominent role during the morisco revolts. The moriscos offered strong armed resistance against the 1609 expulsion decree, taking refuge in the mountains of the Vall de Laguart.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
Discuss this with the author and others
No comments yet. Be the first to start the conversation.