The Surprising Twist of Santa Pola's Ramparts: A Hidden Fortress Against Pirates

The Ramparts of Santa Pola, a 16th-century castle in Alicante, Spain, was a hidden fortress for sailors. Engineered by Italians, it was built as a protective and defensive structure against pirate invasions. At its center, a well once stood, though it has since disappeared. Its design is quadrangular, with bulwarks and towers in the northeast and southwest corners. Known as the Duke's Palace, the northwest tower housed the Duke's dwelling until the 18th century.

The southwest and northeast towers are called Duke's Bulwark and King's Bulwark, respectively. With masonry construction and armored corners, the towers are a testament to history. The bulwarks have sloping outer walls, crowned by half-collars that encircle the entire fortification. The round-edged corners of the bulwarks lead to the main entrance on the southwest side, adorned with a sillería arch following the Vitruvian 'L' pattern. The outer wall is blank, while the inner wall is punctuated with doors and windows from the soldiers' quarters, opening to the 'Courtyard of Arms'.

The courtyard, too, is quadrangular with chamfered corners, providing access to the dependencies within the bulwarks and towers.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons