Santa Barbara Castle

On the slopes of the rock, called Banu-lQatil by the Muslim geographer Al-Idrisi (12th Century), have been found archaeological remains of the Bronze Age, Iberian and Roman times, although the origin of the current structure dates to the late 9th Century, during the Muslim rule.

On 4 December, 1248, the day of Santa Barbara, and hence the name, the Infante Alfonso of Castile, the future King Alfonso X the Wise, captured the square from the Arabs. In 1296 James II took possession of the castle for the crown of Aragon, and ordered its restoration. Almost a century later Pedro IV the Ceremonious ordered reconstruction of the hall, and in the early 16th Century, King Charles I ordered reconstruction of the fortification. The reign of Philip II produced the great restoration of the castle by building the units mostly seen today. The work, done by the military architects Juan Bautista Antonelli and Jorge Fratín, lasted from 1562 to 1580.

The bombardment of Alicante in 1691 by the French navy who carried out military actions against the castle. During the period 1706-1709, during the War of Succession, which was fought against the British and other European powers, all severely affected the castle. The last military action in 1873, when the armored frigate Numancia, in the hands of rebel Cartagena cantonal, launched its missiles on the population and its castle, which would develop twenty years later.

Some historians date the origin of the name of Alicante in the words \ Bena \ pinna transcription into Arabic, Latin rock, and laqanti, adjective that comes from Laqant, Alicante to the Arabs.

Europe / Spain

Lat: 38° 20' 53" N
Long: 1° 29' 46" W

Elevation: 124

→ maps.google.com [EXT]

Precision is: Unknown / Undeclared.

Canon 5D Mark II, Nikon 10.5mm/2.8 shaved, Autopano Giga