Benidorm Castle History

bombarded it to smithereens

Hundreds of years ago the town of Benidorm had its very own fully functioning castle to defend the town from attack and which stood on the high lookout point between the beaches of Levante and Poniente. These days there is no castle and its site is occupied by the elegant Mirador, so just what happened?

The final stages of the castle's history begin in the War of Spanish Independence when French invaders seized it and strengthened the fortifications as a strategic defence point. Exactly 200 years ago in 1812 (remember the overture?) with the war going against them, the French left the castle just as it was as they retreated.

Not long after, the British Navy (remember Trafalgar) came along and bombarded it to smithereens so it couldn't be used against them. A ruin until 1928, it was finally demolished to build the Mirador, though and archaeological dig in 1993 revealed that the remains of the castle still existed below it!

So there you are, Spanish, British and French history all buried in the same place in Benidorm. Who'd have thought it?

16 January 2012 Stephen White.