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of our past and a part of our present.
The stones here speak, because they are a part
of our past and a part of our present.
Teulada Moraira
Torre del Cap d'Or
The Cap d'Or Tower or Cap de Moraira Tower is a watchtower built in the 16th century for guarding and defence and is located on the cape known as Cap d’Οr de Moraira, in the municipal district of Teulada-Moraira.
This tower, like many others of the Mediterranean coast, was constructed after the report made by the military engineer Giovanni Battista Antonelli in 1563. From this point on, its construction was planned so as to protect the littoral from possible pirate attacks. Its field of view covers the area from Cap de La Nau in the north to El Penyal d'Ifac in the south, and on clear days it is even possible to see the mountain range known as Serra Gelada. Its guards were in contact with the Granadella Tower, with the Descobridor or Ambolo Tower and to the south with the Mascarat Tower and El Penyal d'Ifac, so that they could quickly notify the inland areas in case of danger.
Throughout its history, many were the moments when the tower was a protagonist of various types of events, like the one in 1667 when a Neapolitan boat was attacked by two pirate ships. It had to seek refuge in the harbour known as El Portet de Moraira, where it sank and the crew members were then looked after by the authorities of Teulada.
It is built on the highest point of Cap d'Or and almost on the limit of the cliff, at an altitude of 166 metres above sea level. It has a circular floor plan with a 26-metre perimeter and a 7-metre base, and ordinary masonry sloping walls plastered with mortar. The wall is crowned with corbels which on the front side support a machicolation. It is 11 metres tall, completely solid up to more than half its height. The absence of a door renders its interior inaccessible from ground level.
The only possible way to enter was with a rope ladder thrown out from the interior. This interior part only has a hall with a vault. On top of it there was a terrace from where the guards would watch the horizon. To go up to that terrace from the interior hall, a wooden ladder had to be used. 126 metres away from the tower, to the southeast, there is a cistern, with a rectangular floor plan and an interior vault, which served to provide water to the soldiers in charge of guarding.The cistern is similar to the one in the Castle of Granadella, Xàbia.
Recently (in 1991), part of the perimeter wall and the vault, which had fallen due to the effects of time and rain, were restored. This restoration has deprived the wall of its basic elements, such as the door, the embrasures, machicolations and windows. Only the corbels, which surround the upper part of the building and support the defensive garland or a machicolation, stand out. Four of those corbels are the original ones.
Apart from the guarding service, this watchtower could also be used to attack as it had two cannons that defended the port of Moraira. They were recovered in 1980 during some cleaning work on the beach of the port. (1)
(1) Boira Maiques, J. V., Las torres del litoral valenciano. Valencia, Conselleria d'Infraestructures i Transport, 2007, p. 191.
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Teulada Moraira
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