Our heritage
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.
Alcalalí
Torre Medieval
The inhabitants of Alcalalí were victims of pirate and bandit attacks who entered these lands through the Coll de Rates mountain pass. At the end of the 14th century and the beginning of 15th century, Mosén Pere of Castellví, Lord of Alcalalí and Xaló, and his wife Yolanda Pado, ordered the construction of a tower on the hill of Alcalalí: its function would be to guard and it would also offer an last-option shelter in case of invasion.
Later, in 1599, Eiximén Ruiz of Lihory and Petrusa bought Alcalalí with all rights granted and ordered the construction of a palatial residence, connected to the mediaeval tower through a drawbridge. The Ruiz of Lihory family governed in Alcalalí until 1837, when by order of Queen María Cristina, aristocratic regimes were abolished.
For many years, the tower had been the tallest construction in the municipality, until the 18th century when the barons ordered the construction of the church which stands in front of the residential palace.
Fortunately, the tower and the church (18th century) are still the tallest constructions of the municipality. In the following years, both the tower and the palace passed into the hands of various private owners and it was in the year 1900 when the palace and the tower were turned into private dwellings. In 1992, the mediaeval tower was purchased by the Town Hall of Alcalalí.
Three years later, with the help of the Provincial Council of Alicante, the tower was completely restored and an elevator was installed. The construction work on the last floor consisted in attaching an iron and glass structure which allowed its function as a vantage point to be restored; nowadays, magnificent views of La Vall de Pop can be enjoyed.
The original structure of the tower, which is still preserved, was divided into five floors, where one can find the prison, and later, the merchandise warehouse, the hall and the bedroom of the Lords, the accommodation of the servants and its defenders, and the lookout platform.
The most striking features of the mediaeval tower are the engravings found on the second and third floor. They were made between the 16th and 18th centuries and give the visitor more in-depth knowledge regarding the habits and customs of the people who inhabited ancient Alcalalí. (1)
(1) Comunitat Valenciana. (2022). Torre Medieval. Comunitat Valenciana Turisme. https://www.comunitatvalenciana.com/es/alacant-alicante/alcalali/monumentos/torre-medieval
Nearby routes
Alcalalí
Our heritage
Useful information...
With the funding of:
