Castillo de Moraira

Monuments

Moraira Castle was built in the 18th century both for defensive purposes and as a lookout tower. It stands at the end of the l'Ampolla beach. It is a traditional "ox bow", shape and has a semi-circular south-facing façade. There is a Bourbon emblem over the entrance, consisting of the date on which it was finished 1742. In the past there was a moat and drawbridge which protected the occupants of the tower. The sloping walls are ten metres high and are made of stone, faced with tosca stone slabs hewn from the fossilised dunes that surround it. The roof is protected by a small wall, with seven openings that form battlements where the cannons were positioned. There are thick dividing walls that separating the inside of the building into a central nave with two smaller rooms to the side. The inside measures 200 square metres. It is lit by three small windows that look south, with a fourth window over the entrance door. There is a small chapel opposite the door to the fortress and a small cistern a few metres to the east. This is from the same period and was used to store water for consumption by the occupants of the tower. There is a themed installation inside explaining the watchtowers of the Valencian coastline.