Has it caught your eye? Here\u2019s more about Montorn\u00e9s Castle. <\/p>\n\n
History and fun facts <\/h2>\n\n
Montorn\u00e9s Castle is a Site of Cultural Interest, publicly owned, and one of the most surprising places you can visit on the Costa del Azahar<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Its history begins long before the Arabs; the land it stands on was inhabited since the Bronze Age and, during the Roman occupation, there was already some kind of defensive structure on that summit.<\/p>\n\n So, although it\u2019s often said that Montorn\u00e9s Castle is of Arab origin and dates back to the 10th century, that\u2019s not entirely true. It was built\u2014almost certainly\u2014on Roman foundations by the Banu Qasim<\/strong>\u2014the sons of Qasim\u2014the Muslim lineage that ruled these lands. In fact, the municipality\u2019s name comes from them: Benicasim. <\/p>\n\n Given its strategic position overlooking the sea, the purpose of this fortress was to protect the La Plana Alta area; that is, around 17 present-day municipalities.<\/p>\n\n Later it was conquered by El Cid in 1094 and, afterwards, by James I in 1233.<\/strong> Finally, the fortification was abandoned in the 17th century, when its inhabitants moved down to the plain in times of peace.<\/p>\n\n In its heyday, Montorn\u00e9s Castle was a large fortress<\/strong>. It adapted to the mountain\u2019s irregular terrain and consisted of three walled enclosures<\/strong>, each designed for a different purpose and to provide different lines of defence in case of attack. <\/p>\n\n The first enclosure, the outermost, was the initial control area. Hardly anything remains of it beyond traces of towers and the odd wall. The second preserves wall foundations and a cistern. And the third, the most protected core, housed the main quarters: rooms for soldiers, storerooms, a chapel, and the parade ground. It was the last line of defence and where most daily life took place. <\/p>\n\n This defensive system, which was impregnable at the time, was completed by two watchtowers\u2014and what\u2019s unusual here is that they weren\u2019t the same: one had a square plan and the other was cylindrical. <\/strong>Together they watched over both the interior and the coastal strip. Every flank covered! <\/p>\n\n What\u2019s more, the fortress formed a defensive triangle with two auxiliary structures<\/strong>: the Torre de San Vicente<\/a>, which still stands at the foot of the beach and you can also visit, and the Caseta de Saland\u00f3, an advanced guard post. With these three installations\u2026 goodbye blind spots! <\/p>\n\n Today, less remains than we\u2019d like: some stretches of wall, the remains of the two cisterns, part of the entrance system, and the two watchtowers. Structurally it\u2019s not much, but it\u2019s enough to help you understand how large and important it was for the area. <\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orangecosta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Castillo-de-Montornes-1360x630.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\nWhat the castle is like inside <\/h2>\n\n
![\"Torre](\"https:\/\/www.orangecosta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Torre-de-San-Vicente-benicassim-1360x630.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\nHow to get there? <\/h2>\n\n