{"id":6110,"date":"2026-05-26T10:25:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T10:25:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.orangecosta.com\/blog\/castle-fadrell\/"},"modified":"2026-05-26T10:25:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T10:25:28","slug":"castle-fadrell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orangecosta.com\/blog\/en\/castle-fadrell\/","title":{"rendered":"Enjoy Fadrell Castle in Benic\u00e0ssim"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are places that tell the history of a city better than any book. This is precisely the case with Fadrell Castle \u2014also known as Castell Vell\u2014. It is perched on Magdalena hill, just eight kilometers from the center of Benic\u00e0ssim and about ten from Castell\u00f3n, and it is of Islamic origin<\/strong>. This means it has dominated the Mediterranean coastal plain for more than ten centuries. <\/p>\n\n

And so that you come to visit Castell Vell de Fadrell prepared, we are going to give you a very brief summary of its history, tell you what to see inside the enclosure, how to get there, what the descent from Fadrell Castle is like, and the opening hours of the Interpretation Center<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

Let’s go!<\/p>\n\n

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History and Muslim origins of Fadrell Castle <\/h2>\n\n

The first humans to occupy Magdalena hill did so long before any castle existed. There is evidence of settlements here since the Bronze Age<\/strong>, but it wasn’t until the Hispano-Muslim era, in the 11th century, that a construction of this type was first recorded.<\/p>\n\n

However, most of the structures you can see today correspond to an Almohad castle from the second half of the 12th century, which served as the district capital until the Christian conquest.<\/p>\n\n

In 1233, Castell Vell was usurped by James I<\/strong>, who distributed the territory among his lords so that, a few years later, the Privilege of Transfer was granted to the population \u2014to what we now know as Castell\u00f3n\u2014 leaving the fort completely abandoned.<\/p>\n\n

How to get to Fadrell Castle and the ascent route to Magdalena hill<\/h2>\n\n

To reach Fadrell Castle by car, take the N-340 and connect with the CV-147<\/strong> until the turn-off with signs for the Magdalena Sanctuary; the Castell Vell Interpretation Center is right there. Driving is the most comfortable option, although you can also get there by bike. <\/p>\n\n