Elda castle was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 2001 and stands on
a mound in the town’s historic centre, near the left bank of the Vinalopó River.
The castle dates back to the Islamic era (12th-13th centuries) and was later
a feudal castle (in the 13th-16th centuries) and a County citadel, however it
was left virtually derelict from the mid-19th century until the late 20th century,
when a restoration project was set up to carry out building and archaeological
work on the site.
Once owned by illustrious royal families and the nobility (Corella, Coloma, etc.),
the castle has some outstanding archaeological remains and historic constructions.
For example, the large inner courtyard and the outer wall with its ten
square Almohad style towers. Other interesting features are the Medieval and
Renaissance chapel; the outer wall, the barbican, the circular towers, underground
cistern and the Count’s staircase, all dating from the 15th to the 16th
centuries. The castle also has a number of palatial rooms and servants’ living
quarters.
Opening hours:
Pre-arranged tours on request from the Historic
Heritage Department [Concejalía de Patrimonio
Histórico] at Elda Town Council.