The capital of Costera county, Xàtiva sits at the foot of an imposing castle which has borne witness to many significant historic events over the centuries. The area was of great importance in Muslim times and the town was the second most influential in the Kingdom of Valencia. During the Battle of Almansa as part of the War of Spanish Succession, Philip V (the first Bourbon king) ordered the town to be set ablaze. Subsequently, the locals, also known as els socarrats, got the king back by hanging his portrait upside down in Museu de l’Almodí.
Xàtiva has been the scene of many battles and the castle remains the town’s most important monument. Sitting in a strategic spot 389m above sea level, the fortress is divided into two areas: castell Menor and castell Major. It has been listed a Site of Cultural Interest.
Historically, the castle’s curtain walls descended down the hill to envelop the old town. The town dates back to the Iberian and Roman periods, however, the lion’s share of the walls and towers that you can still see in the town today date from the Islamic and Gothic periods.
Step inside the castle through its main gate, porta ferrissa, and you’ll find yourself standing in an impressive bailey that is part of castell major. Castell Menor, on the other hand, perches on the top of the sheer rockfaces of Penya Roca and affords spectacular panoramic views over Bixquert valley.
Xàtiva castle is one of the most historically important and beautiful fortresses in the Region of Valencia. Come and explore and let your imagination take you back to what it, and the town of Xàtiva, would have been like in the past.
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