Castillo de Sax, Medieval fortress in Sax, Spain.
Castillo de Sax is a medieval castle perched on a rocky peak above the town of Sax, in the province of Alicante. It has two main towers, a square one and the Torre del Homenaje, both built with packed-earth walls that rise in tiers along the natural rock face.
The fortress was built in the 12th century under Muslim rule and passed to the Crown of Castile after the Treaty of Almizra in 1239. Over the following centuries its walls were modified several times to respond to changing military needs in the region.
The castle gives Sax its most recognizable skyline and locals often point to it as the defining image of their town. Every year, the village celebrates festivals where the fortress plays a central role as a backdrop and a gathering point.
Reaching the castle means walking up a path from the town center, and the climb is steeper in some sections than it looks from below. Sturdy shoes and water are a good idea, since the path gets little shade and the exposed rock reflects a lot of heat on sunny days.
The square tower was built directly over natural caves in the rock, which were kept as part of the defensive layout rather than being filled in. Looking closely at the base of the tower, visitors can still spot where the cave openings once were.
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