Fortin del Bonete, Military fortification in Peñíscola, Spain
The Fortín del Bonete, also known as the Fortín del Bufador, is a small 16th-century military structure built on a rocky outcrop at the southern edge of the old town of Peñíscola, in the province of Castellón. Its rectangular walls are narrow, and the fort sits just above the harbor where fishing and recreational boats are moored.
The Fortín del Bonete was built in the 16th century on orders from Pope Benedict XIII, known as Papa Luna, to guard the coastline and port of Peñíscola against pirate raids. The original structure was largely destroyed during the war against Napoleon's forces and later rebuilt using new foundations and visible brickwork.
The Fortín del Bonete sits at the southern edge of the old town, where the rock drops sharply toward the sea. Just below it, a natural crack in the cliff called El Bufador pushes air and water upward when the waves hit hard, creating a deep rumbling sound that gave the fort its other name, Fortín del Bufador.
The Fortín del Bonete is in the southern part of Peñíscola's old town and is easy to reach on foot by walking through the narrow streets of the historic quarter. From there, the harbor, the Baluarte del Príncipe with its maritime museum, and the old city walls are all close by and easy to combine in a single walk.
From the walls of the fort, you can see south as far as the Torre Badum in the Sierra de Irta, an old watchtower that once sent fire signals along the coast to warn of incoming invaders. This chain of signals connected several points along the shore and made the fort part of a much wider coastal defense network.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
