Castle of Xivert
| Local names | Castillo de Chivert, Castell de Xivert |
|---|---|
|
State |
Ruin, being renovated |
|
Entrance fee |
Free |
|
Distance from Peñiscola |
26-27 km (30 minutes) |
|
Facilities |
Small parking, picknick table, information signs (Spanish, Catalan & English) |
How to get there from Peñiscola
1. Take the CV-141 inland.
2. At the roundabout take the 4th exit towards Santa Magdalena de Pulpis & Castellón.
3. After about 15 km, turn left unto the „Cami”. This can be tricky to find. After the exit towards Alcalà de Xivert (nord/norte) you will pass a car dealer and a restaurant on your left. After that there is a small dirt road on the left, which you should also pass. Then, just before the flyover, there is an asphalted road on your left. This is de „cami”, which you have to take.
4. Follow this road until you arrive at the small parking area of the castle.
History
The castle of Xivert is a 10th century castle in the Serra d’Irta mountain range. It is sitting atop 370 meter high hill that overlooks the valley below. In Medieval times it was of great strategical importance, because it controlled the road between Barcelona & Valencia.
Construction of the castle started in the 10th century by the Moors. Nowadays this can still be seen by an Arabic inscription on one of its walls. The castle remained in Moorish hands until 1234, when king James I of Aragon conquered the area. The islamic Moorish population surrendered the castle peacefully and were allowed to stay in their village 20 to 30 meters below the castle. King James I handed the castle to the Knights Templar, an order of Christian knights. They continued construction on the castle by erecting a second wall and building 2 round towers. A few years after the Knights Templar were disbanded by the pope, in 1312, the administration of the castle was handed over to the Order of Montesa.
In the 16th century the area suffered several attacks from Barbary pirates and an uprising, the Revolt of the Brotherhoods, during which the village was sacked. As a result of the revolt it was decided by king Philip III of Spain that Moorish inhabitants, also named moriscos, had to convert to Christianity or face exile. After the Moorish population was exiled the village fell into ruin. By the 17th century both the castle, which lost its military value, and the village were abandoned and fell into ruin.
Description
To get to the castle you can go by car, see our route description above, or by foot from the village. When going by foot, be prepared for a walk through hilly terrain of about 4 kilometers. The last part of the road to the castle is a gravel road through the mountainous woodlands of the natural park of Serra d’Irta. We thought the road wasn’t that bad for going by car, but on the internet many people think it is. So either the road was fixed recently or we just got used to driving on this type of road, which is pretty common in the area.
Just before entering the castle there is a path to the right. This path takes you around the castle towards the Moorish village. Originally the village covered an area of 1,5 hectares (15.000 square meters). One of the houses has been reconstructed. But there is not much left of what used to be an area with houses, water cisterns and a mosque.
The castle itself is in ruins, but a lot can still be seen. Like the two towers and inner walls, which were built by the Templars. The outer wall with its Arabic inscription, built by the Moorish. The water cistern and ruins of the chapel. From the top, where the castle lies, you will have a stunning view on the valley below.
