Castell d'Alfofra

The Castell d'Alfofra crowns a rocky spur at 1,100 metres above sea level, between the municipalities of Confrides and Benifato, on the northern side of the Sierra de Aitana. It is the highest castle in the whole of Alicante province, and it gives its name to Confrides itself, which grew out of a Muslim hamlet called precisely Aljofra. Locally the outcrop is also known as the Cua de Bacallar ("codfish tail"), a nickname for the narrow, jagged shape of the ridge the ruins sit on.

History

The castle, of Muslim origin and probably built in the 12th century, was conquered by Jaime I in 1264 and granted to Vidal de Sarrià. Its position overlooking the Guadalest valley gave it a strategic role in communications between Alcoy and the coast for much of the Middle Ages, controlling the route between the mountainous interior and the Marina Baixa.

What to see

What survives includes a lower and an upper enclosure, sections of wall, several towers, a cistern for storing rainwater and the arches of the old access gates. This is not a rebuilt or curated fortress but a mountain ruin visited in its original state, which calls for some experience walking over shadeless rocky terrain.

The climb can be combined with a stop at the Font de l'Arbre, on the same range, and it works as a benchmark outing for anyone exploring the interior of the Marina Baixa from Confrides or from Guadalest, in the same valley.