Castle of the Month
(changed monthly)

Santa Barbara Castillo, Spain

Castillo de Santa Barbara is located in the very center of Alicante, Spain, and the views of the city and the water from the pinnacle are breathtaking. Visitors can either hike up the mountain to the castle or take an elevator when they tire of swimming or relaxing on the lovely local sands.

One of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe, Castillo de Santa Barbara stands on top of Benacantil Mountain. Built by the Moors in the ninth century to defend the then Muslim Iberian Peninsula, its name, Santa Barbara, derives from the date (Saint Barbara's Day, 12/4/48) on which the castle was conquered by King Alfonse the Wise, of Castile. Though mostly held by Spanish rulers throughout the rest of its history, it was held for a time by the British during the War of Spanish Succession (1701-14).

Photographs of this lovely Spanish castle were taken and contributed by All About Romance's own Lee Brewer.