A landmark on Costa Blanca north
Most of you are familiar with and know what the Peñón de Ifach is and where it is. This particular landmark in Calpe is the smallest Natural Park in the Valencian Community. We have discovered some curiosities about the Peñon d’Ifach that we wish to share with you. Prepare to be as surprised as we were when we found them out.
As the smallest natural park in the Valencian Community, it just covers 50 hectares and is only one kilometer long, It even is one of the smallest in Europe, even though it receives more than 100,000 visits per year.
The Peñon d’ Ifach was an island once
The park’s biologists and researchers determined that this rock many centuries ago was actually a small island. Even before the Roman era, where the rock was linked to the peninsula according to evidence.
Tourist Symbol of the Costa Blanca
With its 332 meters high and its imposing image, it is obvious that it has become a visual landmark. And not just as a big rock, but also as an advertising image. Its silhouette can be recognized in many images and logos of the province of Alicante.
A climbers’ paradise
The Peñon offers more than 40 climbing routes for fans of this sport. It is a fantastic experience to begin an ascend at sea level. It is a recommendation if you have not tried it yet.
The Peñon for Sale
Since the Peñon was not very useful for the local town they decided to sell it. They sold it at the end of the 19th century to a group of new owners, One of them used dynamite to make the tunnel that crosses the rock to facilitate access to the top.
Pobla d’Ifach, the small town of the Peñón
In the thirteenth century, after the Christian reconquest, they created a small town at the foot of the Rock. They chose this place because of the great visibility of the surroundings is provided. The settlement only lasted about 60 years, during the war with Castile they destroyed the town. Next to the path going up the rock, the archaeological discoveries that MARQ has uncovered can be seen.
The Old Wall
This old settlement Pobla d’Ifach was surrounded by a wall and you can still see the remains. At present, several of the path’s viewpoints are built on the old watchtowers’ remains.
The Hotel del Penon
In the 1950s, when the park was privately owned they built a hotel on the slope of the park. Construction was paralyzed and it never got inaugurated. It took until 1987 to be demolished when the area was declared a natural park.
The Reef
One of the main attractions of the Natural Park is its maritime part as it is extraordinary deep. The stones that fell in the sea form a steep slope full of arches and tunnels as a labyrinth. That is why it is one of the favorite sites for people who like diving.
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