Costa Blanca South
Sun, sea, and history: The chronicles of Alicante
By Anna Ellis •
Published: 23 Jun 2024 • 12:39
Alicante’s earliest settlers lived on Mount Benacantil, where the Santa Bárbara Castle now stands.
This area was ideal for living because it was close to the sea and offered a safe, elevated location.
Another important area was Benalúa, where the Roman city of Lucentum existed, which is the direct ancestor of modern Alicante.
There were also settlements in Albufereta and Serra Grossa from the same period.
Muslim and Christian Influence
The present-day city started to form when Muslims arrived and built it near the castle.
In 1246, Alfonso X of Castile conquered the area, and in 1308, Jaime I made it part of the Kingdom of Valencia. In 1490, Ferdinand the Catholic declared Alicante a city.
Growth and Prosperity
Alicante became a key port for Castile, boosting trade and growth. By the next century, it was Spain s third most important commercial city.
Wars and Rebuilding
In 1691, the French navy bombarded Alicante for seven days. Later, during the War of Succession, the English destroyed part of the Santa Bárbara Castle.
In the War of Independence, Alicante served as the temporary capital of the Kingdom when Valencia was occupied.
19th Century Flourishing
Alicante began recovering in the 18th century, but its true growth came in the 19th century.
The arrival of the railway in 1858 connected it to central Spain, boosting its port and making the city more cosmopolitan due to its strategic seaside location.
Sign up for personalised news
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our
Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Originally from Derbyshire, Anna has lived in the middle of nowhere on the Costa Blanca for 19 years. She is passionate about her animal family including four dogs and four horses, musicals and cooking.
Leave a comment Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Website
Comment for robots
Known as the PEOPLE’S PAPER, Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain. And it’s FREE!
Covering the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Almeria, Axarquia, Mallorca and beyond, EWN supports and inspires the individuals, neighbourhoods, and communities we serve, by delivering news with a social conscience. Whether it’s local news in Spain, UK news or international stories, we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home.
With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month, EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain. The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close.
Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP), Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall). All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers. All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE.
Sign up for personalised news
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Close