The impressive Templar fortress Castillo del Papa Luna, compliments the medieval old town of Peñíscola with 700 years of history behind it. Castle Peñíscola is located north of Valencia and is one of the main attractions of the city, a fortress visited by about 225,000 visitors each year. For its amazing historical and heritage value, the castle was declared Monumento Histórico Artístico Nacional in 1931.

The walled fortress was built in 1294 by the Templar Knights on what was formerly an old Arab fortress. The castle shows all the peculiarities of the construction of the Templars, one of the greatest architectural examples of this order.

The fort is built on a small peninsula on the seafront simply earthed by a small isthmus of sand that, next to the walls, made this crag an impregnable fortress. Its state of preservation is very good. Currently, has 20 rooms and 7,000m2 that you can visit, so you can spend a couple of hours quietly in the visit.

Castle Peñíscola is a unique singular monument, a sober and robust architectural work that was a crucial part of Europe’s history as of the Cisma de Occidente, as it was one of the three papal headquarters of the Christian world, where lived Benedict XIII, Papa Luna and his successor Pope Clement VIII.
From the top of the Castle at about 65m in height, visitors can enjoy exceptional views of Peñíscola, the 2 beaches and the Sierra de Irta.
To tour the castle, one option is to hire a dramatized visit if you’re with kids, as it will be more fun while it much more didactic, but if you decide to do it on your own, it will also be very interesting because it is a unique and precious place that you cannot miss.

Enjoy this fantastic video on the castle of Peñíscola