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Path to the watchtower of Aguilo
Following this path, the visitor will arrive at the watchtower of Aguiló, one of oldest, most important and best kept watchtowers of the defence system against the Berber pirates, created in the time of Felipe II (XVI century) within the Kingdom of Valencia . The monument has recently been restored…
East side of the coastal defence district of Villajoyosa
The Marina Baja, whose historical capital is Villajoyosa, is a region enclosed by a big sweep of high mountains that meet the sea in the Morro de Toix range. The mountain passes leading to the neighbouring regions, for example the pass of Calpe and that of Rates, or the pass of the “bandoleros” (smugglers), were difficult passes only traversable on horseback and not by carriages which is why the Marina Baja has always relied on the sea for communication.
Visitors can observe the exceptional view from the watchtower of Aguiló. Even the signals from the watchtowers of Calpe, San Juan and Alicante (a quarter of the coast of the Kingdom of Valencia) could be seen. On the top of the Bernia range, a fort built of stones was erected to prevent the uprising of the Spanish Moors and to help in the battles against pirates. However it was demolished three years after the expulsion of the Moors due to the difficulty of maintaining its supply routes and to avoid it falling into the hands of the smugglers.
Some famous smugglers like Pinet de Tárbena or el Mascarat (the masked one) from the XVII to XIX century have also left their mark on the countryside: for example the mountain pass of the smugglers in the Bernia range and the gully of Mascarat.
