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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…
West side of the coastal defence district of Villajoyosa
The southern watchtower of this coastal defence district is the tower of Giraley or Charco. On the south, the gully of Aguas was designated as the border of the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile in the treaty of Almizra (1244). This is the natural border of the region of the Marina Baja and was the boundary of the municipal area of Villajoyosa in the XVIII century.
All the watchtowers that can be seen were built in the XVI century. They were used to raise the alarm when Berber pirates were sighted. Smoke signals were transmitted inland using the countryside towers (e.g. Simeon, Torreta, Baix, Dalt) all of which have been declared heritage sites of cultural interest. The system of watchtowers was coordinated from the castle of Villajoyosa, nowadays a cultural site that can be visited and where more information can be found.
From 1829 to 1940 the coastal and border police force who fought smugglers continued using the watchtower which was in a very poor condition. Barracks were built at this time, and they can still be seen on the west
