The ruins of the Cofrentes castle are perched atop Cerro de Agras, an extinct volcano. The castle was founded by the Arabs and was key to defending the valley and transportations up the river that were taking place from the 12th century.
Architecturally, the fortress has three different parts: the lower section, the middle section and the upper section, or the bastion, which is accessed through the courtyard and which housed the noble parts of the castle. The fortress was adapted in each period and rebuilt following the damage suffered during the War of Succession, the Peninsular War and the Carlist Wars.
The Torre del Homenaje, or Keep, is a defining feature of the castle. Nowadays it has been converted into a viewing point from where you can breathe in extraordinary views.
Tickets to Cofrentes castle include entrance to the newly opened museum, which will take you back through the history of the fortress and the settlement that was there before it. One of the most important items on display is the Reloj de la Torre del Castillo, a mechanical clock that is thought to be the oldest in the Region of Valencia.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.