The Castle of Pulpís is located at the summit of a mountain in the Sierra de Irta, 2 km from Santa Magdalena de Pulpis. Originally it was a Muslim stronghold (11th-12th century) and was captured by Alfonso II of Aragon and granted to the Order of the Temple in 1190, but it was soon lost again to the Muslims. It was definitively conquered in 1233 by James I of Aragon, at the same time as Peñíscola. In 1244, it came into the possession of the Order of Calatrava, and in 1277, it passed to the Templars until their dissolution, after which it was held by the Order of Montesa, under the jurisdiction of the Commander of Chivert.
The castle was rebuilt and expanded during the early period of Christian possession to secure the newly conquered lands. It was maintained, with varying degrees of care, until the 16th century, due to the threat of Berber pirates. Afterwards, with no military use, it was abandoned and gradually deteriorated.
Architecture
It is a mountain castle with a quadrangular layout, an irregular perimeter, and a single enclosure. Its only entrance is protected by a large keep and two curtain walls in front, forcing a zigzag approach.
Remnants of various constructions and reforms over the centuries are still preserved. The original Muslim structure was subjected to numerous Templar reforms. Today, one can still identify the keep, the entrance gate, square towers, perimeter walls, and the cistern. The walls near the entrance are of Muslim origin, while the rest of the preserved structures are of Templar origin.
