Monuments

Palace Tower

(Torre del Palau)

The Palace Tower (Torre del Palau) is the only historical element that persists from what was the castle-manor house of the Territorial Lord of Antella. Also known as the Arab Tower (Torre Àrab) of Antella and considered an Asset of Cultural Interest by the Cultural Heritage Law 4/98, the old stately palace is in the Mudejar style, rectangular in shape and without a slope, as is usual in this type of construction to better support. The tower was built by reducing the thickness of the interior of the walls, resulting in a greater interior surface area as one goes up to the upper floors.

It is a powerful construction (brick and masonry) with a square plan, 6 meters from the side to the base and 26 meters high. It has a ground floor and three floors, a fenced upper room and a terrace which is accessed by an interior helical ladder of 73 steps. A small watchtower crowns the building.

Built during the Arab settlements in front of the Church of the Immaculate Conception square, the purpose of the tower was to guard and defend the population, in addition to communicating dangers to the inhabitants of the castles and villas with towers around them. It also had religious use during the 15th century and was used as a prison in the 19th century. Currently, only the tower remains of the stately palace, which is located in one of the eight houses that have replaced the palace.

Photography: J. A. Tovar