El Castillo de Cullera. Adecuaciones del castillo islámico

Abstract

[EN] The strategic location of most of the fortifications has led to the use throughout history of many settlements, carrying out numerous renovations to adapt them to the defense needs of each period. The privileged location of the Cullera Castle, from which a vast territory south to the Júcar river including coastal and river areas can be controlled, has justified that from its origins in the tenth century to the mid-eighteenth century it would be used as a fortified enclosure. Due to its long history, this defensive enclave boasts numerous examples of architectural elements from different ages. Therefore, it constitutes, a wealth of great historical interest, highlighting structures dating from Islamic Period, from which numerous remains have been preserved. Meanwhile, subsequent renovations following the Christian reconquest, call attention to the last structures built during the Carlist Wars. Since its desertion after the last armed conflicts, the Castle and its enclosures entered a stage of almost total abandonment, reaching modern times in an advanced state of ruin. In the last decade there have been a series of interventions following a sequence of stages included in a Master Plan which has resulted in the consolidation and restoration of the different structures of the ensemble, including the necessary archaeological research to pursue each of them. Buildings’ reuse as a guarantor of its maintenance and conservation was one of the intervention approaches, so that different socio-cultural uses compatible with the nature of the monument were proposed, contributing at the same time to its dissemination.