Valencia, Spain - Peniscola Part 2, Castle

We continued to walk up through the old town with it's narrow streets,

 

great views,

tourist shops

and

the house covered in

shells.

Finally up to the castle entrance

but before going in we checked out the lighthouse and

the statue of "Papa Luna"

Peñíscola Castle, a 13th-century Templar fortress in Spain, served as the papal residence and "golden prison" of Antipope Benedict XIII (Papa Luna) from 1411 to 1423. During the Western Schism, he turned the castle into a pontifical seat and library, residing there in exile until his death, leaving a lasting, stubborn legacy. 

Key Facts About Pope Luna at Peñíscola:

• Who was he? Pedro Martínez de Luna y Pérez de Gotor, known as Papa Luna, was an Aragonese pope supported during the Western Schism.
• The "Pope" in Exile: After being declared an antipope by Rome, he took refuge in the castle from 1411 until his death in 1423.
• "Keep on his thirteen": His stubborn refusal to resign despite losing support led to the Spanish expression «sigue en sus trece» (he keeps on his thirteen), referring to his persistence.

The Castle Structure: Built by the Knights Templar between 1294 and 1307, the castle is located on a 64m-high rock in the sea. From AI Summary

 

It was difficult to get a photo of him without someone leaning on him or sitting on his knee for a photo, no wonder he looks grumpy.

 

Church at the base of the castle walls.

  

In through the huge doors. Photo by Nicola.

and we were into a maze of rooms

displays

about the history

and the various occupants.

The pope had a study with a view.

Aside from the multiple rooms and halls

there were courtyards and

battlements to explore

views to see.

Down towards the gardens (more on that later)

Down towards the beach (more on that later too)

When we had finally exhausted the castle, and it had exhausted us, we headed down to the gardens (also included in our admission ticket.)

On the topic of admission tickets we have found admission to be very reasonable. The Sagunto Castle was free, most everything else has been 1 or 2 Euro (the cheaper of these prices for us as we are over 60). The only expensive admission was the Aquarium (totally understandable)