¿Sabías que la Costa Blanca destaca por contar y conservar numerosos yacimientos arqueológicos a lo largo de los siglos? Uno de ellos es el Tossal de la Cala, un yacimiento arqueológico en Benidorm. Lo podrás encontrar en la parte más alta de una de las playas que dividen Benidorm. Si te ha causado curiosidad, ¡sigue leyendo!
Did you know that the Costa Blanca stands out for having and preserving numerous archaeological sites over the centuries? One of them is the Tossal de la Cala, an archaeological site in Benidorm. You can find it in the highest part of one of the beaches that divide Benidorm. If you’re curious about it, read on!
Where is the Tossal de La Cala?
The Tossal de La Cala is located on a hill 100 metres above sea level at the end of the Poniente beach and separates this beach from the Cala Finestrat. The climb up to this point is somewhat difficult due to its steep slopes, so it is possible to reach it by car, the different signs will guide you to it.
In addition to the archaeological site, the views from this point will surprise you. It is a quiet place from where you can see the other end of Benidorm, see the whole bay and visit the Ermita de la Virgen del Mar, which is very close to this place. Watching the sunrise from the Tossal de La Cala is a spectacular experience.
A look into the past, find out more about its history
To delve a little deeper into history, the Tossal de la Cala was a Roman settlement occupied by the armies of Quintus Sertorius, a prominent Roman politician and soldier, during the Sertorian Wars.
There were many doubts about how to date this place, but after several years, they established that these archaeological remains dated back to the 2nd and 1st century BC and, furthermore, that it was not only part of a small Iberian settlement, but a large Roman fortification. What a great discovery!
The castle, or ‘Castellum’ as it was known at the time, has the typical characteristics of fortifications. The military nucleus usually formed part of the inside of the wall, while on the outside there were people such as blacksmiths or farmers, who made life easier for all these soldiers.
This privileged position allowed it to fulfil a defensive role, since from the top it was possible to see and control the passage of known or enemy ships. The site formed part of a Roman military coastal chain located in two districts of the Marina, the Marina Alta and the Marina Baja. It was an enclave of difficult access to make it difficult for enemies to pass through.
Commercial activity benefited from its location as it was a major trading and fishing point both at that time and in later periods.
Unfortunately, a large part of the site has been destroyed by urban development. It is true, however, that a great deal of effort was made to conserve this area.
Site converted into an open-air museum
Thanks to all these efforts, they were able to give it the value that this space deserved and which housed this great Roman fortification. The site has recently been recently been converted into a museum and is a national reference point for Roman military architecture.
Since last year it has been open to the public every day, with the possibility of guided tours. Totally recommended and free of charge. If you are spending a few days in Benidorm, don’t miss the opportunity to get to know these vestiges of the past.
Large collection of pieces
With the course of time, and due to numerous investigations and conservation work in the area, remains of culinary ceramics, glass, iron, Roman spears and bones have been found!
All these remains are distributed among various institutions such as the MARQ (Provincial Archaeological Museum of Alicante), Benidorm Town Hall, the Prehistoric Research Service of Valencia and the occasional private collector.
Among these pieces is the representation of the goddess Tanit, the most important goddess in Carthaginian mythology, on display at MARQ.
What are you waiting for to discover this site and transport yourself back in time? Remember that it is open for visits every day and that from here you can enjoy incredible views of the Mediterranean. Don’t miss it!
