Torre Atalaya

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The Agres Watchtower is a former Islamic lookout standing on a strategically placed hill in El Comtat. Once linked to the town’s castle, this defensive structure is notable for its substantial rammed-earth walls and views across the natural landscape of the Serra de Mariola.

The Torre Atalaya, Agres Watchtower, stands within the municipality of Agres, Alicante, and is one of the area’s most notable surviving examples of medieval military architecture. Set high above the landscape in the heart of the Serra Mariola Natural Park, it once served as an important lookout, working in close connection with the town’s castle to guard the natural pass between neighbouring districts.


History and architecture of the Agres Watchtower

The tower has a quadrangular plan, extending for more than twenty metres along its main section, with surviving walls that rise to almost eight metres. Its construction combines a sturdy base of irregular masonry bound with mortar and upper courses of rammed earth made from lime and sand, built in sections of around 80 centimetres.

An opening can still be seen on the east-facing side, marking the former defensive entrance, which would originally have been reached by a retractable ladder. Although the centuries have taken their toll, leaving the tower without its internal floors and with part of its southern side missing, it remains one of the most interesting historic sites to seek out in Agres.