Castell del Papa Luna, Peñiscola

In the highest part of the rocky peninsula, at an altitude of 64 meters above sea level, is the castle of Peñiscola (Castillo de Peñiscola), also known as the castle of Papa Luna (Castell del Papa Luna). Before the Reconquista, there was an Arab fortress here. In 1146, Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona, who had liberated the Valencian lands from the Moors, granted the fortress and its surrounding territories to his chief adviser Guillermo Ramón de Moncada .

In the following century, in 1235, the castle came under the rule of the Aragonese crown, and in 1294, King Jaime II the Just (Jaime II el Justo) transferred the peninsula to the Templar order. In the same year, the knights, under the leadership of Master Berenguer de Cardona, began the construction of the castle, which was completed in 1307. The new castle has become one of the most powerful fortifications in the Mediterranean.

The year of completion coincided with the beginning of the persecution of the Templars, and 5 years later Pope Clement V issued a decree on the abolition of the order. Not wanting to lose strong allies, but at the same time unable to disobey the authority of the Pope, King James II of Aragon made a simple and wise decision - he established a new order of Montez, which included both the Pyrenean Templars and knights who had fled from the executioners of French King Philip IV. Portugal also sheltered the disgraced knights, where they retrained as navigators - Templar crosses decorated the sails of caravels of the era of Great Geographical Discoveries. Having received permission from the Pope in 1319 to transfer the Templar property to the new order, James II officially assigned the castle to the Knights of Montez.

The main gate of the castle is located in a recess between two towers. The upper part of the left tower was destroyed during the war with Napoleon in the early 19th century. Above the arch are heraldic bas-reliefs depicting the cross of the Templars (in the center) and the coats of arms of the masters: Templar Berenguer of Cardona and Montez Arnaldo de Banyuls. The emblems are interspersed with images of the thistle, which became the symbol of the Templars after the abolition of the order.

A giant cactus can be seen between the castle wall and the parapet.

Nearby, on the wall, there is a fundamental sign with the inscription RESPETEN LAS PLANTS (Respect plants). Presumably, the sign will fulfill its purpose - the soft stems do not show carved inscriptions in the style of "Here was ..." in different languages, as is often seen in seaside resort towns. However, some people still left a memory of themselves on the board.