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Calpe | |
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 Calpe seen from the peak of Penyal d'Ifac | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Calpe Location in the Province of Alicante Show map of Province of Alicante Calpe Location in the Valencian Community Show map of Valencian Community Calpe Location in Spain Show map of Spain | |
| Coordinates:38°38′40″N0°2′46″E / 38.64444°N 0.04611°E /38.64444; 0.04611 | |
| Country |  Spain |
| Autonomous community |  Valencian Community |
| Province |  Alicante / Alacant |
| Comarca | Marina Alta |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (Since 2019) | Ana Sala (PP) |
| Area | |
• Total | 23.51 km2 (9.08 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 59 m (194 ft) |
| Population (2024-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 26,821 |
| • Density | 1,141/km2 (2,955/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Calpí, calpina |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 03710 |
| Official language(s) | Valencian, Spanish |
| Website | calp |
Calpe (Spanish:[ˈkalpe];Valencian:Calp[ˈkalp])[2][3] is a coastalmunicipality located in thecomarca ofMarina Alta, in the province ofAlicante,Valencian Community,Spain, by theMediterranean Sea. It has an area of 23.5 km2 (9.1 sq mi) and apopulation density of 990 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,600/sq mi). The city lies at the foot of thePenyal d'Ifac Natural Park. In 2022 the population was 24,096 inhabitants.[4]
The economy of Calpe is based mainly on tourism and fishing. ManyIberian,Roman and Arabarcheological sites exist in the town because of its strategic coastal location.
ThePrime Meridian crosses Calpe.
There are some remains that testify to the presence of inhabitants in the region of Calpe in prehistoric times; some remains date back to the Bronze Age. The first buildings were introduced by the Iberians, constructed on the higher grounds.
ThePenyal d'Ifac (in SpanishPeñón de Ifach) was the natural lookout for the inhabitants that lived in the surrounding areas. Another lookout was the Morro de Toix Mountain, from which the Mascarat Ravine, an essential passage along the coast, could be controlled. The area gained in importance during theRomanization of theIberian Peninsula. The township's proximity to the sea favoured marine trade and fish factories. Evidence is at the historical siteEls Banys de la Reina (the Queen's Baths).
Afterthe Arabs conquered Iberia, they built a castle overlooking the Mascarat Ravine. When the area was conquered by theCrown of Aragon, the Muslim administration was maintained: small townships set apart and protected by a castle or fortress. Therefore, the inhabitants of the region were dependent upon the Castle of Calpe.
In 1290, Calpe came under the control of the Aragonese admiralRoger of Lauria, who ordered that a village named Ifach to be built in the proximity of the Rock of Ifach. In 1359, the battle between the then monarchPeter IV of Aragon andPeter I of Castile in theWar of the Two Peters caused the destruction of Ifac and a surge in the population of theAlqueria (from the ArabicAl-garya, meaning the "small town"). This rural building, generally constructed on mountainsides, is of an austere nature and simple design. It is made up of one or two floors at the most, with just the one gallery. In 1386, the administrative unit of the Castle of Calpe was divided into the towns currently known asBenissa,Teulada, Calpe, and Senija.
In 1637, concurrently with theraid on Ceriale and Borghetto,Algerianbarbary pirates launched an incursion targeting Calpe. During this invasion, the Corsairs devastated the coastal areas ofValencia, leading to the enslavement of 315 individuals, mostly women and children.[5][6][7][8] In the 17th century, there was an increase in the population, which gave rise to the consolidation of Calpe.
Towards the mid-18th century, several projects arose to build a new fortified wall around the township because by then, the increase in the population forced many inhabitants to live outside the protection of the existing walls. During the 19th century, the village developed towards the west. The basic axis of growth was along the route between Altea and Alicante.
During the second half of the 19th century, the fishing industry began to take off throughout the region. Buildings, such as the Fisherman's Cooperative, were constructed and functioned alongside several existing factories dating from the end of the 18th century. These buildings, however, were not a nucleus of population dedicated to fishing activities.
In 1918, theEl Saladar salt flats were cleaned up, and the production of salt could once again take place. Thanks to the technical innovations of the times, bigger fishing vessels were constructed. The first small hotels arose in the area surroundingEls banys de la Reina and the Racó Beach, and catered to the emerging middle classes. The summer tourist trade increased substantially with the construction of the Ifach Parador in 1935.
Between 1945 and the end of the 1950s, many holiday villas and small hotels were built to accommodate the flourishing summer tourist trade. The hotel trade in the region is located almost exclusively on the coastal area. During the second half of the 1960s, as happened along the rest of theCosta Blanca, there was a tremendous boom in construction in Calpe because of political change and the emergence of tourism as a phenomenon of the masses. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Calpe became the filming location for the films of Spanish Film directorJesus Franco.
Some of the most important monuments are the ruins ofEls banyas de la reina (the queen's baths), the flooded salt flats, a bird sanctuary for migratory birds, itsGothicCatholicchurch and the 18th-centurytower ofLa Peça.
ThePenyal d'Ifac Natural Park is also a popular tourist destination.
Calpe istwinned with:
Oppenheim, GermanyEl Puerto de Santa María, Spain
Calpe travel guide from Wikivoyage| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
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