the village of Castell de Guadalest (as it is known in Valencian, or just Guadalest, as it is referred to in Spanish) dominates the green valley of Guadalest, whose almond, orange and olive groves adorn the hillside terraces. The rock's vertical walls, which shield the village, are truly monumental, especially when you take into account the flatness of the province of Alicante. Many of the villages in the Valley of Guadalest have Arab origins, since it once marked the boundary of the ancient Almohad Caliphate, before it eventually collapsed. The valley was hard to access, a haven of vegetation concealed amid the mountains that was nevertheless perfect for defensive purposes. At the time, the village of Castell de Guadalest, which sits on a crag at a height of around 600 metres, loomed over the valley with its hanging castles. There was only one way to access the medieval village: through a tunnel bored through the upper part of the rocky elevation.
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