Denia History on the Costa Blanca in Spain

Denia History

Denia has a turbulent history and many festivals and fiestas that are celebrated here reflect those various historical events.

Denia is thought to have been named after the Roman temple of Diana, which was excavated here and where a stone from this temple still exists, inlaid in the towns Renaissance facade. The townsfolk are known as Dianenses.

The town of Denia is dominated by the Castello, which is an old castle that dates from the 16th century, and is today an open air museum. It is 58 meters height and was built by troops during the seige of the Muslim town, then refortified during the War of Independence. As an archaeological museum which shows the towns history from 200 BC, up to the 18 century.

Exploring the narrow streets of the fishing quarter will reveal the culture and architecture of Iberian, Carthaginian, Roman, Arab and Christian civilisations, that have settled in Denia over the years.

The origins of of Denia date from the founding of a Greek colony called Hemeroskopeion, although prior to this Iberian settlements existed in the Montgo area. The urbanization of the town started in the 3rd Century B.C. when Dianium was founded by the Romans. A key factor during this time was the port, from which produce destined for the Urbe was exported. In 713 AD the Moors took control of the stronghold.

In 1013 Taifa declared itself independent from the power of Cordoba and minted its own currency, a status it held until 1076. Denia was then conquered in 1244 during the reign of James I by Pere Eiximen Carros.

In the 15th century, it became a marquisate, in the hands of Sandoval and Rojas. The fifth of these marquises, the Duke of Lerma, was a favourite of king Philip III, who gave Denia the title of a town, in 1612.

During the War of Succession, Denia took the side of the Archduke Charles, pretender to the throne of the House of Austria. Denia was the first town which proclaimed him as the legitimate king of Spain, on 17th August 1705. After three sieges the castle was taken, on 17th November 1708. The consequences of the War of Succession were devastating for Denia, in both demographic and economic terms. Then throughout the 18th century, a recuperation of the town took place, which continued into the following century.

It is after the last third of 18th century that the cultivation of grapes, and so raisins, was the economic drive that aided a great expansion of infrastructure, such as the railway lines from Carcaixent to Denia, and Alicante to Denia. Also the gas factory, consulate, telegraph communications, etc.

In the first years of the 20th century the phylloxera plague attacked vineyards and the competition of other markets caused the beginning of an economic decline for Denia, although metal industries related to the manufacture of toys did survive, Denia remained unaltered until the beginning of the 1960s, when the tourism industry became the main economic driving force that it is today.