The 18 Century
fortress of Castillo de la Duquesa stands on the coast in the middle
of what was once a large Roman fishing village. It has been suggested
that the village may have been called Saltum in classical times,
but no definite Latin name has survived.
Excavations in 1989 uncovered much of the village's
infrastructures making it one of the most extensive in Andalucia.
It includes a bath house site to the south of the castle now in
a fenced off plot overlooking Plaza del Baños Romanos.
The bath house consists of two large chambers and a hot house whose
under-floor heating system can be clearly seen. White mosaic floors
in other areas have survived. To the west of the bath house between
the castle and the main road once stood a Roman villa. To the north
of the castle where the Guardia Civil barracks once stood is the
location of the industrial part of the town. This is now a waste
ground car park. Fish paste tanks have been excavated here along
with water conduits and salt pans. A little north of the barracks
there is the site of a Roman necropolis or graveyard. We hope the
excavation will continue and the extensive site can become a historical
attraction.
The castle itself was built in 1767 by Francisco
Paulino of Seville. As a reward to his industry and his services
to the castle builders, who found work hard to come by at that time.
The Spanish King Carlos III granted Paulino the command of a company
of cavalry. What he did with them is a matter of conjecture. The
old rhyme of the Grand Old Duke of York springs unfairly to mind.
Today the castle is used as municipal offices, trainee workshops
and the site for traveling museums. The well behaved and unobtrusive
visitor is unlikely to be challenged and ejected.
From the Plaza de los Baños Romanos down
to the sea defenses are a number of quaint bars and restaurants.
This is where the sea front promenade ends. You can walk from here
to east to Duquesa Marina, but not any further
west. It has an air of the little forgotten village. Some of the
seafood restaurants are very popular so somebody must know about
Castillo de la Duquesa.
GPS Location of the castle:
36º 21' 05'' N 5º 14' 01'' W
