Xàtiva Castle
Valencia · Spain · Castle
In the castle dungeon sat the ill-fated Count of Urgell until darkness claimed his sight – and death caught up with him in 1433.
The twin castle on the ridge above Xàtiva served for centuries as the state prison of the Crown of Aragon, where inconvenient nobles were sent to be forgotten. Here were held the princes of la Cerda, grandsons of Alfonso X, and above all Jaume II of Urgell, known as the Unfortunate – the pretender who lost the succession struggle of 1412, rose in revolt and ended his days as a prisoner in the castle in 1433. According to legend, years in the dark cell left him so sensitive to light that he was blinded when finally led out into daylight, shortly before his death. His sarcophagus still stands in the castle chapel, and the dungeon with the count's fate remains the heart of the fortress's dark visitor lore.
FAQ
Where is Xàtiva Castle located?
Xàtiva Castle is in Valencia-regionen, Spain.
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- Plaça de Sant Felip Neri – Graveyard of the Hanged Barcelona · Cemetery
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- Carrer de Ponent 29 – the Vampire of the Raval Barcelona · Urban site
- House of the Demon (Gràcia) Barcelona · House
- Carrer de la Flor de Lliri Barcelona · Haunted house
- The Haunted House of Gràcia Barcelona · Haunted house
Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.
Image: Jaumesol · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons