Melilla la Vieja
Citadel in the Spanish city of Melilla
Melilla la Vieja ("Old Melilla") is the name of a large fortress which stands immediately to the north of the port in Melilla, one of Spain's Plazas de soberanía on the north African coast. Built during the 16th and 17th centuries, much of the fortress has been restored in recent years.
| Old Melilla | |
|---|---|
| Melilla la Vieja | |
| Melilla, Spain | |
  Old Melilla | |
| Coordinates | 35°17′38″N 2°56′02″W / 35.294°N 2.934°W |
| Type | Fortress |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Well-preserved (partly reconstructed) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 16th and 17th centuries |
| Built by | Catholic Monarchs of Spain |
| Materials | Rammed earth |
| Battles/wars | Siege of Melilla (1774–1775) |
The fortress contains many of Melilla's most important historical sites, among them an archaeological museum, a military museum, the Church of the Conception, and a series of caves and tunnels, like Conventico Caves, in use since Phoenician times.
References
change- Hardy, P., Vorhees, M., and Edsall, H. (2005). Morocco. Footscray, VIC: Lonely Planet.