Jalance Castle is a Muslim-origin fortress built in the 11th century, with later Christian modifications. It is situated on a hill above the town of Jalance in the Ayora-Cofrentes Valley. Its history is intertwined with the town's, serving as a defense for the lands and people rather than a feudal stronghold. Archaeological excavations have found ceramic remains from the 11th to the 19th century, indicating long-term habitation.
The castle was a battleground during the Carlist Wars in 1836, defended against the attacks of leader Quílez. Floods in 1864 destroyed its orchards and mills and washed away the stone bridge over the Júcar River, which had also happened in 1740. The walls were restored in the 19th century for civil war protection but later fell into disrepair. Today, efforts are being made to consolidate and preserve it.
The castle has a ten-sided polygonal layout, with walls ending in arrow slits and circular corner towers. It consists of two areas: the upper fortified area and the lower area, originally an Islamic albacar, converted into a parade ground by the Christians.
The upper area is accessed by a staircase leading to a corridor connected to various rooms. These include living quarters, ovens, storage areas, a circular silo, and a rectangular cistern.
Jalance Castle is an ideal spot for adventure sports like 'Rugir Pala' or for enjoying cool summer nights illuminated by the light of the Cofrentes nuclear power plant.
Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.
German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.
After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.