Moorish Dénia uncovered

– and open to visitors

AN ANCIENT Islamic town centre structure has finally emerged in Dénia after 30 years of excavations and totem posts have been set up to mark the old boundaries.

The main hub of what was once the city of Daniyya fell into disuse in the mid-13th century, but is now above ground for the first time in nearly 800 years.

Among the artefacts uncovered since the 1980s are a piece of pottery from North Africa and a model of one of the earliest ships from the time of the Muslim occupation.

Over 30 acres of remains of houses and streets within the 'city' walls known as El Fortí can now be explored on foot, giving visitors an insight into life during one of Dénia's periods of great splendour which started when the Islamic kingdom, or Taifa, expanded and engulfed the area at the foot of the castle in the 11th century.

The Moorish town centre, or arrabal, was razed to the ground during the Christian reconquest, although traces of it remained until less than a century ago when mass development began to wipe out the last standing elements of Daniyya.

Nine totem posts mark out the old El Fortí wall, and scenes of city life from the days of the Arabs have been recreated by the council's heritage team.

Visitors will be taken along a set route which covers the maqbara, or cemetery, near the sea which was home to over 700 tombs and famously featured on the UK TV documentary series Time Team.

They will also be able to explore some of the original houses, including the Casa de l'Aljub which, when discovered by local archaeologists, contained a patio with a well in near-perfect condition.

Information boards have been placed on each of the totems in English, French, German, Russian and Arabic, with QR codes so trippers can download the full story on their phones.

More details are available at Dénia tourist information office.