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Melilla la Vieja

🇪🇸 Spain · 16th century

Melilla la Vieja in Spain
Photo: TonioMora · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Melilla la Vieja ("Old Melilla") is 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.

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.

Text adapted from “Melilla la Vieja” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Melilla la Vieja ranks #777 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #29 of the 600 mapped in Spain. Founded c. 1600, it is older than 32% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 718 atlas entries founded in the 16th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 3,294 times in the last 60 days, more than 77% of the atlas. 4 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. See how Spain compares in the castle statistics.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Melilla la Vieja?

Melilla la Vieja stands in Spain, at 35.294°, -2.934°.

When was Melilla la Vieja built?

The atlas dates its founding to c. 1600. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.

How famous is Melilla la Vieja?

In this atlas's fame ranking: #777 of 7,738 worldwide, and #29 in Spain. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.

What is the nearest castle to Melilla la Vieja?

Puerta de Santa Ana, Melilla, about 1 km away.

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