# Calpe

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For other uses, see [Calpe (disambiguation)](/source/Calpe_(disambiguation)).

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Municipality in Valencian Community, Spain

Calpe Calp Municipality Calpe seen from the peak of Penyal d'Ifac Coat of arms Calpe Location in the Province of Alicante Show map of Province of Alicante Calpe Location in the Valencian Community Show map of Valencian Community Calpe Location in Spain Show map of Spain Coordinates: 38°38′40″N 0°02′46″E / 38.6444°N 0.0461°E / 38.6444; 0.0461 Country Spain Autonomous community Valencian Community Province Alicante / Alacant Comarca Marina Alta Government • Mayor (Since 2019) Ana Sala (PP) Area • Total 23.51 km2 (9.08 sq mi) Elevation 59 m (194 ft) Population (2025-01-01)[1] • Total 27,616 • Density 1,175/km2 (3,042/sq mi) Demonym(s) Calpí, calpina Time zone UTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST) Postal code 03710 Official language(s) Valencian, Spanish Website calp.es

**Calpe** (Spanish: [\[ˈkalpe\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Spanish); [Valencian](/source/Valencian_language): ***Calp*** [\[ˈkalp\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Catalan))[2][3] is a coastal [municipality](/source/Municipality) located in the [*comarca*](/source/Comarques_of_the_Valencian_Community) of [Marina Alta](/source/Marina_Alta), in the province of [Alicante](/source/Province_of_Alicante), [Valencian Community](/source/Valencian_Community), [Spain](/source/Spain), by the [Mediterranean Sea](/source/Mediterranean_Sea). It has an area of 23.5 km2 (9.1 sq mi) and a [population density](/source/Population_density) of 990 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,600/sq mi). The city lies at the foot of the [Penyal d'Ifac Natural Park](/source/Penyal_d'Ifac_Natural_Park). In 2022 the population was 24,096 inhabitants.[4]

The economy of Calpe is based mainly on tourism and fishing. Many [Iberian](/source/Iberians), [Roman](/source/Ancient_Rome) and Arab [archeological sites](/source/Archeological_site) exist in the town because of its strategic coastal location.

The [Prime Meridian](/source/Prime_Meridian) crosses Calpe.

## History

There are some remains that testify to the presence of inhabitants in the region of Calpe in prehistoric times; some remains date back to the Bronze Age. The first buildings were introduced by the Iberians, constructed on the higher grounds.

The [Penyal d'Ifac](/source/Natural_Park_of_Penyal_d'Ifac) (in Spanish *Peñón de Ifach*) was the natural lookout for the inhabitants that lived in the surrounding areas. Another lookout was the Morro de Toix Mountain, from which the Mascarat Ravine, an essential passage along the coast, could be controlled. The area gained in importance during the [Romanization](/source/Roman_conquest_of_Iberia) of the [Iberian Peninsula](/source/Iberian_Peninsula). The township's proximity to the sea favoured marine trade and fish factories. Evidence is at the historical site *Els Banys de la Reina* (the Queen's Baths).

After [the Arabs conquered Iberia](/source/Muslim_conquest_of_the_Iberian_Peninsula), they built a castle overlooking the Mascarat Ravine. When the area was conquered by the [Crown of Aragon](/source/Crown_of_Aragon), the Muslim administration was maintained: small townships set apart and protected by a castle or fortress. Therefore, the inhabitants of the region were dependent upon the Castle of Calpe.

In 1290, Calpe came under the control of the Aragonese admiral [Roger of Lauria](/source/Roger_of_Lauria), who ordered that a village named Ifach to be built in the proximity of the Rock of Ifach. In 1359, the battle between the then monarch [Peter IV of Aragon](/source/Peter_IV_of_Aragon) and [Peter I of Castile](/source/Peter_I_of_Castile) in the [War of the Two Peters](/source/War_of_the_Two_Peters) caused the destruction of Ifac and a surge in the population of the *Alqueria* (from the Arabic *Al-garya*, meaning the "small town"). This rural building, generally constructed on mountainsides, is of an austere nature and simple design. It is made up of one or two floors at the most, with just the one gallery. In 1386, the administrative unit of the Castle of Calpe was divided into the towns currently known as [Benissa](/source/Benissa), [Teulada](/source/Teulada%2C_Spain), Calpe, and Senija.

In 1637, concurrently with the [raid on Ceriale and Borghetto](/source/Raid_on_Ceriale_and_Borghetto), [Algerian](/source/Regency_of_Algiers) [barbary pirates](/source/Barbary_pirates) launched an incursion targeting Calpe. During this invasion, the Corsairs devastated the coastal areas of [Valencia](/source/Valencia), leading to the enslavement of 315 individuals, mostly women and children.[5][6][7][8] In the 17th century, there was an increase in the population, which gave rise to the consolidation of Calpe.

Towards the mid-18th century, several projects arose to build a new fortified wall around the township because by then, the increase in the population forced many inhabitants to live outside the protection of the existing walls. During the 19th century, the village developed towards the west. The basic axis of growth was along the route between Altea and Alicante.

During the second half of the 19th century, the fishing industry began to take off throughout the region. Buildings, such as the Fisherman's Cooperative, were constructed and functioned alongside several existing factories dating from the end of the 18th century. These buildings, however, were not a nucleus of population dedicated to fishing activities.

In 1918, the *El Saladar* salt flats were cleaned up, and the production of salt could once again take place. Thanks to the technical innovations of the times, bigger fishing vessels were constructed. The first small hotels arose in the area surrounding *Els banys de la Reina* and the Racó Beach, and catered to the emerging middle classes. The summer tourist trade increased substantially with the construction of the Ifach Parador in 1935.

Between 1945 and the end of the 1950s, many holiday villas and small hotels were built to accommodate the flourishing summer tourist trade. The hotel trade in the region is located almost exclusively on the coastal area. During the second half of the 1960s, as happened along the rest of the [Costa Blanca](/source/Costa_Blanca), there was a tremendous boom in construction in Calpe because of political change and the emergence of tourism as a phenomenon of the masses. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Calpe became the filming location for the films of Spanish Film director [Jesus Franco](/source/Jesus_Franco).

## Main sights

View of Calpe and the [Penyal d'Ifac](/source/Penyal_d'Ifac)

Some of the most important monuments are the ruins of *Els banyas de la reina* (the queen's baths), the flooded salt flats, a bird sanctuary for migratory birds, its [Gothic](/source/Gothic_architecture) [Catholic](/source/Catholic) [church](/source/Church_(building)) and the 18th-century [tower](/source/Tower) of *La Peça*.

The [Penyal d'Ifac Natural Park](/source/Penyal_d'Ifac_Natural_Park) is also a popular tourist destination.

## Twin towns

Calpe is [twinned](/source/Twin_towns) with:

- [Oppenheim](/source/Oppenheim), Germany

- [El Puerto de Santa María](/source/El_Puerto_de_Santa_Mar%C3%ADa), Spain

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** National Statistics Institute (13 December 2025). ["Municipal Register of Spain of 2025"](https://www.ine.es/dynt3/inebase/index.htm?padre=525).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Decree 125/2009 of 28 August, by Consell, which change the name of "Calp/Calpe" by the unique shape of "Calp" in Valencian](http://www.docv.gva.es/portal/portal/2009/09/01/pdf/2009_9785.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240306035424/https://dogv.gva.es/datos/2009/09/01/pdf/2009_9785.pdf) 2024-03-06 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) (in Spanish and Valencian)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Register of Local Entities](https://web.archive.org/web/20130714164207/http://www.entidadeslocales.gva.es/index.php?option=com_reglocal_entloc&task=muestraEntidad&tipo=1&id=3047&Itemid=9&lang=es) Generalitat Valenciana (in Spanish and Catalan)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Calpe, Spain"](https://www.luxinmo.com/calpe-spain). *Luxinmo Real Estate*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20221117161756/https://www.luxinmo.com/calpe-spain) from the original on 2022-11-17. Retrieved 2022-11-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-renamed_from_0_on_20251020072715_5-0)** Bekkaoui, K. (2010-11-24). [*White Women Captives in North Africa: Narratives of Enslavement, 1735-1830*](https://books.google.com/books?id=kyB9DAAAQBAJ). Springer. p. 2. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-230-29449-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-230-29449-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Street, Lucie (1986). [*An Uncommon Sailor: A Portrait of Admiral Sir William Penn, English Naval Supremacy*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Zje4AAAAIAAJ&q=1637+Calpe). Kensal Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-946041-47-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-946041-47-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Friedman, Ellen G. (1983). [*Spanish Captives in North Africa in the Early Modern Age*](https://books.google.com/books?id=VAh1AAAAMAAJ&q=1637+Calpe+Algeria). University of Wisconsin Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-299-09380-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-299-09380-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Hershenzon, Daniel (2018-08-01). [*The Captive Sea: Slavery, Communication, and Commerce in Early Modern Spain and the Mediterranean*](https://books.google.com/books?id=5uxmDwAAQBAJ&dq=1637+Calpe+Algeria&pg=PA276). University of Pennsylvania Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8122-9536-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8122-9536-8).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Calp](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Calp).

- [Calpe](https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Calpe#Q671272) travel guide from Wikivoyage

- [Official website](https://web.archive.org/web/20181119214628/https://www.calp.es/)

Articles related to Calpe v t e Municipalities of Marina Alta Alcalalí Beniarbeig Benidoleig Benigembla Benimeli Benissa Calp Castell de Castells El Poble Nou de Benitatxell / Benitachell Dénia Gata de Gorgos L'Atzúbia La Vall d'Alcalà La Vall d'Ebo La Vall de Gallinera La Vall de Laguar Llíber Murla Ondara Orba Parcent Pedreguer Pego Els Poblets El Ràfol d'Almúnia Sagra Sanet y Negrals Senija Teulada Tormos El Verger Xàbia Xaló v t e Municipalities of the province of Alicante Agost Agres Aigües Albatera Alcalalí Alcocer de Planes Alcoleja Alcoy Alfafara L'Alfàs del Pi Algorfa Algueña Alicante Almoradí Almudaina Altea Aspe L'Alqueria d'Asnar L'Atzúbia Balones Banyeres de Mariola Benasau Beneixama Benejúzar Benferri Beniarbeig Beniardà Beniarrés Benidoleig Benidorm Benifallim Benifato Benigembla Benijófar Benilloba Benillup Benimantell Benimarfull Benimassot Benimeli Benissa El Poble Nou de Benitatxell / Benitachell Biar Bigastro Bolulla Busot Callosa d'en Sarrià Callosa de Segura Calpe El Campello Campo de Mirra Castalla Castell de Castells Catral Cañada Cocentaina Confrides Cox Crevillent Daya Nueva Daya Vieja Dolores Dénia Elche Elda Fageca Famorca Finestrat Formentera del Segura Gaianes Gata de Gorgos Gorga Granja de Rocamora El Castell de Guadalest El Fondó de les Neus Guardamar del Segura Hondón de los Frailes Ibi Jacarilla Jalón Llíber Los Montesinos Millena Monforte del Cid Monòver Murla Muro de Alcoy Mutxamel Novelda La Nucia Ondara Onil Orba L'Orxa / Lorcha Orihuela Orxeta Parcent Pedreguer Pego Penàguila Petrel Pilar de la Horadada Pinoso Planes Els Poblets Polop Quatretondeta Rafal El Ràfol d'Almúnia Redován Relleu Rojales La Romana Sagra Salinas San Fulgencio San Isidro San Miguel de Salinas Sant Vicent del Raspeig / San Vicente del Raspeig Sanet y Negrals Sant Joan d'Alacant Santa Pola Sax Sella Senija Teulada Tibi Tollos Tormos Torrevieja Tàrbena La Torre de les Maçanes / Torremanzanas La Vall d'Alcalà La Vall d'Ebo La Vall de Gallinera La Vall de Laguar El Verger Villajoyosa Villena Xàbia Xixona / Jijona

Authority control databases International VIAF GND National Spain Geographic MusicBrainz area

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Calpe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calpe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calpe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.