Castell de Montornès is a 10th-century Arab fortress located 500 meters above sea level near Benicàssim in the province of Castellón, built atop Roman-era remains within the 3,200-hectare Desierto de Las Palmas natural park. The castle name derives from the legendary Beni Qásim ("sons of Qásim"), from which the town of Benicàssim takes its name. Originally erected as part of the Moorish defense system, it was reinforced and expanded by Christians following the Reconquista, captured by El Cid and Pedro I in 1094, reconquered by the Almoravids in 1103, and definitively incorporated into Christian domains in 1234. Today, visitors can see preserved wall sections, underground cisterns, and two watchtowers offering expansive views across La Plana region toward the Mediterranean Sea.
