Powder magazine of the Parador of Tortosa

Considered one of Tortosa’s main historical monuments, the Castle of Saint John, known as the Castell de la Suda, is a key piece of evidence pointing to the city’s Andalusian past. It was built in the 10th century on top of an ancient Roman acropolis.

Within the enclosure, several buildings have been constructed: cisterns, naves and a powder magazine. In the large central well, or suda, numerous underground galleries with silos and furnaces converge.

During the Spanish Civil War, the castle suffered serious damage. It was made a Parador de Turisme (Paradores) in 1972, which led to major restorations. The walls, arcades, armoury, the underground galleries and the powder magazine are preserved from the original building.

A powder magazine was a building intended for military use where gunpowder and ammunition or explosives made from gunpowder were stored. Since explosive materials were stored in these warehouses, the history of powder magazines is replete with countless incidences of accidental explosions. Tortosa’s powder magazine is no exception, and has also suffered many of its own.

*Authorship of photos: Jordi Contijoch Boada