Mount Benacantil
Encyclopedia
Mount Benacantil is a mount
(or rather a large hill
) that dominates the urban part of Alicante
, and is the characteristic image of the city. The mount name appears as Banu-l-Qatil in the work of Muslim geographer
Al-Idrisi in the 12th century, but it is possible that this is an error of transcription (Arab names like "beni" are abundant on the peninsula
; the name means "family tree") because it does not make a lot of sense in Arabic (it would be "the family of the murderer"). Compared with other names in Valencian Community
, the mount name is more likely to be derived from the word "benna", Arabic transcription of "pinna", which is "rock" in Latin; combined with the adjective "laqanti", which comes from "Laqant," the Arabic name of the city. Therefore, we obtain a half Roman, half Arabic toponym, "Benna Laqanti".
The rock mount is covered by pine trees and bushes on the north side, while on the south side, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea
, there are only rocks. In the intermediate areas there are bushes and grasses that are quite characteristic for the dry Mediterranean climate
.
The mount is famous for the rock formation on its south-western slope, known as la cara del moro ("the moor's face").(view image)
The medieval fortress of Alicante, the Castle of Santa Bárbara
stands on the top of the mount. On the slopes of the mount there are Park Ereta, neighborhoods of Santa Cruz, San Roque, San Anton and Raval Roig, and antique apartments. In recent years it became a botellón
place.
Avenida Jaime II, which is a continuation of Avenida de Alfonso el Sabio, crosses the northern foot of the mount, and so does a tunnel of Alicante Tram
.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
(or rather a large hill
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
) that dominates the urban part of Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, and is the characteristic image of the city. The mount name appears as Banu-l-Qatil in the work of Muslim geographer
Geographer
A geographer is a scholar whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society.Although geographers are historically known as people who make maps, map making is actually the field of study of cartography, a subset of geography...
Al-Idrisi in the 12th century, but it is possible that this is an error of transcription (Arab names like "beni" are abundant on the peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
; the name means "family tree") because it does not make a lot of sense in Arabic (it would be "the family of the murderer"). Compared with other names in Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
, the mount name is more likely to be derived from the word "benna", Arabic transcription of "pinna", which is "rock" in Latin; combined with the adjective "laqanti", which comes from "Laqant," the Arabic name of the city. Therefore, we obtain a half Roman, half Arabic toponym, "Benna Laqanti".
The rock mount is covered by pine trees and bushes on the north side, while on the south side, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, there are only rocks. In the intermediate areas there are bushes and grasses that are quite characteristic for the dry Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
.
The mount is famous for the rock formation on its south-western slope, known as la cara del moro ("the moor's face").(view image)
The medieval fortress of Alicante, the Castle of Santa Bárbara
Castle of Santa Bárbara
The Castle of Santa Bárbara is a fortification in the center of Alicante, Spain. It stands on the Mount Benacantil .-History:Bronze Age, Iberian, and Roman artifacts have been found on the slopes of the mountain, but the origins of the castle date to the 9th century at the time of Muslim control...
stands on the top of the mount. On the slopes of the mount there are Park Ereta, neighborhoods of Santa Cruz, San Roque, San Anton and Raval Roig, and antique apartments. In recent years it became a botellón
Botellón
Botellón is a social activity among Spain’s youth, who gather in public areas to consume alcohol as an alternative to going to a bar or club.-Origins:The origins of botellón started in Andalucia during the 1980s...
place.
Avenida Jaime II, which is a continuation of Avenida de Alfonso el Sabio, crosses the northern foot of the mount, and so does a tunnel of Alicante Tram
Alicante Tram
The Alicante Metropolitan TRAM operates in the Spanish city of Alicante and its surrounding area and, like other narrow gauge railways in the Valencian Community, is run by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana...
.