Benissa is one of the oldest places at the costa blanca. Prehistoric rock carvings in Pinos show that the area was inhabited from the earliest periods.The town was founded by the Moors Benissa (Banu-Issa) and the villages nearby. After the Christians have reconquered the area, The expulsion of the Moors could begun. The village was inhabited by people from the Pyrenees, Catalonia and Aragon. It is well preserved medieval center with its iron balconies and coats of arms. A special building is the Palacio de los Torres Orduna, now a cultural center and library. Benissa has a strong Catholic tradition with a Franciscan monastery that has been trained many Franciscan followers in Spain and a large Neo Gothic church, the Cathedral de la Marina.
