History of Fortuna, Murcia
Small village. Big history.
Fortuna's history is intrinsically intertwined with the hydrothermal waters that flow from its earth. The first inhabitation of the area occurred during the Bronze Age (3000 to 2000 BC) when Iberians discovered the springs. Recent archaeological evidence suggests that the ancient Iberians also worshipped the God of Nature in the surrounding caves. Vestiges of their Castillico de las Peñas are still visible atop a rocky outcrop to this day.
Centuries later, it was the Romans who inhabited the area. They constructed baths, built a small sanctuary and added modified Castillico de las Peñas. The Romans also worshipped in the caves and it's still possible to see their numerous tituli picti (inscriptions) today in La Cueva Negra.
Though documentation of Fortuna during the Muslim period is almost non-existent, it's thought the name Fortuna is linked to this time. What evidence there is suggests that Fortuna suffered a long recession during the Islamic period, with population levels decreasing substantially (perhaps due to failing agriculture).
In 1295, two years after Sancho IV approved the law that obliged Muslims and Jews to sell the lands that possessed, Abrahin Abroxac ibn Hud sold Fortuna to Aparicio of Nompot.
After switching hands several times Fortuna was eventually under the control of a Moorish Christian. When the Moors were expelled from Spain at beginning of the 17th century, Fortuna's owner was one of the Christian converts who was granted stay. However in 1613, King Felipe III decreed the expulsion, without exceptions, of all the Moors via the port of Cartagena. Eventually, in 1628 it was named village, its territory was delimited with that of Abanilla.
It wasn't until the 19th century that the benefits of the hot springs were realised again. After the springs temporarily dried in 1837 due to over irrigation, the land was purchased cheaply by Juan Cascales Font. He went on to build the Great Hotel Spa in 1860. Soon a casino was built and the spa town of Fortuna was reborn.
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