The medieval tower of La Torreta (Monument of Cultural Interest), which gives its current name to this mountain range, is one of the main landmarks and historical monuments of Elda’s landscape. It is a work of lime-crusted rammed earth with a quadrangular ground plan (4.7 meters on each side). The archaeological excavation in 2003 and 2004 found that only 2.41 meters of maximum height had been preserved, as well as four annexed departments to the north, practically razed to the ground. The tower was restored in 2011 to a height of 6 m., based on photographs dated between 1958 and 1971, in which the marks left by six horizontal rows of formwork braces were still visible, with a space of 0.98 meters between each of them. However, the tower must have been much higher originally, if we take other towers with similar base dimensions as a reference.

This watchtower was built in the old Portitxol mountain range, also known as “la Força d’Elda” (Elda’s stronghold), an insecure and strategic area, especially after the Two Pedros War (1356-1370), also affected by skirmishes and periodic Muslim raids from the Nasrid kingdom of Granada. The watchtower was located on the southwestern border of the kingdom of Valencia, between the territories of the crowns of Aragon and Castile. At the request of Queen Sibyl of Fortià, lady of Elda, King Pedro IV the Ceremonious ordered, on December 15, 1386, the creation of a two-man surveillance and customs service in the tower built shortly before in the mountain pass, at the expense of a toll (the payment of a currency known as the Valencian Ral) collected from pedestrians, draft animals, saddles or cargo. The tower thus maintained security on the road between Elda (Aragón) and Sax (Castilla) and, secondarily, on the Noguera road, which headed towards Petrer.

The use of the watchtower seems to continue during the late Middle Ages, lasting at least until the beginning of the 17th century. Later, the existence of the tower is mentioned during the War of the Spanish Succession (18th century), and it could have been used militarily or strategically occasionally during the Peninsular War and perhaps the Carlist Wars (19th century), until its definitive abandonment.