Taula del Sénia
Encyclopedia
The Taula del Sénia (ˈtawɫə ðəɫ ˈseniə, ˈtawla ðeɫ ˈsenia) or Mancomunitat de la Taula del Sénia is a mancomunitat or free association of municipalities made up of 22 towns, totalling up to 100,000 people, of some of the comarcas that make up the center of the historical region
of Ilercavonia
(present day southern Aragon
and Catalonia
, and northern Valencia
), Spain
. The origin of the name lies in the fact that all municipal terms involved are located within 15 km of the Sénia River
, perceived as the centre of the region in its upper course.
, as much industry fled the area during the last half of the 20th century and the current crisis has forced many key factories to close their doors. The Taula del Sénia focuses also on sustainable development
by presenting the region as a meeting point of three Spanish Autonomous Communities, instead of the gathering of three fringe territories of Aragon
, Catalonia
and the Valencian Community
. The reversal of the latter perception is crucial to the Taula del Sénia's efforts, for they blame their present status of disinvestment, unemployment and general economic neglect to being far away from the centres of power and decision of each of the three Autonomous Communities in question.
The Taula del Sénia has two related organizations, the Associació Territori del Sénia (Asociación Territorio del Senia) that fosuses mainly on promoting the greater comarca as a tourist destination, as well as a cultural organization named Fundació Rei Jaume I (Fundación Rey Jaime I).
Historical region
Historical regions are delimitations of geographic areas for studying and analysing social development of period-specific cultures without any reference to contemporary political, economic or social organisations....
of Ilercavonia
Ilercavonia
Ilercavonia is an ancient comarca of Spain formerly populated by the ancient Iberian tribe known as Ilercavones. It is a greater comarca made up of smaller ones...
(present day southern Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
and Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, and northern Valencia
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...
), Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The origin of the name lies in the fact that all municipal terms involved are located within 15 km of the Sénia River
Sénia River
The Sénia River is a river in the provinces of Castellón and Tarragona, Spain. It begins its course at 1,200 m in the Barranc del Salt, Ports de Beseit. limestone massif near La Pobla de Benifassà....
, perceived as the centre of the region in its upper course.
Goals
The Taula del Sénia's main purpose is to alleviate the historical neglect of this greater comarca by managing its public municipal resources meaningfully. The organization of the municipalities in a mancomunidad may allow the region to achieve the necessary legal recognition for its administrative development. The main emphasis of the mancomunidad is the promotion of reindustrializationReindustrialization
Reindustrialization is the economic, social, and political process of organizing national resources for the purpose of re-establishing deteriorated industries or change declining or contaminant industries to emerging or cleaner ones. The process often proceeds as a result of a need to reinvigorate...
, as much industry fled the area during the last half of the 20th century and the current crisis has forced many key factories to close their doors. The Taula del Sénia focuses also on sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
by presenting the region as a meeting point of three Spanish Autonomous Communities, instead of the gathering of three fringe territories of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
and the 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 reversal of the latter perception is crucial to the Taula del Sénia's efforts, for they blame their present status of disinvestment, unemployment and general economic neglect to being far away from the centres of power and decision of each of the three Autonomous Communities in question.
The Taula del Sénia has two related organizations, the Associació Territori del Sénia (Asociación Territorio del Senia) that fosuses mainly on promoting the greater comarca as a tourist destination, as well as a cultural organization named Fundació Rei Jaume I (Fundación Rey Jaime I).
Members
- Baix MaestratBaix MaestratBaix Maestrat is a comarca in the province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain.- Municipalities :*Alcalà de Xivert*Benicarló*Càlig*Canet lo Roig*Castell de Cabres*Cervera del Maestre*Chert/Xert*La Jana*Peñíscola*La Pobla de Benifassà...
(ValenciaValencian CommunityThe Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
):- BenicarlóBenicarlóBenicarló is a city and municipality in the north of the province of Castelló, part of the Valencian Community, in the Mediterranean Coast between the cities of Vinaròs and Peníscola, not too far south from the Ebre River....
- CàligCàligCàlig is a municipality in the comarca of Baix Maestrat in the Valencian Community, Spain.The town is located at the centre of the comarca. It is an agricultural town surrounded by cultivated plots, as well as almond tree and olive tree fields. There are not so many fruit and orange trees in its...
- Canet lo RoigCanet lo RoigCanet lo Roig is a municipality in the comarca of Baix Maestrat in the Valencian Community, Spain.The Serra de Sant Pere rises southeast of the town and the Cérvol River flows north of it...
- Cervera del Maestrat
- La JanaLa JanaLa Jana is a municipality in the comarca of Baix Maestrat in the Valencian Community, Spain. The Cervera Mountains rise just east of the town extending southwards....
- RossellRossell, Baix MaestratRossell is a municipality in the comarca of Baix Maestrat in the Valencian Community, Spain.The town is located at the eastern end of the Ports de Tortosa-Beseit, in the area known as Muntanyes de Benifassà. Rossell is part of the Taula del Sénia free association of municipalities.-Villages:*Bel,...
- TraigueraTraigueraTraiguera is a town and municipality in the Baix Maestrat comarca, province of Castelló, Valencian Community, Spain. It is part of the Taula del Sénia free association of municipalities....
- VinaròsVinaròsVinaròs is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the province of Castelló and part of the autonomous Valencian Community. The town is on the Gulf of Valencia coast of the western Mediterranean Sea, Vinaròs is a fishing harbour and tourist destination....
- Benicarló
- Matarranya (AragonAragonAragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
):- Beseit
- Pena-roja
- Vall-de-roures (Valderrobres)
- MontsiàMontsiàMontsià is the southernmost comarca of Catalonia in Spain. Its capital and largest city is Amposta.-History:The Montsià was first established as a separate administrative comarca in 1936 and was named after the Serra del Montsià mountain range...
(CataloniaCataloniaCatalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
):- AlcanarAlcanarAlcanar is a municipality of the Catalan comarca of Montsià, in the Tarragona province. The Serra del Montsià range and its foothills rises above the town and its surroundings. According to data from 2006 its population is 9,620 inhabitants, although this increased the next year, to 9,969...
- FreginalsFreginalsFreginals is a municipality in the comarca of Montsià inCatalonia, Spain.This picturesque town is located on a hill between the northern end of the Serra de Godall and the Serra del Montsià, not far from the forking of the roads between Tortosa, Ulldecona and Amposta...
- GodallGodallGodall is a municipality in the Montsià comarca, Tarragona Province, Catalonia, Spain. Godall gives its name to the Serra de Godall, a moderately high and smooth calcareous mountain range that rises above the town....
- La GaleraLa GaleraLa Galera is a municipality in the comarca Montsià, in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. In 2009 its population was 884. La Galera is part of the Taula del Sénia free association of municipalities.- History :...
- Mas de BarberansMas de BarberansMas de Barberans is a municipality in the comarca of Montsià inCatalonia, Spain. It is part of the Taula del Sénia free association of municipalities.-Local crafts:This town is located at the feet of the eastern edge of the Ports de Tortosa-Beseit...
- Sant Carles de la RàpitaSant Carles de la RàpitaSant Carles de la Ràpita is a town in the area of the Montsià in Catalonia, Spain. The town covers a portion of the south-west of the Ebre delta, including el Trabucador isthmus and la Banya peninsula, which close off a salt water lagoon known as the Port dels Alfacs. The town of Sant Carles de la...
- Santa BàrbaraSanta Bàrbara, MontsiàSanta Bàrbara is a municipality in the comarca of Montsià inCatalonia, Spain.This town is located in a plain at the northern end of the Serra de Godall, at the crossing of the roads between Tortosa and Ulldecona and between Amposta and La Galera...
- La SéniaLa SéniaLa Sénia is a municipality in the comarca of Montsià inCatalonia, Spain.This town is located in a plain by the Sénia River at the western end of the Montsià comarca...
- UlldeconaUlldeconaUlldecona is a town in the South of Catalonia, in Montsià , near the Senia River. Ulldecona is part of the Taula del Sénia free association of municipalities....
- Alcanar
- PortsPorts (comarca)Ports is a comarca in the province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain. It mostly overlaps the historical comarca known as Ports de Morella , except for the municipal areas surrounding Catí and Vilafranca that were excluded from the present-day Ports...
(ValenciaValencian CommunityThe Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
):- Morella
- VallibonaVallibonaVallibona is a small town and municipality located in the Ports comarca, province of Castelló, part of the autonomous community of Valencia, Spain. According to the 2009 census, it has a total population of 90 inhabitants...