Vall de Alcalá
Encyclopedia
La Vall d'Alcalà is a valley in the Marina Alta
region of Alicante
, Spain
.
An area of natural beauty, it contains two villages: Alcalà de la Jovada and Beniaia. In the past, there were also another five villages, some of them uninhabited or in ruins; they were: Criola, Benialí, Benixarco, La Roca and La Adsubia/L'Atzúvia (Benialí is not to be confused by an existing village of the same name, found in the neighbouring valley of Gallinera
).
According to the 2005 census, Alcalà and Beniaia's inhabitants add up to a total of 165. Until the 1950s the villages had well over 500 inhabitants (642 in 1910), but a steady decline started in the 1960s as families emigrated to the nearby large towns of Pego
, Oliva
, Gandia
, Muro d'Alcoi, Cocentaina
and Alcoi.
with King James I of Aragon
in 1245, known as the Al-Azraq Treaty of 1245
, locally known as the 'Tractat del Pouet' ('Treaty of the little well') because it was signed beside a small water source just outside the village.
Al-Azraq famously betrayed the treaty in 1245 and 1258 when he unsuccessfully tried to defeat James I's army. The battles are still remembered today all around the region, when towns gather to watch Moros i Cristians or 'Moors and Christians' parades. The ones held in Alcoi are by far the most famous and spectacular, and is televised live on Canal 9
television as well as occasionally on state channel TVE.
Both Alcalà and Beniaia have their own Moors and Christians parades too, in August and September respectively, albeit on a much smaller scale.
, 'Muntanya d'Alacant'.
The ruined Moorish village of L'Atzuvieta is nearby, as are two domes which were packed with snow in the winter so as to keep food cold during the warmer months. These are called 'Neveras' (or 'Neveres' in Valencian
. The upper Nevera is called 'Nevera de Dalt', the lower one 'Nevera de Baix'. 'Nevera' is the modern word for refrigerator, but the origins of the word come from nieve (neu in Valencian) meaning snow.
Further down towards the neighbouring La Vall d'Ebo
village, there is a cave that was discovered in 1919 by a local hunter called José Vicente Mengual, known locally as El tío Rull or 'Uncle Rull'. His dog chased a rabbit down a hole and did not come back. He then sent his ferret down and that did not return either. Finally, he moved some rocks and discovered a beautiful cave full of stalactites and stalagmite
s. The cave, which officially bears his nickname La Cova del Rull, is open to the public, and is all year round except New Year's Day and Christmas Day.
The village of La Vall d'Alcalà celebrates its week-long festa on normally the first but sometimes the second weekend of August. Beniaia celebrates its own, smaller festa in September.
Marina Alta
Marina Alta is a comarca in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain.- Municipalities :*Adsubia*Alcalalí*Beniarbeig*Benidoleig*Benigembla*Benimeli*Benissa*Benitachell/El Poble Nou de Benitatxell*Calp*Castell de Castells*Dénia...
region 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...
, 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...
.
An area of natural beauty, it contains two villages: Alcalà de la Jovada and Beniaia. In the past, there were also another five villages, some of them uninhabited or in ruins; they were: Criola, Benialí, Benixarco, La Roca and La Adsubia/L'Atzúvia (Benialí is not to be confused by an existing village of the same name, found in the neighbouring valley of Gallinera
Gallinera
La Vall de Gallinera is a valley and a municipality in north-east Alicante, included in the Marina Alta comarca. It is formed by the nuclei of Benirrama, Benialí, Benissivà, Benitaia, Carroja, Alpatró, Llombai and Benissili. All these towns constitute a single municipality...
).
According to the 2005 census, Alcalà and Beniaia's inhabitants add up to a total of 165. Until the 1950s the villages had well over 500 inhabitants (642 in 1910), but a steady decline started in the 1960s as families emigrated to the nearby large towns of Pego
Pego, Alicante
Pego is a municipality located in the province of Alicante.Lying just inland from the northern Costa Blanca resort of Dénia, the town of Pego sits in a depression, surrounded by mountains...
, Oliva
Oliva
Oliva is a municipality in the comarca of Safor in the Valencian Community, Spain, in the Valencian language area. To its east lie 10 km of coastline and beaches fronting the Mediterranean Sea....
, Gandia
Gandia
Gandia is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Eastern Spain on the Mediterranean. Gandia is located on the Costa del Azahar, 65 km south of Valencia and 96 km north of Alicante....
, Muro d'Alcoi, Cocentaina
Cocentaina
Cocentaina is a town located in the comarca of Comtat, in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city is located between the mountainous Serra de Mariola national park and the Serpis river.The economy of Cocentaina is chiefly based on the textile industry....
and Alcoi.
History
The village of Vall d'Alcalà is very famous for being the birthplace of Al-Azraq, a Moorish Commander who signed an important treatyTreaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
with King James I of Aragon
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
in 1245, known as the Al-Azraq Treaty of 1245
Al-Azraq Treaty of 1245
The Al-Azraq Treaty of 1245 was a treaty between the Christian King James I of Aragon and the Muslim commander Mohammad Abu Abdallah Ben Hudzail al Sahuir popularly known as Al-Azraq in 1245 in the Iberian Peninsula.-Arabic version:...
, locally known as the 'Tractat del Pouet' ('Treaty of the little well') because it was signed beside a small water source just outside the village.
Al-Azraq famously betrayed the treaty in 1245 and 1258 when he unsuccessfully tried to defeat James I's army. The battles are still remembered today all around the region, when towns gather to watch Moros i Cristians or 'Moors and Christians' parades. The ones held in Alcoi are by far the most famous and spectacular, and is televised live on Canal 9
Canal 9
Canal Nou is a public television station in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is run by Ràdio Televisió Valenciana which operates from Burjassot. It is broadcast in Valencian and Spanish and it can be watched in the Valencian Community and adjacent areas...
television as well as occasionally on state channel TVE.
Both Alcalà and Beniaia have their own Moors and Christians parades too, in August and September respectively, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Economy
Cherries, almonds and olives are the main exports from Vall d'Alcalà. Many of the cherries bought overseas in, for example, the UK, come from the valley, which has its own Denominación de OrigenDenominación de Origen
Denominación de Origen is part of a regulatory classification system primarily for Spanish wines but also for other foodstuffs like honey, meats and condiments. In wines it parallels the hierarchical system of France and Italy although Rioja and Sherry preceded the full system...
, 'Muntanya d'Alacant'.
Local sights and amenities
The village of Alcalà de la Jovada has three bars, a campsite, a hotel, a public swimming-pool, a sports complex, an Internet café, a cultural centre/theatre, a chemist and a picturesque church. It however does not have a general store or shop.The ruined Moorish village of L'Atzuvieta is nearby, as are two domes which were packed with snow in the winter so as to keep food cold during the warmer months. These are called 'Neveras' (or 'Neveres' in Valencian
Valencian
Valencian is the traditional and official name of the Catalan language in the Valencian Community. There are dialectical differences from standard Catalan, and under the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua has been established as its regulator...
. The upper Nevera is called 'Nevera de Dalt', the lower one 'Nevera de Baix'. 'Nevera' is the modern word for refrigerator, but the origins of the word come from nieve (neu in Valencian) meaning snow.
Further down towards the neighbouring La Vall d'Ebo
La Vall d'Ebo
La Vall d'Ebo is a village in the province of Alicante and autonomous community of Valencia, Spain....
village, there is a cave that was discovered in 1919 by a local hunter called José Vicente Mengual, known locally as El tío Rull or 'Uncle Rull'. His dog chased a rabbit down a hole and did not come back. He then sent his ferret down and that did not return either. Finally, he moved some rocks and discovered a beautiful cave full of stalactites and stalagmite
Stalagmite
A stalagmite is a type of speleothem that rises from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate. This stalagmite formation occurs only under certain pH conditions within the underground cavern. The corresponding formation on...
s. The cave, which officially bears his nickname La Cova del Rull, is open to the public, and is all year round except New Year's Day and Christmas Day.
The village of La Vall d'Alcalà celebrates its week-long festa on normally the first but sometimes the second weekend of August. Beniaia celebrates its own, smaller festa in September.