Albaida (Valencia)

Albaida is a municipality and city in Spain located in the central part of the Valle de Albaida region, its historical capital, in the province of Valencia, Valencian Community. It has 5,914 inhabitants (INE 2020).

Toponymy

Its etymology leads to the Arabic voice of /al-baydà/ (the white one), probably referring to the color of the white earth of most of the region or of the closest cultivated lands to Albaida.

Geography

Integrated into the Valle de Albaida region, it is located 85 kilometers from Valencia. The municipal term is crossed by the Autovía del Mediterráneo (A-7), by some sections of the N-340 road and by the CV-62 regional road, which joins the A-7 with the CV-60 road. In addition, other local roads allow communication with Benisoda, Agullent and Ayelo de Malferit.

The relief of the municipality is undulating and low altitude, with the exception of the Sierra de Agullent, one of the last foothills of the Sierra de Mariola, which forms the border with the province of Alicante, separating the valleys of Agres and Albaida and connecting to the east with the Sierra de Benicadell. The Albaida river, a tributary of the Júcar, crosses the territory from south to north, while the Clariano river borders Ollería to the north. The altitude oscillates between 882 meters to the south (Cueva Alta peak) and 200 meters on the banks of the Albaida river. The town stands on a hillock at 311 meters above sea level.

Neighboring municipalities

The municipality of Albaida covers approximately 36 km² and borders the following municipalities:

Northwest: Malferit	North: Ollería	Northeast: Bufalí
West: Agullent		This: Palomar and Adzaneta de Albaida
Southwest: Benisoda	South: Agres (Alicante)	Sureste: Alcoy Wall (Alicante)

Neighborhoods

Albaida has the following neighborhoods:

• L'Aljorf: old municipality, annexed in 1888.
• Raval Sobirà (includes Av. Fora-Fora i La Font de la Vila)
• Raval Jussà or Cardavall
• Clos de la Villa
• Centre
• San Antonio - Calvary
• The Fair
• The crack
• "Bichitos"
• "Mosquitos"
• Casetes dels Mosquitos
• Camino San Luis Beltrán - Casitas de los Boteros - Alcoy Road
• The Tower
• Cooperative Urbanization San Miguel
• The Romeral
• Romeral Cases
• Real
• Onteniente Road
• Les cassettes roses

There are also other scattered population centers and groups of chalets such as La Pedrera, El Valle de la Salud, and others.

History

Remains of one of the towers of the Old Castle of Albaida

The settlement dates back to the Iberian era, from which archaeological remains have been discovered. There are remains from the Iberian period in the Covalta site, as well as in the Old Castle (Castell Vell). Farmhouses still remain from the Muslim period, part of the current location of the town and the Castell Vell (transformed during the intense medieval occupation). The current population center is of Muslim origin. In its term, however, abundant deposits have been found that testify to a much older settlement.

In 1244 Jaime I conquered it and expelled its inhabitants, incorporating it into the Crown of Aragon. In 1258 it was repopulated with new settlers who came from Lérida and Aragón.

In 1269, Albaida was alienated from the Royal Patrimony and its seigneurial dependency began. In the chronicle of Ramon Muntaner it is indicated that Corral de Llança became the first Marquis of Albaida and Carrícola. At the time that his friend Roger de Lauria was granted the neighboring territory of Alcoy.

Different noble houses succeeded one another in ownership of the lordship until, at the end of the 15th century (when in 1477, Juan II granted the first title of Count of Albaida, to the Milan of Aragon, who remained in charge until its final demise.

Since the end of the 13th century, the lords of Albaida exercised baronial jurisdiction over it (by donation made ad feudum Catalonia), which empowered them to exercise justice over its inhabitants in all kinds of crimes. They probably also (if not by right, then in fact) had the ability to control the election of municipal offices. We know that, at the beginning of the 17th century, the town acquired the status of a University.

In 1604 Felipe III promoted the county to a marquisate. The Marquesado de Albaida comprised the city of Albaida and the boundaries of the current towns of Benisoda, Palomar, Carrícola, L'Aljorf and Adzaneta de Albaida. In the 18th century the terms of the current Montaberner, the barony of Otos and the barony of Bélgida were added.

The autonomy of the marquisate disappeared with the Nueva Planta decrees, by virtue of which the new mayor was elected by the territorial nobility.

When the 19th century arrived, the vine and the wax industry contributed to an incipient development, which in the 19th century XX was consolidated thanks to the textile industry.

Iberian foundation in Covalta. To the bottom, Agres and its valley

In 1906, Alfonso XIII granted it the status of city.

Demographics

Transportation and communications

The main road communication axis in the Albaida Valley is the highway/highway that enters through the Ollería tunnels and passes near Ollería, Ayelo de Malferit, Onteniente, Agullent, Benisoda, Albaida and Adzaneta de Albaida to continue through the port of Albaida looking for Alcoy and Alicante.

Other important roads are: the highway that connects Albaida with Safor, the old N-340 that passes through Bellús, Alfarrasí, Montaberner and Albaida, the one that brings it closer to Villena through Onteniente and Bocairente and others that have a more local.

The railway line that passes through the town is line 47 of Renfe Media Distancia, also known as the Valencia-Játiva-Alcoy line, and connects Albaida with cities such as Alcoy, Onteniente, Játiva and Valencia. This line maintains its route and part of its infrastructure since its construction at the end of the XIX century.

It also has a bus line that daily passes through the town to make the Alcoy-Valencia route. The bus line that linked Onteniente-Albaida-Gandía was abolished at the beginning of 2015.

Albaida railway station

Economy

Agricultural activity is linked to the textile and wax industry. The economy has traditionally been based on the agricultural exploitation of its term, and agriculture is fundamentally dry, producing fruits, vegetables, olives and carob, where the main production is table grapes. We must also highlight the presence of olive trees, almond trees, orange trees.

Industry has superseded agriculture as the main economic and productive sector. Since the XV century, the chandelier industry (currently in decline), was one of the most important occupations of the residents, making Albaida an important production center (at the end of the 1970s it still had twenty-three wax factories). While the textile industry (which also has centuries-old roots), has achieved great development, manufacturing quilts, bedspreads, table linens, curtains, sheets, blankets, towels, kitchen towels and knitwear.

Administration

Mayors since the 1979 elections

Period	Name	Party
1979-1983	Juan Ignacio Monzó	UCD
1983-1987	José Bellver Juliá	AP
1987-1991	José Bellver Juliá	AP
1991-1995	Joan Antoni Bodí i Quilis	PSPV-PSOE
1995-1999	Joan Antoni Bodí i Quilis	PSPV-PSOE
1999-2003	Joan Antoni Bodí i Quilis	PSPV-PSOE
2003-2007	Juan José Beneyto Galbis	P
2007-2011	Juan José Beneyto Galbis	P
2011-2015	Josep Antoni Albert i Quilis	Compromis per Albaida
2015-2019	Josep Antoni Albert i Quilis	Compromis per Albaida
2019-	Josep Antoni Albert i Quilis/ Alejandro Quilis	Compromis per Albaida

Heritage

The historical-monumental complex of the oldest part of the city is noteworthy, where the Milá and Aragón Palace, the Archpriestal Church, the Nativity Scene Museum, the José Segrelles House-Museum, the International Museum are located of Puppets, the Museum of the Bell Ringers of Albaida, the Bell Tower, the Plaza de la Villa, and several manor houses from the XVIII centuries-XIX located in the historic center.

Cuadrilla de Campaneros (La Colla de Campaners) from Albaida received on August 2, 2013 from the Generalitat Valenciana the distinction of Asset of Intangible Cultural Interest granted to the tradition of manual ringing of bells of Albaida and her consueta. It is the only municipality in the Valencian Community that has maintained the manual touch (not electrified) for 800 years, since the XIII century..

Religious monuments

• Arciprestal Church of the Assumption of Our Lady: a religious building of Valencian Gothic style, built between 1592 and 1621, and restored in 1830. What stands out most of it is the very high and colorful square-floor bell tower that was used as a watchtower until the auction was added in the middle of the centuryXIX. The present church was built to replace the old church of Our Lady of the Assumption, built in the centuryXIII. It presents a unique nave with chapels between the counters. The facade shows as main characteristics its simplicity and its two Renaissance portals. The oldest bell (the largest) is 1786. In the interior, we must highlight, in the chapels, the neo-baroque sculptures of Gallarza, the imperial bed of Our Lady of August (centuryXVII) and the baptismal marble pile (sixteenth centuryXVIII). At the main altar (centuryXVII) there is a set of oils of Josep Segrelles, as well as the paintings with religious scenes of Albaida between the arches of the chapels and the cornice of the nave, and the canvases placed in the Royal Chapel of the Communion (an adjacent building of the centuryXIX). The sacristy retains several luxury ornaments of the centuries XV Al XX., highlighting the True Cross, a relicario of Gothic silverry that seems to be the work of the centuryXV and the only Valencian piece, according to the specialists, preserved among all those that were made in solid gold at that time.
• Convent of the Most Pure of Capuchin Fathers: it is located in the square of the convent. Founded in 1598 at the detriment of the old stately garden of the Real, it has construction of Valencian Gothic style. Currently there is only the church, which has a central nave and two sides with chapels. The white facade has three elevations. Townhouses on the right side of the church we find rooms of different heights, with solid brick windows and forged iron bars.
• Hermitage of Our Lady of the Rosary of L'Aljorf.
• Hermitage of San Antonio Abad.
• Hermitage of San José.
• Chapel of San Miguel Archangel.
• Church of the Nativity of Our Lady of L'Aljorf.
• Hermitage of San Juan.

Civil monuments

• Palacio de los Milá and Aragó, Marqueses de Albaida: solid construction with three square towers that was residence of the Marqueses head of the population. Next to the church, it is undoubtedly the most monumental and emblematic building in the city of Albaida. From the first walls that Muslims build in the centuryXIII, is born the primitive palace, taking advantage of three of the towers of defense: that of Poniente, the central and the palatial tower. Built at the end of the centuryXV (1471-1477) looked like a nobiliary residence and had attached the main access to the walled space, the door of the Villa (constructed in 1460 with calcareous chairs and half-point arch with Arab tile roof). The central dovela still retains the remains of the shield with weapons from the first count of Albaida. To highlight, in the different facades of the palace, the heraldic shields of different times. Inside we find rooms decorated with colorful Baroque paintings of the Albaidense Bertomeu Albert (end of the century)XVII). The rooms of the Throne, of Music, of Christ, the White and the bedroom and the marquis room are particularly relevant. In the already refurbished part of the palace, and with access from within, the International Museum of Albaida Cycles has been installed. In the palace there is also a model of large dimensions (scale 1:100 and border 20 m2 of surface) with the reconstruction of the village of Albaida of the centuryXV.
• Casa Museo del Pintor José Segrelles: created by the heirs of this painter in the house where he resided and had his studio, and in whose same building he installed a public library. It is located in a narrow street that gives to the Plaza del Pintor Segrelles, in the surroundings of the palace and the Arciprestal church. The house was designed and built by itself in 1943. All the decoration with Arab motifs of much of the house is the idea of the painter and remains the same as when he lived. In these rooms there are more than 150 original works of the painter, to highlight among them, illustrations for novels by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, for the stories of "The thousand and one nights", for "El Quixote" and his posthumous work "El Pentecost". The library is also of extraordinary importance with some 11,000 copies.
• Museo Internacional de Marionetas de Albaida (MITA): located at the Marqueses Palace, exhibits an important international collection of puppets. The museum was inaugurated in December 1997 and the initiative was born from the "Bambalina Títelles" group, of Albaidian origin, as a complement to the Títeres del Valle de Albaida Exhibition that is organized annually in December. The museum has various exhibition rooms, a small educational workshop, as well as a documentation centre and projection room. It is located within the monumental ensemble of the Palace of the Marqueses, century buildingXV.
• Old Castle of Albaida
• Cross of the term of the
• Murallas de Albaida

Others

• Plaza de la Villa: part of the walled enclosure of the centuryXV which is still accessed by the door of the Villa. In the square is the church of Santa Maria de la Asunción, the back of the palace of the Milà and Aragó, the access to the house museum of José Segrelles, the house of the Valcaneda (house of the centuryXVI where from 1903 to 1990 the old town hall was located, the belene museum, the international puppet museum and the Abbey house (sixteenth century)XVIII).
• Puerta de L'Aljorf (or Puerta de València): Located between the villa and the neighborhood of L'Aljorf. This is one of the gates to the walled enclosure of the centuryXIIIand allowed access to the lower part of the village. Throughout the centuryXX. the lower part of the door became wider so that the vehicles could pass without difficulty.
• Exhibition Hall Francisco Ridaura: In the Exhibition Hall Francisco Ridaura you can visit a permanent exhibition by the Albaidian painter Francisco Ridaura. This painter has a very extensive work in which the landscapes and views of his native population predominate. The painter himself created in life the “Concurso de Pintura y Dibujo Infantil y Juvenil Francisco Ridaura”, exposing in the Sala Ridaura during the local holidays of each year the works presented by the children of Albaida.
• Hermitage: there are numerous hermitages of great simplicity and of which the ceramic dishes stand out. Made or remade in the centuryXIX, take the name of the street where they are (San Juan chapel, San Miguel hermitage, San Antonio Abad hermitage, San José hermitage). In the Aljorf is the parish church of the Nativity (of the centuryXVIII, it has a square-floor bell tower, with two bodies without auction), and the hermitage of the Rosario (ermite of the so-called Reconquista).
• Stone fountains: in the city there are different and relevant sources of stone.

Parties

Giants and scalps in the pregon of the 2014 holidays

• Patronal and Christian Festivals in Honor to the Blessed Virgin of the Remedio. They start on September 29th with the "arbolà" of San Miguel Archangel. They are celebrated during the 6th and 7th of October in honor of the Virgin of the Remedio (father of the city). There are two spectacular days on October 6, the spectacular offering and rise of the throne of the virgin. And the 7th big day of the municipality stand out the spectacular missa in honor of the virgin and the spectacular emotional procession where the people of the village engalana the village of the best garments at the end of the spectacular climb of the virgin to her throne. They continue with the acts of Moors and Christians, on October 9, spectacular entrance of Moors and Christians, days following until October 11 acts such as embassies etc. In Albaida today there are 7 Christian filadas Batallers, Muntanyesos, Pirates, Templaris, Mosqueters, Cordoveses and Maseros. And 7 rows Tuaregs, Berberiscos, Moros Nous, Cabiles, Sirocos, Al-Azraq and Kalifas.
• Feria de San Jaime (co-patrón de Albaida). It is celebrated during the weekend closer to 25 July, the festival of San Jaime.
• San Antonio Abad. It takes place in the neighborhood of San Antonio, where the traditional bonfire is planted in front of the hermitage. The holidays last a weekend, the closest to the date of the Santoral, on January 17. It is an ancient and popular party, celebrating with dinners of sausages (botiffarres i llonganisses), paella contests and traditional lunch with Pericana Sunday.
• St. John. It is the feast in honor of San Juan, which is celebrated next weekend to 24 June, with the plantà I burn a fire in the street new or the big street. A popular dinner is organized in the street of Sant Joan (popularly known from old, along with Elías Tormo Street, as Carrer Nou - Calle Nueva-). This party lasts two days and is organized by the women who that year turn 40, popular and affectionately known as Quarantine.

Music

Albaida is a city that has a great musical tradition, fostered, without a doubt, by the existence of various musical entities in the town, among which it is worth highlighting:

• Vocal Eduardo Torres grouped. The Vocal group Eduardo Torres is constituted as a musical entity in early 1967, being its first director Mariano Segura Serra. From its origins to today, the myst of its members and the serious work of coral music have been the predominant notes in this formation.
• He joined Musical d'Albaida (L'Aranya).
• Cercle Musical Primitiva d'Albaida (The Gamell). The origins of music in Albaida date back to the mid-centuryXVI. At that time there was already a group of musicians acting in the village and the surroundings. According to the municipal archive, a group of 12 musicians was hired in 1566 to act in the festivals of the far-flung city of Chinchilla (Albacete).

As a consequence of this long musical tradition, it was at the end of the XVIII century, and specifically in 1766, when the City Council de Cocentaina contracts for the patron saint festivities of San Hipólito in the Música de Albaida, originally from the Primitiva de Albaida. Name that refers to its origin and that it faithfully continues to maintain, while turning the town into a historical musical reference.

Gastronomy

Albaida has a great variety of dishes within its gastronomy. There are many spoon or hot dishes, with a main character, rice. We must highlight the baked rice (arròs al forn), soupy rice with rabbit (arròs caldòs amb conill), rice in a stew (arròs de putxero), rice with chard (arròs amb ledes), paella (especially paella with beans and artichokes with rabbit, or cauliflower paella), rice with egg crust.

During the October and Christmas festivities, the pastry made with almonds, eggs, flour, sugar and oil stands out (carquiñoles, sweet potato cakes, rotllets, almond cakes, polvorones). At Christmas, it is worth noting the nougat that they make in the town's pastry shops as well as the foam cake (a typical gift of kings for many years). In autumn, the mushroom admits any type of presentation (in a baked cake, fried with garlic, with paella or soupy rice, etc.). In summer, the snails with sauce and the tomato and paprika coca are two dishes that are still very relevant today.

In January-February, it is typical to go for caçoletes (little casseroles, in Spanish; container in which the rice is cooked in the oven -caçola-) and, during Lent, eat meatballs of cod prepared for Good Friday, in addition to les mones i fogasses, they also make sweet or quince meat (codonyat) in Albaida.

The most representative dishes are:

Sports

In Albaida there are numerous sports associations, among which are:

- Albaidense Sports Club. Soccer team in the 2nd Regional category. The local football club, Club Deportivo Albaidense, plays its matches at Campo Beniati. In the 2015-2016 season, the children's team won the league.^{[citation required]}

- Ciutat d'Albaida Basketball Club. Basketball team

- Club d'Atletisme Ciutat d'Albaida

- Club Pilota Valenciana Ciutat d'Albaida

- Motoclub Ciutat d'Albaida. It belongs to the Motorcycling Federation of the Valencian Community, which has at its disposal sports facilities, municipally owned, called Complex del Motor where there is a motocross circuit of 1600 meters and a width of between 8 and 10 m, approved by the European Motorcycling Federation and the Royal Spanish Motorcycle Federation. Thanks to these facilities, the club can organize events for the European and Spanish Motocross Championships. It also has a Minispeed/Supermotard track with a length of 800 m approved by the FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) where events of the World and Spanish Supermotard Championships, and the Spanish Minispeed Championships are held. In addition to the championships mentioned above, scoring events are held for the autonomous championships of the Valencian Community of Motocross, Minispeed, Supermotard and Karting.