Bathing

Bañeres (in Valencian and officially, Banyeres de Mariola) is a municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is located in the north of the province of Alicante, in the Hoya de Alcoy region. It had 7,155 inhabitants in 2015 (INE).

Schematic plan of the city, with the main channels of access and communication.

Urban area Historical centre Building of interest Green area

Industrial zone Main road Secondary Greenway

Toponymy

It is believed that the place name is of Arab origin, although logically from another previous denomination, and would be in the denomination Beni-Hares ("son of hares"), although according to Escolano, the place name is earlier and the Arabs would have called it Bernirehes. In any case, the first documentary mention is from 1249 and it appears as Bigneres, although in 1261, in a lawsuit with Bocairente, it already appears written in its Valencian form of Banyeres.

The municipality was officially called Bathtubs until 1916.

Geography

The relief of the municipal area is characterized by the long SW-NE prebetic corridor known as the Benejama valley in its western part. The population is in the corridor through which the CV-81 circulates, the old VAY railway and, formerly, the path that linked Toledo with Denia. The corridor is framed between two long mountain ranges, the Sierra de la Solana and the Sierra de Mariola, of great environmental importance and which has great botanical wealth and abundance of sources; From the confluence of several of them in the Pinarets and Buixcarró ravines, between the municipality of Banyeres and Bocairente, the Vinalopó river is born. The Quaternary corridor is covered with sediments and, in its central part, presents endorheic features.

It is the town located at the highest altitude in the province, and offers various places to visit, such as the Font del Cavaller or the Villa Rosario Park, where the Valencian Paper Museum is located (Museu Valencià del Paper) and a nature classroom.

Border locations

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, the climate of Banyeres is Csa, corresponding to the continental Mediterranean climate, although it is highly influenced by its altitude and distance from the sea, thus having a continental Mediterranean climate with cold winters and warm summers, although at night the temperature is mild. Its average winter temperature is 0 degrees

Average climatic parameters of Mariola Baths
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Average temperature (°C)	11.2	11.9	14.5	16.8	20.2	24.8	28.5	28.7	25.4	20.2	15.4	12.1	19.1
Average temperature (°C)	6.4	7.0	9.1	11.3	14.6	19.0	22.3	22.7	19.6	14.9	10.4	7.5	13.8
Temp. medium (°C)	1.6	2.1	3.7	5.9	9.1	13.2	16.2	16.8	13.8	9.6	5.4	2.9	8.5
Total precipitation (mm)	35	39	43	53	49	36	15	23	49	71	58	48	519
Source: climate-data.org

History

There were important prehistoric settlements in the area, the oldest remains being from the Epipaleolithic period. In Molí Roig there was a Neolithic settlement and several Neolithic vestiges were found in the caves of Llarg, dels Anells and Partidor, among others. The towns of Cabeço dels Llorenços, Bovar and La Serrella date from the Bronze Age, although a castle was built in the latter in medieval times. There are vestiges of Iberian settlements in Assagador de Sant Jordi and La Solaneta, while in the space between the Font Santa and the Font Bona there was probably a Roman villa.

The historic town, like its castle, is of Muslim origin. In the year 1248 it was conquered by King James I of Aragon, who ceded the town in allodium to Jofre de Raixa or Loaysa and the castle to Bernardo de Tous. The square gained great importance since, like Biar, its castle had been on the border with Castile. Later it passed into the hands of Arnaldo de Romaní and in 1303 it was acquired by Pedro d'Artés. He sold the castle and the town in 1381 to the nearby town of Bocairente, until King Felipe IV decided to separate them in 1618.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the fortress played a very active role when its inhabitants declared themselves supporters of the Bourbons. It served as a garrison for the troops that supported Felipe V and came to resist 20 attacks and 3 sieges. In 1706 the Austrian general Juan Manuel Noroña attacked the castle with four thousand men and was unable to take it. On July 12, 1708, Felipe V granted the town the title of royal villa and the privilege of "Noble, Faithful, Royal and Loyal". In the Madoz Dictionary (1845-1850) appears the following description:

BAÑERAS or BAÑERES: v[illa] with fast[amiento] in the prov[incia] of Alicante [... ] Sit[whistle] in the der[echa] of the r[o] Vinalapó around a hill, where the remains of an Arab cast are seen [...] It's 495. houses of regular fáb[rica]; the one of ayunt[amiento], whose floor serves as a prison; steward, slaughterhouse, inn, 2 baked bread ovens, grocery store; first lyric school [...] 1 hospital for foreign beggars [...]; parr[oquia] dedicated to Ntra. Mrs. de la Misericordia [...]; 1 chapel entitled Sta. Maria Magdalena [...] and another one under the advocation of the Sto. Christ at the end of a great slope adorned with cypresses, in which the Via-Crucis. Within the v[illa] there are 3 sources of water buneas, which take advantage of the vec[inos] for their domestic spending and other objects [...] At different points of the same [term] there are different cottages, with all the comforts required the farm many of them, and inhabited by the owners or settlers [...] At the foot of the expressed mountain range of Mariola, in Bocairente, the r[io] is born Vinalapó [...] and their waters taken by a channel serve to give movement to five flour mills, to another of paper; and to irrigation of portion of land [...] Through the term road Alcoy Road to Madrid, and another that leads to Bocairente, both in medium state; those of more are of horseshoe and of painful transit [... ] Ind[ustria]: In addition to the agriculture and mills indicated, there are fáb[ricas] of hats, fajas and blankets of the country, also dedicating the vec[inos] to the collection of snow, which during the stage sell to those of Játiva and other points. Pobl[ation]539 vec[inos], 2,236 alm[as] [...] have banished from the people misery in a way, which are very rare people who ask for alms, and this in the days when they absolutely cannot work for illness or other serious cause.

Madoz Dictionary

Demographics

Bañeres had about 400 inhabitants in 1646, a number that had almost doubled in the 1710s. At the end of the 18th century, thanks to agricultural and industrial expansion, the population rose to 1,600 inhabitants, which in 1857 were already 2,447 and at the end of the 19th century they reached 3,560. The population stagnated there until the 1970s, when it grew to 5,873 at a rate that has decreased considerably in recent decades. It had 7,155 inhabitants, according to INE data as of January 1, 2015. Only 3.6% of its population is of foreign nationality, being one of the lowest percentages in the entire province.

Administration and politics

Municipal Elections of May 26, 2019
Party		Candidate	Votes		Councillors
Commitments		Josep Sempere i Castelló	2.568	58.67 %	8	3
Popular Party		José Carlos Molina Benítez	1.259	28.76 %	4	1
Socialist Party of the Valencian Country-PSOE		Fernando Sempere Huertas	502	11.47 %	1	1
Source: Ministry of the Interior (Spain).

Mayors since the 1979 elections

Period	Name	Party
1979-1983	José Barceló Sanjuan	UCD
1983-1987	Alberto Molina Belda	AP
1987-1991	José Barceló Sanjuan	AP
1991-1995	Joan Antoni Esteve i Albero	PSPV-PSOE
1995-1999	Roberto Calatayud Tormo	P
1999-2003	Roberto Calatayud Tormo	P
2003-2007	María Encarna Francés Martí	PSPV-PSOE
2007-2011	Antonio Belda Valero	P
2011-2015	Antonio Belda Valero	P
2015-2019	Josep Sempere i Castelló	Commitments
2019-	Josep Sempere i Castelló	Commitments

Economy

In agriculture, which occupies a very small part of the active population, cereals and sunflowers predominate (about 700 ha), although apple trees, peach trees, plum trees and some vegetables are also cultivated, as well as olive trees (600 ha), the almond tree and the vineyard. Oil is the main agricultural product of the town. The second most important sector is that of services.

It is a fundamentally industrial town, with 70% of the active population dedicated to this sector. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the force and unevenness of the Vinalopó River was used as a driving force for flour mills and there is evidence that already in 1780 at least two flour mills had been converted into paper mills. These were a key element of the industrialization of Bañeres and whose buildings (some already in ruins) still flank the course of the river. The paper sector, however, entered into crisis in the 1970s, for which the industry was reconverted towards the cardboard. Textiles, also of great importance, entered the industrial phase in the mid-XIX century, although it did not settle until the great demand that there was during the First World War (1914-1918). Currently, various phases of production are covered, such as spinning, weaving and knitting, as well as quilts and towels. The proximity to the so-called Toy Valley (La Hoya de Castalla) has led to toy and plastic factories.

Transportation

The following highways circulate through the municipality of Bañeres:

Until 1969 there was a stop on the railway line from Villena to Alcoy and Yecla, currently dismantled and converted into a Vía Verde.

Heritage

Bañeres Castle.

Church of Saint Mary of Mercy.

• Castle (Castell): It is erected on the rocky spur of the eagle hill (Tossal de l'Àguila), at a height of 830 m. n. m.. Of Arab origin (XII century), it has an irregular polygonal plant of double enclosure, in which it stands out its 17 m Homenaje Tower. It was declared BIC in 1985.

• Torre de la Font Bona: 16th century fortified tower. When built it was isolated and had the function of controlling the communication paths, although it is currently annexed to other houses. The square-floor building has four heights and was built with masonry walls, and is currently covered by a two-water Arab roof. He lived a long period of restoration between 1991 and 1997 in order to house the Valencian Museum of the Paper and later the Municipal Archaeological Museum, and is declared BIC.

• Hermitage of Saint George (Chapel of Sant Jordi): It was formerly part of the buildings Molino Sol. It is neo-gothic style and was rebuilt in the 1980s on the site of the ancient cemetery.

• Parish Church of Saint Mary of Mercy (Esglèsia Parroquial de la Mare de Déu de la Misericòrdia): It was built in 1734 according to the Baroque Corinthian style. During the Spanish civil war, much of the images and the altarpiece were expoliated, which had to be later spared.

• Chapel of Communion (Capella de la Comunió(c):

• Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene (Chapel of Santa Maria Magdalena or of the Malena): Although its date of construction is unknown, it is the oldest in the town since it is built in rural Gothic style.

• Hermitage of the Holy Christ (Hermitage of the Sant Crist): It is neo-gothic style and was built in the centuryXX., work of the architect Timoteu Briet, although it is built on an old parish that already existed at least in 1790.

• Municipal Park of Vil·la Rosario: In it is the Valencian Museum of the Paper.

• Sources: In the term there are numerous sources such as Font del Sapo, Font del Cavaller, Font del Teularet de Roc, Font de la Burra, Font de la mata, Font de Picorromeu, font Bona, etc.
• Statue of Jaime I: On October 9, 2022 a bronze sculpture dedicated to King James I was installed in the Platanos Square, which contributed to the foundation of the village with the donation of the castle of Banyeres. The monument is the work of the sculptor Vicente Ferrero

Urbanism

The urban nucleus presents well-differentiated areas. The oldest part is characterized by narrow streets and steep slopes, clustered around the rocky spur on which the castle stands. The new part, with buildings of more than four and five floors, is ordered according to what in its Today they were ring roads and access: the CV-81 and the CV-795. In its term there are numerous country houses and two hamlets: Campo del Oro (Camp de l'Or), next to Vinalopó and El Bovar, on the Biar road.

Culture

Museums

Valencian Museum of Paper.

• Valencian Museum of the Paper (Museu Valencià del Paper): It is located in a chalet of 1903, Villa Rosario, which is located in the homonymous park. The museum, originally created from the donations of Juan Castelló Mora, exposes the artisanal paper manufacturing process, illustrated with the objects used and models of old mills, among others. They also highlight the 1300 booklets of smoking paper, the filigrees of the seventeenth and twentieth centuries, advertisements of tobacco factories, paper toys and a long etcetera. It also has a large specialized library, with more than 1500 volumes.

• Municipal Archaeological Museum (Museu Arqueològic Municipal): It is located in the Torre de la Font Bona, restored for this purpose, and contains the findings made in the numerous sites of the municipality, such as the Ull de Canals, the Assut de Benassait, the Serrella, the Font Bona or the Assagador de Sant Jordi, among others, thanks to the work of the Local Archaeological Group. Among its pieces, stands a trepanate skull found in the Cova de les Bagasses.

• Museum (Museu Fester): It is located in the Tower of the Castle Homenaje. On the ground floor you can find a brief explanation of the castle and its importance for the holidays of Moors and Christians. On the first floor the chronology of the Bañeres holidays is exposed and in the second one you can see the evolution of the festival programs and the posters announcing, as well as information about the relic party and the importance of the music in the parties.

Parties

San Jorge, patron of the villa.

• Moros and Christians. These holidays are held between 22 and 25 April in honor of San Jorge, patron of the town. They are currently declared National Tourist Interest.

• Saint Mary Magdalene. It's the co-sponsor of the villa. The acts in his honor are celebrated on 21 and 22 July, are composed of concerts, raisins, mass and procession. Every three years the myth of Saint George and the dragon in the park of Villa Rosario is represented within the acts of the medieval market. Representation The legend of Sant Jordi, the drac i the princess, in Valencian; since 1981, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Reliquia de Sant Jorge to Banyeres de Mariola takes place as street theatre, with a triennial periodicity; in 2009 it took place on Saturday, 18 July; in 2012, on Saturday, 14 July.

• Fiestas de la Reliquia de San Jorge. In 1780, a relic of Saint George came to Bañeres, moved from Rome by Father John the Baptist Doménech. This was the source that every first weekend of September and, since then, the population celebrates the feast of Moors and Christians.

Gastronomy

Among popular gastronomy is "arròs i conill" (paella), olla de penques, "olla de bledes", "olla de carabassa", "gaspatxos", borra and coques fregides, among other specialities. The typical drink is the herbal liqueur (herbero) from the Sierra Mariola, the main ones are: "terongina/melissa, marialluïsa, timó real/panical, donzell, rabet de gat ver, poliol de riu, sàlvia, sentònica i camamirla".

Twinnings

The municipality of Banyeres de Mariola is twinned with the following towns:

• Campan, France