Xàbia

Xàbia municipality
	View from the Montgó
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Valencia
Province :	Alicante
Comarca :	Marina Alta
Coordinates	38 ° 47 ' N , 0 ° 10' E Coordinates: 38 ° 47 ' N , 0 ° 10' E
Height :	12 msnm
Area :	68.59 km²
Residents :	27,604 (Jan 1, 2019)
Population density :	402.45 inhabitants / km²
Founding:	James II (Aragon), 1279
Postal code :	03730, 03738, 03739
Municipality number ( INE ):	03082
Nearest airport :	Valencia (121 km), ; Alicante (100 km)
administration
Official language :	Castilian , Valencian
Mayor :	Joseph F. Chulvi Español, PSPV-PSOE
Address of the municipal administration:	Plaça de l'Església, ; 03730 Jávea
Website :	www.ajxabia.com
Location of the municipality

Església San Bartolomeu

View of the marina and the beach

Xàbia ( Valencian / Catalan , [ ˈʃabia ]; Spanish Jávea , [ ˈxaβea ]) is a port city in the north of the Costa Blanca with 27,604 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2019).

geography

Xàbia is located on an approximately 3 km long bay between the Cabo de San Antonio in the north and the Cabo de la Nao in the south, along with a short stretch of coast further southwest of it. The northern section of the coastline shows an approximately 6 km long, flat and stony beach, in which there is an approximately 250 m long, semicircular bay with a sandy beach near Arenal . The southern section of the coastline is characterized by steep cliffs into which the small beaches of Cala Sardinera , Cala Barraca / Portitxol, Cala Ambolo and Cala Granadella cut. North of Xàbia, in the botanical reserve of the Valencia region, rises the 753 m high Montgó , embedded in the Parque natural del Macizo del Montgó . In the interior of the country there are extensive orchards and vineyards. The Riu Gorgos flows into Xàbia, which rises near Benichembla, mostly dry in summer.

Xàbia can be reached via the AP7 / E15 motorway . Coming from the south take exit 63 ( Benissa / Teulada) and coming from the north take exit 62 ( Ondara / Dénia / Xàbia). In both cases you then drive to the city via the national road ( Carretera Nacional ) N-332 and the C omunidad V alenciana CV 734 road. To Alicante airport is 100 km, to the airport of Valencia 121 km.

history

The reconquest from the Moors (Reconquista) took place in the region in the 13th century. Xàbia was first mentioned in a document in 1279. At that time King Jaume II reigned . Under the pressure of the War of Castile (1296) and the raids of the Granadines (1304, 1308), he ordered the construction of fortifications . The original town center ( Vila ) was surrounded by a clay wall and corner towers. One of these corner towers, En Cairat , can still be seen today (Av. Principe de Asturias). Xàbia now formed part of the Kingdom of València .

Xàbia grew very slowly and in 1333 a period of recession began . In 1397 Xàbia was given the title of Vila con Consell (City with Council), but it still belonged to the Principality of Dénia .

Economic recovery and population growth made the urban area too small in the 15th century. Walls were torn down to build new streets and houses. A new city wall was built with the city gates : La Mar , Sant Vicent , de la Ferreria and Sant Jaume . In 1513 construction began on the Església de Sant Bertomeu church , directed by Domingo de Urtiaga . In addition to the satisfaction of religious claims, it also served to protect the population.

Xàbia was not particularly hit by the plague in the Middle Ages ; the population rose from 930 inhabitants in 1510 to 1800 inhabitants in 1600. In 1609 it came under Philip III. to expel the Moors and thus to a decrease in the population.

1709, after the defeat of Almansa , issued Philip V the decrees Nueva Planta decrees with which the Valencian rights invalidated. In contrast to other places in the area that fought on the side of the Austrians , Xàbia received numerous privileges that gave the city demographic and economic impetus. In addition to many honorary titles, she received the right to export goods and fruits. Wheat and its processing into flour became one of the most important products of the region. Numerous mills still bear witness to this today, such as the windmills on the Montgó and the water mills of Les Barranqueres .

During the Spanish War of Independence (1810 to 1812), Xàbia was attacked several times by the troops stationed in the Castell of Dénia.

After 1860, thanks to the production and export of raisins , which were in high demand from Northern Europe and the USA , a middle class of wealthy merchants emerged in Xàbia .

After 1870 the old city walls were torn down and new wide streets were built to facilitate the transport of goods to and from the port.

The urban development went hand in hand with various infrastructural measures for recreational activities: Healthcare facilities and telephone cables (1860), customs office and naval adjundantur in the harbor (1878), theater (1895), electric street lighting (1902), bullring and football field (1917), public drinking water fountain (1922).

Districts

Xàbia (old town)

The old town (the actual Xàbia) is about two kilometers from the sea on the southern slope of the Montgó .

Aduanas del Mar (port)

The port (about two kilometers east of the old town) consisted of only a few fishermen's huts until 1920. Freight was loaded by small boats, the guest worker trips to / from Algeria, which were customary at the time, and the raisin exports were carried out without landing stages. It was not until 1930 that Aduanas was turned into a safe harbor by a pier. In the meantime, the port has become an important business district for Xàbia. In the Llotja (auction hall) the freshly delivered marine animals are auctioned every day. The end consumer can also bid for his fish there.

Arenal

Arenal Beach

The Arenal ("sandy beach") is about three kilometers south of Aduanas del Mar by the sea, separated by a long stone beach (Muntanyar). The sandy beach is about 250 meters long, and its surroundings were a wasteland until about 1960. In the 1960s, a Parador was built first , followed by other tourist attractions. Today it is the tourist center of Xàvia with restaurants, discos, etc. Remarkably, all of the buildings there are no higher than a few floors.

climate

Due to its unique location, the climate in Xàbia is one of the best on earth. With a few exceptions, neither very high nor very low temperatures are measured. Even in January, the average daily temperature is still 16 degrees Celsius. The water temperature of the Mediterranean Sea is a pleasant 25 degrees in summer. Two to four rainy days a month are the average, but dry periods of 10 to 12 weeks are not uncommon.

economy

Paella

The cultivation of olives , carob , grapes , wheat and almonds is typical of arid regions . In the 19th century the manufacture and trade of raisins reached its peak. Thanks to modern irrigation systems , it is now possible to cultivate oranges on a large scale on plantations .

Fishing is of great local importance, around 20 fishing boats return to the port every day from their nocturnal catch. However, in the wake of tourism , the fishing port has had to be reduced in size in favor of a yacht harbor since the early 1960s .

The proportion of industry in Xàbia is insignificant, whereas tourism, as in all places along the Spanish Mediterranean coast, forms a large proportion of the income of the population. In addition, numerous English, German and Swiss have settled permanently in Xàbia. They form the audience for the large number of restaurants, cafes and bars.

In addition to Spanish supermarkets , German grocery chains are increasingly settling here.

gastronomy

The gastronomic offer hardly differs from that of other places on the Spanish Mediterranean coast: the focus is on tapas , paellas and many fish and meat dishes from local production. Numerous companies also offer dishes from other European regions. In the nearby mountains north of Altea , products (jelly, liqueur, wine) made from Nisperos are offered that are usually not available in Central European latitudes. The specialties also include sea urchins ( Erizos de mar ) and cactus fruits ( Chumbos ).

Sights and culture

In the old town ( Center històric )

Església de Sant Bertomeu , late Gothic fortified church from 1513 with a single nave and side chapels between the buttresses. The church was built as a fortified church by the Spanish stonemason and church builder Domingo Urtiaga , is decorated with crosses and has loopholes and wall openings for the mortars and two fortified balconies over the gates, all of which are the best prerequisites for protecting the population who could flee to the church in the event of imminent danger .
Not far from the church in an easterly direction, the Església de l'Oreto was built two years later , but today only a small pavilion in the middle of a green area reminds of it.
The Museu Arqueològic i Etnològic "Soler Blasco" with prehistoric, Iberian, medieval, Islamic and Christian finds with the "Iberian treasure". The house was the small palace of Antoni Bañul (also Banyul ), a member of the court , in the 17th century . The excavation results from the Montgó cave are older than 16,000 years. The exhibits from the Bronze Age were found in the Tossalet of Santa Llucia and at Cape Prim.
Placeta del Convent with the Portal de Sant Vicent o de la Ferreria , an Augustinian convent, built in 1943 on the site of the former Paulinian convent founded in 1613
Casa de Montalbán , Tossal de dalt number 2, home of the captain of the Bolufer family's fleet
Balcony of the house from which Vincent Ferrer preached

In the port ( El Port )

The fishing port with the auction hall and the marina
The modern church of Nuestra Señora de Loreto with its keel-shaped roof - modeled on the hull of a ship. It was built in the 1960s in an expressionist style.

On the Montgó

Nuestra Señora de los Angeles monastery

beaches

The urban area of Xàbia has the following beaches:

Cala Tangó or Cala Pope

A natural stone beach directly at the southern foot of Cabo San Antonio

Cala La Grava

Immediately south of the harbor adjoining stone beach on the harbor promenade

Cala Benissero (also Cala 1on Muntanyar )

South of the confluence of the Riu Gorgos located stone beach with rocky sections

Arenal Beach

Cala Arenal

The Cala Arenal is the only sandy beach of Jàvea in the district of the same name, between the 1st and 2nd Muntanyar . In the north, a marina was built in the former mouth of the Gorgos River. The sandy bay was originally separated from the hinterland by a low wall, which protected the local salt production facilities ( saladares ) from the sea. In the far north of the bay there is a Roman canal that served as one of the mouths of the Gorgos. A Roman settlement flourished here from the 1st to the 8th century, of which only an excavated boulder ( Banys de la Reina ) testifies today . This whole area served the Romans as a factory for fish and other foods preserved by salt. It was in operation from the 1st to the 3rd century.

Cala 2on Muntanyar

South of the Arenal adjoining stone beach

Cala Blanca

This beach is the continuation of the previous beach and is also stony and rocky

Cala Sardinera

A bay to the northwest and below Cabo La Nao, stone beach

View of the Cala Ambolo

Cala Barraca or Cala Portitxol

Rock and stone beach opposite the Isla de Portitxol in the south of Cabo la Nao

Cala Ambolo

Stone and rocky beach with nudism on the southeast side of Cabo la Nao

Granadella Beach

Cala Granadella

one of the most beautiful bathing bays in the west of Cabo la Nao, stony and rocky. The bay was formed by two barrancos des Granadella, which find their way to the sea through forests overgrown with Aleppo pines . The calm, crystal clear water of the Granadella stream has covered the beach with smooth, round stones over the millennia, but just a few meters further in the sea there is a sandy bottom that has formed the bay into a natural "pool" in which divers, Snorkelers and swimmers alike cavort. The bay, sheltered from the wind by the steep slopes on its sides, also invites sun-seekers, who can find food and drinks from the region in the nearby restaurant. On the right side a path leads up to the former fort of Granadella, on the left past a surf school to a small lookout point a few meters above the sea.

Viewpoints ( Miradores )

Xàvia's coast has 15 well signposted viewpoints with information boards in Spanish and English. These include:

Cap de Sant Antoní:

The cape, which rises 160 m from the sea, is located in Xàvia's district of Les Planes. It forms the end of the extension of the Montgó, the mountain dominating the area in the west of the cape. The northern flank of the cape is very steep and rugged and is called La Tramontana (Behind the Mountain). The southern flank is somewhat flatter and, especially in the direction of the harbor, is built on with residential buildings. Originally the rocky promontory was crowned by a chapel, which was built by hermits in the 16th century who wanted to lead a life according to their model, St. Anthony , and who had lived here for three centuries. The purpose was also to ward off attacks by North African pirates. For this purpose, a lookout tower was built near the chapel, which fell victim to the construction of the new lighthouse in 1894:

The lighthouse itself has a height of 17 m, its top is 175 m above sea level. The visibility of the tower is 26 nautical miles (almost 50 km).

Windmills on Montgó:

The windmills can be reached by turning off at the Nuestra Señora de los Angeles monastery on the Montgó. The old, a total of eleven cylindrical windmills from the 14th to 18th centuries, around seven meters high and over six meters wide, have largely been preserved, but are subject to a restoration process (2012).

Creu del Portitxol:

The cross of Portichol stands on a hill between the Cap Prim and the Cap Negre opposite the Isla de Portichol (catal. Illa de Portitxol ). The island's cliffs dropping steeply into the sea are a popular diving spot . So it is not surprising that numerous Roman amphoras and other archaeological finds from the period between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD were found in the past .

Cap Negre

The lighthouse (Cap de la Nau)

Cap de la Nau:

The Cap de la Nau ( Nau is the Catalan name of the ship type Nao .) Forms the easternmost point of the Valencia region and is the closest point on the Spanish mainland to the Balearic island of Ibiza . If the weather permits, the island, around 85 km away, can be seen from here. The Cap, which has been an important landmark for shipping for centuries, was given a lighthouse 102 m above sea level in 1914, the top of which is 122 m above sea level and which is 23 nautical miles (approx km).

The special vegetation of the rock with Aleppo pines, wild olive trees and palm trees is complemented by some plant species that are typical of the rock vegetation in the region. The sharp coastal wind makes the trees grow crooked and stunted. Its beauty and ecological value have prompted the responsible authority in Valencia to place the area under special protection.

At the foot of the rock is the Cova dels Orguens , a large cave that can be navigated with small boats and can also be used to anchor. At the end of the 18th century, it was described by the Spanish botanist Antonio José Cavanilles , who also discovered the nearby Cova de les Calaveres near Benidoleig.

Castell de la Granadella:

However, nothing can be seen of this fort. Only the lookout point is called that. However, the available documents show another castle of Granadella , which is located at the southern end of the bay. The remains of a former castle can actually still be found here. From here you have a wonderful view to the north as far as the Illa del Descobridor

Regular events ( fiestas )

April 28th to May 3rd: Feast of Jesus of Nazareth ( Jesús Nazareno ) with the competition and the selection of the most beautiful crosses made of natural flowers. From the Ermita del Calvari (hermitage, chapel) (on the Carretera á Dénia ) the figure of Jesus is carried in procession to the Saint Bartolomé Church. The festival takes place on the third Sunday after the beginning of Lent. The Jesus figure returns to its hermit on May 3rd.
2nd half of June (around June 23): Fogueres de San Juan : festive processions, outdoor dancing, bull running, fireworks, burning of the Fogueres (funeral pyre). Several small pyre ( Els focs de Sant Juan ) are set up and lit in the town's squares , over which the young people jump or those who count themselves adorned with flowers and garlands. On the last day of the festival, usually June 24th, the name day of Sant Joan, large paper mache figures are burned and fireworks are lit.
End of July: Moros y Cristianos
Early August: Mare del Déu del Carme , a festival in honor of Our Lady with a maritime procession and other activities
Between September 1st and 8th: Virgin de Loreto and Santisimo Cristo del Mar : processions, flower parade, bull running by the sea ( Bous a la Mar ), fireworks
December 13th: Pilgrimage to the Eremita Santa Lucia (in the neighborhood of the Eremita del Calvari )

Web links

Commons : Xàbia - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).

↑ According to the information board, the lighthouse has the international serial number E-0180 and the national number 25300. Its identification is indicated on the information board with GpD (4) B 20s .

↑ According to the information board, the lighthouse bears the international serial number E-0176 and the national number 25200. Its identification is indicated on the information board as DB 5s L 0.2 OC 4.8 .

[1] Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).