Pego (Alicante)

Pego municipality
	Town hall on Plaça del Ajuntament
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Valencia
Province :	Alicante
Comarca :	Marina Alta
Coordinates	38 ° 51 ′ N , 0 ° 7 ′ W Coordinates: 38 ° 51 ′ N , 0 ° 7 ′ W
Height :	82 msnm
Area :	52.85 km²
Residents :	10.128 (Jan. 1, 2019)
Population density :	191.64 inhabitants / km²
Founding:	1262
Postal code :	03780
Municipality number ( INE ):	03102
Nearest airport :	Valencia Airport
administration
Official language :	Valencian ; Spanish
Mayor :	Enrique Moll ( PSPV-PSOE )
Address of the municipal administration:	Plaça Ajuntament No. 1 ; 03780 Pego
Website :	www.pego.org
Location of the municipality

Pego (same spelling in Spanish and Catalan ) is a small Spanish town in the sub-area Valles de Pego ("Valleys of Pego") of the district of Marina Alta in the province of Alicante in the Valencia region and is also the capital of the area.

geography

Pego is located in the northwest of the province of Alicante, about 3 km from the province of Valencia , the border of which runs over the Serra de Mustalla ridge to the north . In the south runs the Serra del Migdia , which extends up to a height of 708 m above sea level. NN rises, in the northeast the municipality sinks to the Mediterranean, which is upstream of the swampy NSG Parc Natural de la Marjal de Pego-Oliva . In the east and south rise the mountains of the coastal mountains of Alicante and Murcia ( Betic Cordillera ), which are cut by many valleys ( Valles ), such as. B. Vall de Galinera , Vall d'Alcalà , Vall de Ebo and Vall de Laguar .

The country roads CV 700 (from the coast to the western mountains) and CV 715 (from Valencia to southern Benidorm ) run through the village . The CV 700 crosses the Spanish Mediterranean motorway Autopista AP-7 near Mirrarrosa , but only reaches it at junction 62 Ondara / Dénia / Xàbia.

The places Adsubia (catal. Atzubia ) and Valle de Ebo (catal. Vall de Ebo ) also belong to Pego . In the east of the municipality is the new development area Monte Pego on the north-western slope of the Serra de Segària , which in addition to Pego extends over the districts of two other municipalities, namely Denia and Ráfol de Almunia.

history

Many archaeological finds point to early settlement of the formerly heavily forested and water-rich area. In Ambra, a few hundred meters south of the village, remnants of ceramics decorated with impressions of shells ( imprint ceramics ) from the late Neolithic between 4,000 and 2,000 BC were discovered. Traces of the Roman presence have been found on the Tossalet de Almela (also Pujol ) hill , in the Bullentó, Castelló, Rupais and Tossalet de les Mondes regions . The Arabs occupied the valley in 726. In 1244, the Ambra Castle was conquered by James I (Aragón) and the Moors expelled. With the repopulation by the Christians in 1279, the first Carta de Poblament ("Citizenship Letter ") with village rights was issued. The second settlement letter was issued seven years later by Alfons III. , in which he determined the Uxola hamlet as the place where the future village was to emerge from 1280. New residents from Barcelona settled here.

Attractions

Despite the small size and the comparatively small number of inhabitants, Pego can offer some interesting objects:

The town hall : ( Location → )38.841976429167 -0.11721789833333

The town hall (Spanish Ayuntamiento or Casa de la Villa , Catalan Ajuntament ) on the Plaça del Ajuntament is housed in a mansion built in 1857. The archway on the ground floor under the balcony decorated with flags leads to a small square, the Plaça dels Portxins. A plaque dated February 22, 1962 on the town hall commemorates the founding of the place 700 years ago.

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Spanish Iglesia Arciprestal de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora , Catal. Església de l'Assumpció ): ( Location → )38.842176983889 -0.11797428138889

Shortly after the town was founded, a smaller church stood on the foundation walls of the Uxola mosque that had previously been built there on the site of today's renaissance-style archpriest church , at the highest point in the town at that time. The church was built in the 16./17. It started in the 18th century and continued until the middle of the 18th century. During this time, among other things, the plague epidemic, the expulsion of the last moriscos (1609–1611), the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) and the severe earthquake of 1644. The unusually long construction period is reflected in the various stylistic elements of the building. The unadorned exterior of the church, typical of the Counter-Reformation period (16th to 18th centuries), contrasts with the splendid baroque interior of the church.

The church contains works of art of regional but also national value. Particularly worth seeing are the Gothic altarpiece de la Esperanza (Image of Hope), the image La doble Verónica (The Double Veronica) (both images from the 15th century) and the Cristo de la Sacristía (Christ of the Sacristy) from the 16th century . Century. The Lecture Cross was created in the 15th century. Other valuable art objects are the crucifix in the sacristy, an image of Christ and several works of goldsmithing . The bell tower dates from 1700. The extensive parish archive, which has been preserved since 1531, is also worth mentioning.

The Ecce Homo Chapel (Spanish: Capilla del Ecce Homo , Catal. Capella de l'Ecce Homo ): ( Location → )38.842824605 -0.11748611916667

The chapel with the characteristic dome and the small bell tower contains the image of " Ecce homo " from the 16th century. The baroque chapel from 1776 formerly served as a hospital and accommodation for pilgrims and other travelers.

The House of Culture ( Casa de Cultura ): ( Location → )38.842014033056 -0.11830687527778

The House of Culture near the Church of the Assumption ( Calle de San Domenec ) is one of the oldest buildings in Pego. It was built shortly after the Reconquista , and the property was listed in the 1488 census; the certificate about this is in the city archive. The Torres Sala family, who achieved great social and political influence and wealth and power, had the building rebuilt in 1675. Over time, the Salas acquired other houses and land in the neighborhood up to the city wall and the Sala city gate that is still there today ( see below ). The family coat of arms, which they received as a symbol of their nobility, can be seen above the entrance portal. The Salas made common cause with the powerful noble Torres Orduña family from Benissa (in the same district), whose coat of arms is inside the house on railings and one of the chimneys. The Torres Orduña family settled in Benissa after the Moriscos were expelled from northern Spain in the early 17th century. During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) the family, in possession of great power in the town and region, had to flee. The old manorial property then served as accommodation for refugee children and was acquired by the municipality in 1990.

The house contains the public library, an event hall, the city archive, the museum for contemporary art and the ethnology museum (rice cultivation and traditional handicrafts). Juan Torres-Sala's insect collection is also housed here. A large mural has been preserved in its courtyard that has been declared a Bien de Interés Cultural . Here you can also admire a fragment of the medieval city wall.

The Ambra Castle (Spanish Castillo de Ambra , Catal. Castell d'Ambra ) ( Location → )38.830425 -0.13644166666667

Pego arose as a Christian settlement on a hill of the widely scattered Uxola settlement, which was under the power and care of the Ambra Castle . This castle, located about two kilometers as the crow flies southwest of today's city center on the rocky ridge of the Montaña de Abra in the Sierra de Migdia , dominated the access to the Ebo Valley ( La Vall d'Ebo ) and controlled the area up to the marshes of Pego -Oliva. Presumably the local Muslims in this area took building material from this castle to build the city wall and the towers. The Ambra Castle is of Arab origin, the construction of which began in the second half of the 12th century. After the Al-Azraq uprising at the end of the 13th century, 20 houses were built within the castle walls. They served as accommodation until the construction of the village of Pego began in 1280.

The Sala city gate ( Portal de Sala ): ( Location → )38.841999409444 -0.11884331694444

The city wall with its 16 towers was built from 1291, but practically all towers were destroyed during the War of Succession. The city wall also suffered from the passage of time, earthquakes and wars and became useless in peacetime, so that it was ultimately built over or replaced by houses and streets. The Portal de Sala gate is the only one of the three former city gates that has been preserved. It used to lead directly to the fields.

The Franciscan Monastery (Spanish Convento de los Franciscanos , catal. Convento de los Franciscanos ) ( Location → )38.837277853333 -0.11484682555556

In the Franciscan monastery built in the Valencian Romantic style at the end of the 19th century, there is a figure of his brother Fray Pascual Nadal in its cloister corridor. He was the son of Pegos and is venerated as a martyr in China.

Chapels ( Ermitas ) (names in catal.)

Saint Michael Chapel ( Ermita de Sant Miquel ): The chapel was built in the 16th century.
Saint Joseph Chapel ( Ermita de Sant Josep ): The chapel was completed in 1677, and it was restored at the beginning of the 20th century.
Saint Anthony's Chapel ( Ermita de Sant Antoni ): The chapel dates from the time of King Philip II and was used by converted Moriscos. It was later assigned to the category of Ermitas de Conquista (Conquest Chapels), which were built between the 13th and 15th centuries.
Saint Joachim's Chapel ( Ermita de Sant Joaquim ): The 18th century chapel, restored in 1891, forms the destination of a Way of the Cross , the Camino del Calvario , where you can admire Valencian ceramics, with which the individual stations in memory of the Passion Christ are decorated. The grave of the Torres Sala family also dates from 1891.

The Marjal Pego-Oliva wetland

The provinces of Valencia and Alicante share the area of the marshland of the Parque Natural del Marjal de Pego-Oliva , which extends over an area of 1,290 hectares and was declared a natural park in 1994 . Thanks to this comprehensive protection measure, one of the most biodiverse regions in the Mediterranean has emerged and probably the best-preserved wetland on the Spanish Mediterranean coast.

Formerly a saltwater lagoon, the area is horseshoe-shaped by the mountain ranges of the Sierra de Mostalla , Sierra de Migdia and Sierra de Segària and supplied with water by the Río Bullent and Río Vedat in the north and Río Racons in the south and the groundwater reserves of Mostalla and Segària . The network of old irrigation ditches and canals that were probably created by the Moors runs through the Marjal and benefits from the underground springs known as ullals that come to light.

Although the area is used for rice cultivation, the survival of a large number of plants and animals of biological interest has been ensured. In view of its biodiversity, the swamp area was included in the Ramsar Convention for the worldwide protection of wetlands in 1971 and declared a special bird sanctuary ( ZEPA ) and is connected to the Natura 2000 network set up by the EC .

The Church of the Assumption from the southeast
The Church of the Assumption behind the bizarre street lamps, whose shape is reminiscent of the inflorescences of agaves .
The balcony and coat of arms of those of Torres Sala above the entrance portal of the cultural center
The azulejos on the underside of the balcony are noteworthy.
Portal de Sala with the (old) city arms
Ambra Castle
Pego as seen from Ambra Castle
Marjal Pego-Oliva nature reserve

Culture

Holidays and folk festivals

The Riu Bullent in February 2009

Entry of the Cristianos (in Elda )

Pego's holiday calendar starts with the

January 17th: Sant Antoni del Porquet . On this day, a procession moves to the Ermita de Sant Antoni chapel , which is traditionally circled by pilgrims three times to be protected from stomach ache, as popular belief wants.
Saturday before Carnival: Baixada del ríu Bullent , a fun raft descent on the Río Bullent with boats built by the participants in imaginative costumes. Other Catalan cities also organize such boat trips: Lleida , Tarragona and Cunit .

On the same day, a large costume and mask parade passes through Pego, which is known in the region for its colorfulness and exuberance and attracts many visitors.

Saturday after Carnival: The piñata ( katal . Pinyata ) is used to express mourning over the end of the carnival season. The whole of Pego mourns the fire death of Carneval , represented by a huge sardine made of paper mache . The festival is also called Entierro de la Sardina ( Catal . Enterrament de la Sardina ) (The burial of the sardine). This is followed by a Correfoc , a lively, colorful fireworks spectacle in the streets of the city. A painting by Francisco de Goya is also entitled The Burial of the Sardine ( El Entierro de la Sardina ), but it reflects Goya's impressions of the Madrid festival.

17th, 18th and 19th March: Fallas , the typical spring festival of the Valencia region, where giant paper mache figures are burned. In Pego, Fallas can be found at La Font, La Plaça-Natzaré and El Convent .

March / April: During Easter week there are processions on Maundy Thursday , Good Friday and Easter Sunday .

The last weekend in June celebrates Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians) in memory of the Reconquista and the fighting between Moorish and Christian troops between the 8th and 15th centuries. In the following week, various ceremonies are performed, such as B. on

Wednesday after the Moros y Cristianos: Patronage celebrations in honor of Santísimo Ecce-Homo with a solemn procession during which the image of Ecce-Homo is carried back to its chapel from the parish church where it had been brought the day before.

Eastern festivals also take place in Adsúbia and Vall d'Ebo. B. in the Adsúbia district Forna (2nd half of August in honor of San Bernardo Abad ), in Adsúbia itself (in honor of the Virgen de los Desamparados (Virgin of the Defenseless)), the Virgen del Rosario ( Rosary Festival ), St. Francisco de Asis ( Francis of Assisi ) and Santísimo Cristo del Milagro (Christ as a miracle worker ) in the first half of September. There are also the Moros-y-Cristianos fiestas , as well as street parades, dancing, chocolatadas ( serving of hot cocoa ), children's amusements, as well as car parades and costume and mask events. In Vall d'Ebo, the feast of Our Lady of the Defenseless (Catal. Mare de Déu dels Desemparats ) is celebrated on the first weekend in August and the Fiesta de San Miguel (St. Michael Festival) on the last weekend in September with a traditional pilgrimage to the stalactite cave Cova del Rull ( position → ).38.811205465 -0.17746701833333

Pego is located on the Way of St. James ( Camino de Santiago ), the section Xàbia - Almansa .

gastronomy

Churro stand at a fair

Every Thursday on the market square ( Plaça del Mercat ) and the Plaça de l'Antic Regne de València a kind of pizza from the oven, which is topped with peas, onions, peppers, etc. ( Coques de llanda ) is offered.

Rice dishes typical of the region are offered throughout the year, such as B. Rice with beans and chard (catal. Arròs amb fesols i penques , Spanish. Arroz con judias y acelgas ) and creamy rice (catal. Arròs caldós ) and paella .

Typical rice dishes include not only Paella Valenciana , but also “Paella con Crosta” (crust paella): This paella is topped with an egg and traditionally prepared in Pego on the eve of Ash Wednesday to get in the mood for Easter and the following Lent.

Other regional specialties are: L'Espencat or L'Escalivada , a dish made from aubergines , peppers , onions and tomatoes that is cooked in the oven but served cold. It is also eaten as an accompaniment to meat and fish dishes, with the addition of garlic and as a spread.

Figatells , also Frigatells or Fardel : flat, fried meatballs ( meatballs )

Coques escaldades or Cocas caldadas : warm, small corn or wheat flour dumplings with tuna or prawns filling .

During Easter week empanadillas are offered, small dumplings with varying fillings, e.g. B. with peas and onions, with tomatoes, peppers and egg.

The range of sweets also includes the Mona de Pascua , a yeast pastry that is topped or filled with colored eggs or

Bizcochos de San Vicente (catal. Melindro ) as sponge cake or loose ladyfingers

At Christmas, buñuelos or churros should not be missing on the table, a pastry baked in liquid oil and pastry pieces refined with sweet potatoes, chocolate or liqueur.