Alcoy (; ; officially: / ) is an industrial and university city, region and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

located in the

Valencian Community The Valencian Community is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid wit ...

, Spain. The

Serpis The Serpis () is a short coastal river in the provinces of Alicante and Valencia, in Spain. The river starts at the feet of the Carrasqueta, a mountain area southwest to Alcoi, by the confluence of the Polop and Troncal streams. In its initial p ...

river crosses the municipal boundary of Alcoy. The local authority reported a population of 61,135 residents in 2018.

History

The first traces of human presence in the area date to c. 60,000 years ago, when

Neanderthal Neanderthals ( ; ''Homo neanderthalensis'' or sometimes ''H. sapiens neanderthalensis'') are an extinction, extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central Asia during the Middle Pleistocene, Middle to Late Plei ...

hunters settled here, in a site now called El Salt. A site with

rock paintings In archaeology, rock arts are human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type al ...

, dating to c. 10,000/6,500 years ago, has been discovered near la Sarga. From around the mid-3rd millennium BC people started to move from the caves to the plain where

cereal A cereal is a grass cultivated for its edible grain. Cereals are the world's largest crops, and are therefore staple foods. They include rice, wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, and maize ( Corn). Edible grains from other plant families, ...

s were grown, while mountain fortifications were erected (''Mola Alta de Serelles'', ''Mas del Corral'', ''Mas de Menente'', ''El Puig''). After the Roman conquest of the

Iberia The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, compri ...

ns, several rural villas were built in the area, as well as a necropolis. The town was established in 1256 by

James I of Aragon James I the Conqueror ( Catalan/Valencian: ''Jaume I or Jaume el Conqueridor''; Aragonese: ''Chaime I'' ''o Conqueridor''; ; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1 ...

, with the construction of a castle on a strategic position over the Serpis river, to secure the southern frontier of the

Kingdom of Valencia The Kingdom of Valencia (; ; ), located in the eastern shore of the Iberian Peninsula, was one of the component realms of the Crown of Aragon. The Kingdom of Valencia was formally created in 1238 when the Moorish taifa of Valencia was taken in ...

during the

Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...

. In 1291 the town was donated by King

James II of Aragon James II (Catalan: ''Jaume II''; Aragonese: ''Chaime II;'' 10 April 1267 – 2 or 5 November 1327), called the Just, was the King of Aragon and Valencia and Count of Barcelona from 1291 to 1327. He was also the King of Sicily (as James I) f ...

to the Sicilian admiral

Roger of Lauria Roger of Lauria (''c''. 1245 – 17 January 1305), was a Calabrian knight who served the Crown of Aragon as admiral of the Aragonese navy during the War of the Sicilian Vespers. He was probably the most successful and talented naval tacticia ...

; it did not return to royal possession until 1430. During the

War of Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish ...

, Alcoy sided for the cause of

archduke Charles Archduke Charles Louis John Joseph Lawrence of Austria, Duke of Teschen (; 5 September 177130 April 1847) was an Austrian Empire, Austrian field marshal, the third son of Emperor Leopold II and his wife, Maria Luisa of Spain. He was also the youn ...

, and was therefore besieged and stripped of numerous privileges, which started a period of decline. In 1873 the workers of Alcoy revolted in the

Petroleum Revolution The Petroleum Revolution (Valencian: ''La Revolució del Petroli'') was a libertarian and syndicalist leaning workers' revolution that took place in Alcoy, Alicante, Spain in 1873. The event derives its name from the petroleum-soaked torches carr ...

Main sights

Many outdoor

rock painting In archaeology, rock arts are human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type al ...

s exist in Alcoy, and there are some ruins of an

Iberian Iberian refers to Iberia. Most commonly Iberian refers to: *Someone or something originating in the Iberian Peninsula, namely from Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. The term ''Iberian'' is also used to refer to anything pertaining to the fo ...

settlement with fragments of Greco-

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

pottery.

Buildings with an artistic or historical interest in the city include: *

Casa del Pavo The Casa del Pavo (''Peacock House'') is a private building at 15 Sant Nicolau Street, in the city center of Alcoy (Alicante), Valencian Community The Valencian Community is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. I ...

(Turkey's house), Art Nouveau work of

Vicente Pascual Pastor Vicente Juan Pascual Pastor (Alcoy, June 3, 1865 – Alcoy, February 2, 1941) was a Spanish architect, one of the main architects of the Art Nouveau in Alcoy and the Valencian Art Nouveau. Biography Vicente Pascual Pastor was formed in the Ba ...

, (1909). * Cercle Industrial, Art Nouveau work of

Timoteo Briet Montaud Timoteo Briet Montaud ( Cocentaina, March 3, 1859 – Alcoy, January 30, 1925) was a Spanish architect, one of the main architects of the Art Nouveau in Alcoy and the Valencian Art Nouveau. Biography In 1876 he finishes his studies in Alcoy's ...

, (1909-1911). * Casa d'Escaló, Art Nouveau work of

, (1906-1908). * Casa Laporta, Art Nouveau work of

, (1904). * Casa Vilaplana, Art Nouveau work of

, (1906). *

Casa Briet The Casa Briet (''Briet house'') is a private building at 24 Sant Josep Street, in the city center of Alcoy (Alicante), Valencian Community, Spain. Building The building was designed by the Valencian architect Timoteo Briet Montaud in 1910 for ...

, Art Nouveau work of

, (1910). * Llotja de Sant Jordi, designed by the architect

Santiago Calatrava Santiago Calatrava Valls (born 28 July 1951) is a Spaniards, Spanish-Swiss people, Swiss architect, structural engineer, sculptor and painter, particularly known for his bridges supported by single leaning pylons, and his railway stations, stad ...

. Made during the years 1992–1995. * Pont de Sant Jordi, of art déco style, is considered to be the most popular image of the city. * Plaça de Dins, a neoclassical square in the city center of Alcoy. * Església arxiprestal de Santa Maria, in Valencian

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

style. * Hermitage of St. Anthony the Abbot (14th-18th centuries). * ''Torre de Na Valora'', a watchtower from the 13th century. * Barxell Castle (13th century), of likely Muslim origin. It has a rectangular keep and a court with a

rainwater tank A rainwater tank (sometimes called a rain barrel in North America in reference to smaller tanks, or a water butt in the UK) is a water tank used to collect and store rain water runoff, typically from rooftops via pipes. Rainwater tanks are de ...

. * Alcoy Cemetery, considered to be one of the most interesting in the Valencian Community, due to its unusual architecture and examples of

Valencian Art Nouveau Valencian Art Nouveau (, ) is the historiographic denomination given to an art and literature movement associated with the Art Nouveau in the Valencian Community, in Spain. Its main form of expression was in architecture, bu ...

period funerary sculpture. It is listed on the European Cemeteries Route. *

Convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...

of ''Sant Agustí'', reconstructed in the 18th century with paintings of the 16th century.

Museums

* Museu Alcoià de la Festa, a museum dedicated to the

Moors and Christians of Alcoy The Moors and Christians of Alcoy (in Valencian ''Moros i Cristians d'Alcoi'', in Spanish ''Moros y Cristianos de Alcoy'') is a popular festival which takes place in the city of Alcoy in the Spanish Province of Alicante, including the representa ...

, where the visitors can experience all the details, aspects and feelings surrounding this international festival. * Archaeological Museum Camil Visedo, established in 1945. * Shelter of Cervantes, an air-raid bunker of the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

(1938). * Firefighters Museum of Alcoy

Natural parks

* Font Roja Natural Park *

Serra Mariola Natural Park The Serra Mariola Natural Park (; ) is a mountain range in the Valencian Community, Spain, one of the most peripheral offsprings of the Baetic System. Most of its territory is included in a natural park founded in 2002, covering an area of 17,257 ...

Economy

Alcoy has important industries related to

textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...

paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, Textile, rags, poaceae, grasses, Feces#Other uses, herbivore dung, or other vegetable sources in water. Once the water is dra ...

food Food is any substance consumed by an organism for Nutrient, nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or Fungus, fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, protein (nutrient), proteins, vitamins, ...

and

metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

. Furthermore, Alcoy has many factories that manufacture

match A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matc ...

es. Today, Alcoy is the financial, commercial and cultural center of the surrounding area.

Celebrations

Alcoy hosts the oldest Cavalcade of Magi in the world. The Jesuset del Miracle is commemorated on the last day of January. The most important touristic celebration is ''

Moros i Cristians ''Moros y Cristianos'' () or ''Moros i Cristians'' (), literally in English Moors and Christians, is a set of festival activities which are celebrated in many towns and cities of Spain, mainly in the southern Valencian Community. According ...

'', in April.

Sport

The local football club

CD Alcoyano Club Deportivo Alcoyano, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Alcoy, in the autonomous community of the Valencian Community. Founded in 1928, it plays in , holding home games in '' Estadio El Collao'', with a capacity of 4,850 seats. Hi ...

is famous across Spain for a proverbial match in which they were facing a very adverse score. When the referee was about to close, the Alcoyano players kept asking for more time to score back and reach a draw.Notas de fútbol
Tienes más moral que el Alcoyano Thus the phrase ''tener más moral que el Alcoyano'' ("to have greater morale than Alcoyano") ponders an indefatigable person. Currently, they play in the

Segunda División B Segunda División B (English: second division B) was the third tier of the Spanish football league system containing 102 teams divided into five groups, until it was replaced by the new structure in 2021. It was administered by the Royal Spanish ...

at El Collao Stadium. The city is also home to PAS Alcoy, a Spanish roller hockey club, which plays in the

OK Liga The OK Liga is the Spanish rink hockey league. History The league was founded in 1969 as División de Honor as an expansion to all the Spanish territory of the Catalan Championship. Until 1971 teams from outside Catalonia did not join the competi ...

, the first division of

roller hockey Roller hockey is a form of hockey played on a dry surface using wheeled skates. It can be played with traditional roller skates (quad skates) or with inline skates and use either a ball or puck. Combined, roller hockey is played in nearly 60 cou ...

in Spain.

Notable residents

Camilo Sesto Camilo Blanes Cortés (16 September 1946 – 8 September 2019), known professionally as Camilo Sesto, was a Spanish singer, songwriter and music producer. There are various sales figures for him, ranging from 70 to 200 million records sold, and ...

(1946-2019), singer *

(1865–1941), architect * Carmen Jordá (born 1988), racing driver

Notes

References

External links

Alcoi Foto
Pictures of Alcoy and ''Moors and Christians'' festivity in Alcoy.
Christians & Moors Festival
Images and a video.
Alcoi
Text, Images and Video. {{Navboxes , title = Articles related to Alcoy / Alcoi , list = {{Alcoia {{Municipalities in Alicante, state=autocollapse {{Authority control Alcoià Municipalities in the Province of Alicante Populated places in the Province of Alicante