Bigastro (;

Valencian Valencian can refer to: * Something related to the Valencian Community ( Valencian Country) in Spain * Something related to the city of Valencia * Something related to the province of Valencia in Spain * Something related to the old Kingdom of ...

: Bigastre) is a

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' ...

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 Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

) situated in the south of the

province of Alicante Alicante (, , ; ; ; officially: / ) is a province located in eastern Spain, in the southern part of the Valencian Community. It is the second most populated Valencian province, containing the second and third biggest cities in the Valencian Co ...

, in the

comarca A ''comarca'' (, , , ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain, and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, mark ...

Vega Baja del Segura Vega Baja del Segura (; Mapa temàtic comarcal de la Comunitat Valenciana, serie CV350. Institut Cartogràfic Valencià. 2022, Col·leccions AutonòmiquesPDF/ref> ), simply known locally and regionally as Vega Baja (in Spanish), is a ''comarca'' ...

. It had a

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 6,450 at the time of the 2005

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

History

In La Loma, there is an archaeological site dating from the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

. The city () was the seat of a bishop under Byzantine rule. It was probably recovered by the

Visigoths The Visigoths (; ) were a Germanic people united under the rule of a king and living within the Roman Empire during late antiquity. The Visigoths first appeared in the Balkans, as a Roman-allied Barbarian kingdoms, barbarian military group unite ...

under

Witteric Witteric (; Portuguese language, Portuguese and Galician language, Galician: ''Viterico''; 565 – April 610) was the Visigoths, Visigoth Visigoth Kingdom, King of Hispania, Septimania and kingdom of Galicia, Galicia. He ruled from 603 to 610. R ...

. The district derives its name from the ''Lugar Nuevo de los Canónigos'', a place of residence for the canons of

Orihuela Orihuela (; ''Corpus Toponímic Valencià''. Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua. 2009, València.) is a city and municipality located at the foot of the Sierra de Orihuela mountains in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain. The c ...

cathedral, which once had power over the area. In 1701, after some lawsuits with the settlers, the church made some allowances which permitted the foundation of Bigastro, starting with three estates, in which 24 families lived.

Economy

At the time of its foundation,

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

was concentrated around

flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. In 2022, France produced 75% of t ...

and

hemp Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...

; in the 19th century, the fall of the textile sector sparked interest in citrus fruits and products from irrigated fields. There is also industrial activity, mainly in the form of construction and manufacturing.

Demography

In 2005, Bigastro had 6,450 residents, 11.79% of which were foreigners. The most common nationality was

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

(22% of all foreigners).

Monuments

The young age of the town means that some landlord's homes survive, along with some farmer's dwellings dispersed throughout the area. One unique monument that must be mentioned is the Church of the Virgin of Bethlehem, where a sculpture of Saint

Joachim Joachim was, according to Sacred tradition, the husband of Saint Anne, the father of Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary (mother of Jesus), and the maternal grandfather of Jesus. The story of Joachim and Anne first appears in the Gospel of James, part of ...

of Salzillo.

Gastronomy

The typical dishes in the area are

stew A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been Cooking, cooked in Soup, liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for ...

and

rabbit Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also includes the hares), which is in the order Lagomorpha (which also includes pikas). They are familiar throughout the world as a small herbivore, a prey animal, a domesticated ...

with

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

. Other important dishes in Bigastro come from the

pastry Pastry refers to a variety of Dough, doughs (often enriched with fat or eggs), as well as the sweet and savoury Baking, baked goods made from them. The dough may be accordingly called pastry dough for clarity. Sweetened pastries are often descr ...

shops:

almojábana Almojábana is a type of bread made with cuajada cheese and corn flour. About An almojábana is a small, bun-shaped bread with a tart flavor. It has some variations between Hispanic America and Spain. The etymology stems from Andalusī Arab ...

s, toñas, almendrados, monas and soplillos.

Twin towns

* -

Le Vigan (Gard) Le Vigan (; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Gard Departments of France, department in southern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the department. Geography Le Vigan is located at the south of the Massif Centr ...

, since 2002 * - Cisano sul Neva, since 2002

Festivals

*Night festivals and stalls are the essence of celebration dedicated to Saint

in August. Others are ''El Rosario de la Aurora'', every Sunday in October, the festivals of the ''Santa Cruz'', of ''Romería de San Isidro'' and of ''Santa Ana''. The musical tradition goes back over a century and is presented in the form of the Union Musical Band of Bigastro. *''El Abuelo'', as he is normally known (Saint

) over other titles. In October 1993, the 200th anniversary of his first arrival in Bigastro was commemorated, with the unveiling of a sculpture of their patron saint.

Famous residents

Francisco Grau Vegara Francisco Grau Vegara (22 January 1947 – 21 July 2019) was a Spanish musician, composer and General in the Spanish Armed Forces. Career Born in Bigastro, Alicante, he started playing instruments in his hometown's band at the age of seven. Late ...

; author of the Spanish National Anthem.

References

{{authority control Municipalities in the Province of Alicante Vega Baja del Segura