Les Alqueries () is a town in eastern

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

, in the

province of Castellón Castellón (officially in ca-valencia, Castelló) is a province in the northern part of the Valencian Community. It is bordered by the provinces of Valencia to the south, Teruel to the west, Tarragona to the north, and by the Mediterranean S ...

, part of the autonomous community of

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...

. Economy is based on agriculture, specializing in growing oranges. It became an independent commune from

Vila-real Villarreal ( ca-valencia , Vila-real) is a city and municipality in the province of Castellón which is part of the Valencian Community in the east of Spain. The town is located at 42 m above sea level, 7 km to the south of the province's ...

in 1985.

History

The area where Les Alqueries is located (60 kilometers to the north of

) has been populated since the Iberian era. Les Alqueries was formerly divided into three smaller villages called Bellaguarda, Bonastre and Bonretorn. Prior to 1609 most inhabitants of those villages were ethnically Andalusī Muslims. A new Christian population slowly occupied the properties left by Muslims (

Moriscos Moriscos (, ; pt, mouriscos ; Spanish for "Moorish") were former Muslims and their descendants whom the Roman Catholic church and the Spanish Crown commanded to convert to Christianity or face compulsory exile after Spain outlawed the open ...

) after April 1609 (date of the expulsion); many of these newcomers were peasants from nearby villages like Artana, Betxí,

Nules Nules is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Castellón (Valencian Community). Located 18 km to the south of the province's capital, at 13 m over sea level, it has 13,750 inhabitants (2010 data), living in Nules Town, Nules Beach and ...

and

as well as other settlers from the north of the Kingdom of Valencia (Maestrat). Seventy-two years after the expulsion of ethnic Muslims, monks from Caudiel (near

Segorbe Segorbe is a municipality in the mountainous coastal province of Castelló, autonomous community of Valencia, Spain. The former Palace of the Dukes of Medinaceli now houses the city's mayor. Segorbe's bull-running week (''semana de Toros'') in S ...

) built a little church (''Església del Replà'') which became a sort of meeting point for the inhabitants of this area. With the passing of time, this church led to the unification of the three former villages which became known as Les Alqueries, which means "the villages". After the Christian conquest in the 13th century, Les Alqueries became part of

municipality but it gained independence in 1985 after a decree issued by

Generalitat Valenciana The Generalitat Valenciana is the generic name covering the different self-government institutions under which the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia is politically organized. It consists of seven institutions including the ''Corts Valen ...

(Valencian autonomous government). Les Alqueries has now over 4200 inhabitants and its urban area has grown significantly after the year 2000 becoming a quiet residential area.

Main sights

Les Alqueries is located in a coastal plain, 9 kilometers to the Mediterranean sea. Landscape is largely dominated by orange trees. Sierra de Espadán mountain range (an important protected area) is clearly visible from the village. The town hall, ''Casa Safont'', a modernist building, and ''La Plaça de les Pedres'' square, where the rests of a Roman mill are exposed, are two interesting places for tourists.

Culture

The village has two annual festivals in June and October. ''Bous al carrer'', literally ''bulls on the street'', is the main attraction of October celebrations.

Twin towns

Sassello Sassello ( lij, Sascello; locally ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about north of Savona in the northern side of the Ligurian Apennines. It is the birthpl ...

, Italy

References

Ventura Rius, Albert (2004): ''Alqueries, temps d'un poble''. Diputació de Castelló. Castelló.

External links

Official website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alqueries, Les Municipalities in the Province of Castellón Plana Baixa