El Puig
Encyclopedia
El Puig also known as El Puig de Santa Maria, is a village situated 15 km north of the city of Valencia, in the comarca
of Horta Nord
, Spain
. Taking its name from the old Valencian term for "hill", the area comprises three main areas, starting with the village which is dominated by the monastery and the two large wooded hills, the largest of which has the ruins of a castle fortress at the top. Originally, however, there was another hill named La Pedrera which disappeared gradually during the 20th century to make way for the V-21 motorway with the rock being used to construct one of the jetties at Valencia's port. The second section is the coastal area of 4 km of beach made up of 8 urbanisations which in general are only inhabited in the summer and finally an industrial area located between them.
The village is well connected, with direct access to the V-21 Valencia to Barcelona
motorway and a short distance away from the A-7 Valencia bypass. There is also the RENFE
C-6 Valencia to Castellón de la Plana
local train service from the village every half hour, and an hourly bus service to Valencia via El Puig beach.
There are two areas indicated for future housing development in El Puig; the first is located to the north of the village, where there are plans for approximately 1,200 homes, that have started to be built, and is the location of a new secondary school that has been constructed. The second is near the coastal area close to the beaches, where 6255 houses and apartments are planned to be built around a golf course; planning permission was finally granted in 2009 however construction has yet to start.
It is thought El Puig has been inhabited since pre-historic times, but the first recorded record is of a Muslim fortress situated on the montaña la pata (foot mountain).
El Puig was conquered by El Cid
in 1093 on the way to his conquest of Valencia, however it was retaken by the muslims again briefly afterwards.
El Puig became a symbolic location for Valencians when it was conquered for good by James I of Aragon
in 1237. The reason the largest hill was named montaña la pata (foot mountain) was, as the legend goes, that when James I of Aragon
reached the summit with his horse they saw the city of Valencia in the distance, the horse then reared up on to its two back legs with excitement and brought its two front feet down with such force that water sprang from the ground and one of its horse shoes became imbedded into the hill.
This new civilization, which replaced the Muslim one, is best represented by the Virgin of El Puig, Saint Mary. An image, which according to legend, was seen by James I, and which gave divine powers to the Christian troops in the famous battle that allowed the taking of Valencia, which is why James I of Aragon proclaimed it the patron of the newly conquered Kingdom of Valencia
, during this time El Puig was known as the spiritual capital of the kingdom.
In 1240 the El Puig was donated to Arnau de Cardona. However in 1340 Peter IV of Aragon
gave it to Pedro de Jérica, and then in 1353 to Nicolau Janvila. Finally in 1385 the king sold El Puig to Pedro de Centelles. El Puig was separated from Puebla de Farnals in 1608 and the last territorial lords were the Marquess of Belgium and the Municipality of Valencia.
January - Last weekend in January is the festival of Peter Nolasco, the founder of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy
.
February - The second Sunday of February is the festival of Saint Anthony the patron of animals.
March - The fire festival "Las Fallas" is celebrated from the 14th to the 19th of March.
June - On the evening of the 23rd of June are the fires of Saint Joan where, on the beaches, bonfires and firework displays are held.
August - The San Roque Festival is held between the 15th and the 17th of August but in reality is celebrated for the whole of the month. The celebrations mainly consist of street parties followed by bull runs in the streets of the village.
September - On the first Sunday and Monday of the month of September the people of El Puig celebrate the festival of the Virgin which comprises street prosessions of the virgin of Puig.
October - The Community of Valencia day is held on the 9th of October.
Comarca
A comarca is a traditional region or local administrative division found in parts of Spain, Portugal, Panama, Nicaragua, and Brazil. The term is derived from the term marca, meaning a "march, mark", plus the prefix co- meaning "together, jointly".The comarca is known in Aragonese as redolada and...
of Horta Nord
Horta Nord
Horta Nord is a comarca in the province of Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain.-Municipalities:*Albalat dels Sorells*Alboraya*Albuixech*Alfara del Patriarca*Almàssera*Bonrepòs i Mirambell*Burjassot*Emperador*Foios*Godella*Massalfassar...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Taking its name from the old Valencian term for "hill", the area comprises three main areas, starting with the village which is dominated by the monastery and the two large wooded hills, the largest of which has the ruins of a castle fortress at the top. Originally, however, there was another hill named La Pedrera which disappeared gradually during the 20th century to make way for the V-21 motorway with the rock being used to construct one of the jetties at Valencia's port. The second section is the coastal area of 4 km of beach made up of 8 urbanisations which in general are only inhabited in the summer and finally an industrial area located between them.
The village is well connected, with direct access to the V-21 Valencia to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
motorway and a short distance away from the A-7 Valencia bypass. There is also the RENFE
RENFE
Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
C-6 Valencia to Castellón de la Plana
Castellón de la Plana
Castellón de la Plana or Castelló de la Plana is the capital city of the province of Castelló, in the Valencian Community, Spain, in the east of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Costa del Azahar by the Mediterranean Sea...
local train service from the village every half hour, and an hourly bus service to Valencia via El Puig beach.
Economy
Until very recently the economy has basically been agriculture, however it is in a state of gradual transformation towards an industrial plan, which is fundamentally based on the metal industry. The types of agriculture in El Puig include cattle, poultry, pig farming, corn and other crops but by far the main economic income is through the cultivation and export of oranges. The industrial sector has a number of sheet metal factories, food processing plants, wood product manufacturers, a beer and ionized water manufacturer and many other trade sector related activities. The fishing industry has disappeared but its beaches are now very much in demand in the summer with its residential urbanisations.There are two areas indicated for future housing development in El Puig; the first is located to the north of the village, where there are plans for approximately 1,200 homes, that have started to be built, and is the location of a new secondary school that has been constructed. The second is near the coastal area close to the beaches, where 6255 houses and apartments are planned to be built around a golf course; planning permission was finally granted in 2009 however construction has yet to start.
History
It is thought El Puig has been inhabited since pre-historic times, but the first recorded record is of a Muslim fortress situated on the montaña la pata (foot mountain).
El Puig was conquered by El Cid
El Cid
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar , known as El Cid Campeador , was a Castilian nobleman, military leader, and diplomat...
in 1093 on the way to his conquest of Valencia, however it was retaken by the muslims again briefly afterwards.
El Puig became a symbolic location for Valencians when it was conquered for good by James I of Aragon
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
in 1237. The reason the largest hill was named montaña la pata (foot mountain) was, as the legend goes, that when James I of Aragon
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
reached the summit with his horse they saw the city of Valencia in the distance, the horse then reared up on to its two back legs with excitement and brought its two front feet down with such force that water sprang from the ground and one of its horse shoes became imbedded into the hill.
This new civilization, which replaced the Muslim one, is best represented by the Virgin of El Puig, Saint Mary. An image, which according to legend, was seen by James I, and which gave divine powers to the Christian troops in the famous battle that allowed the taking of Valencia, which is why James I of Aragon proclaimed it the patron of the newly conquered Kingdom of Valencia
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. When the Crown of Aragon merged by dynastic union with the Crown of Castile to form the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Valencia became a component realm of the...
, during this time El Puig was known as the spiritual capital of the kingdom.
In 1240 the El Puig was donated to Arnau de Cardona. However in 1340 Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, , called el Cerimoniós or el del punyalet , was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica , King of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona Peter IV, (Balaguer, September 5, 1319 – Barcelona, January 6, 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one...
gave it to Pedro de Jérica, and then in 1353 to Nicolau Janvila. Finally in 1385 the king sold El Puig to Pedro de Centelles. El Puig was separated from Puebla de Farnals in 1608 and the last territorial lords were the Marquess of Belgium and the Municipality of Valencia.
Local Festivals
January - Last weekend in January is the festival of Peter Nolasco, the founder of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy
Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy
The Royal, Celestial and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of the Captives also known as Our Lady of Ransom is a Roman Catholic religious order established in 1218 by St...
.
February - The second Sunday of February is the festival of Saint Anthony the patron of animals.
March - The fire festival "Las Fallas" is celebrated from the 14th to the 19th of March.
June - On the evening of the 23rd of June are the fires of Saint Joan where, on the beaches, bonfires and firework displays are held.
August - The San Roque Festival is held between the 15th and the 17th of August but in reality is celebrated for the whole of the month. The celebrations mainly consist of street parties followed by bull runs in the streets of the village.
September - On the first Sunday and Monday of the month of September the people of El Puig celebrate the festival of the Virgin which comprises street prosessions of the virgin of Puig.
October - The Community of Valencia day is held on the 9th of October.