Jérica
Encyclopedia
Jérica is a town in the Castellón
province of Valencian Community, Spain
. It is in the comarca
(region) of Alto Palancia
.
The town centre is located at a height of 523 m, on a rocky promontory
along the Palancia river channel. The precipice is very difficult to access and therefore, the population has settled in the opposite direction, staggered along the slope of the hill.
, Caudiel
, Gaibiel
, Navajas
, Sacañet
, Segorbe
, Teresa
, Vall de Almonacid
and Viver
in the province of Castellón
and Alcublas
in the province of Valencia
.
period, from human remains found in the Herreros Cave (Cave of the Blacksmiths). Several settlements from the Iberian period
exist within the castle bounds.
The municipality has the highest number of Roman
artifacts discovered in the comarca, epecially the large quantity of gravestones, including the unique gravestone of Quintia Prova of Hispania
on which the cost of a Roman arc with two statues is mentioned.
The first references to the present nucleus of the settlement are in the period of Muslims' presence in the area, including the Taifa
of Valencia and the after the disintegration of the Caliph of Córdoba in 1027 and then the subsequent capture of the area by the Cid
in 1098. The first stages of the towers and the oldest parts of the castle are from this time.
On 5 February 1235, the area was captured by the Christian army in order to control the sacristan of Girona
, Gillém de Montgriu, although the Muslim population were not expelled.
In 1249 the Carta Puebla is issued to populate Jérica, since the deployment was already evident. In 1255 King James I of Aragon
donates the estate of the villa of Jérica to the son he had with Teresa Gil de Vidaurre. Their son was Jaume ( Jaime) of Xèrica (Xèrica is the Valencian form of Jérica), the first gentleman of the villa of Jérica: lord of Xèrica. On 29 November 1255, in Calatayud, King James I grants the privilege that the Camino Real (Royal Road) from Aragón to Valencia passes through Jérica, leaving the old road which did not pass close to the population. The real privileges follow; the King grants polto in 1261 extending the realm of the castle and villa of Jérica. In 1272 James I donates the castle and villa of Jérica to his son Jaume of Xèrica in his will. Jaime II of Jérica succeeds in 1284 and two years later, in 1286, King Alfonso IV of Aragon
confirms the lord's privilege of freedom of the villa. It was governed by him until 1321, when it is passed to his heir, his son Jaime. Jaime III lord of Xérica with provision by king Alfonso IV of Aragon, commissioned the fortification of the villa by extending the preexisting walls.
The Don Pedro de Jérica was head in 1361, in preference of his children Juan and Pedro, staying as heir of lord Juan Alfonso. At this time, war between the Kings of Aragón and Castilla breaks out again, and in 1363 the Castilian army enters the villa utilising the castle and the church that he was constructing.
In 1369, the last heir of the ville of Jérica, Juan Alfonso, dies ending the lineage. Jérica then is given back to Peter IV the Ceremonious
as an estate. The King decides in 1372 to make a condado (give land to a Count
) and to give to investiture of Jérica to the Infante Don Martin
as a Fiefdom
, in a treaty, returning Jérica to Corona, when marrying Maria de Luna, Lady Segorbe.
The incorporation of Jérica to Real Corona did not last for long: in 1417 King Alfonso V of Aragon
gives the señorío (noble estate) to his brother, the Infante Don Juan.
The señorío only lasts few years and in 1431 the Infante Don Juan sells it illegally to Francisco Zarzuela. This caused years of misery for the people of Jérica, who suffered with the tyrannous government of a family who nothing had to do with them.
This continued until 1479 when negotiations between the Jericanos and King Ferdinand el Católico
bore fruits and the villa was again is incorporated into Corona.
In 1537, Carlos I of Spain
gave the señorío to the Duke de Calabria, who on his death, donated it to the monks of the Monastery of San Miguel of the Kings of Valencia. A litigation between the governors of the villa and the then emperor Carlos I occurs, as he wishes it to be incorporated into the Real dominion. During the government of Felipe I, in 1564, Jérica already it is totally incorporated to the Real dominion. In 1565, it leaves Aragon
, of which it had been a part of and joins Valencia and since then has had its own shield.
Finally, the locality was devastated during the Spanish Civil War
, to the point of asking for inclusion to the list of Devastated Regions, which meant the state was in charge of numerous reconstructions of buildings.
on the site of a previous works. It is a unique example of the style in the Valencian Community . Due to its position as the highest construction in the area, it is the most familiar image of it.
The area has two civil monuments: a castle and watchtowers. There is a castle, of which the Roman foundations can still be observed, although most of the construction is of the Muslim period. The best conserved area is the main tower, the Torreta. This construction is robust: it is square with walls more than 1.5 m thick. The vaults in the centre of the ground floor are remarkable. These Muslim watchtowers, Torres de los Ordaces y la Muela, overlook the castle. Presently, they are in need of conservation.
The current mayor is Amadeo Edo Salvador of the Socialist Party of Valencia Country, part of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
.
, carob
and almond
crops. Recently, rural tourism has been an important sector; centering around the medieval market.
, 74 km from Castellón de la Plana
, 40 km from Sagunto
and 78 km from Teruel
.
The town can be accessed by rail as a station (Jérica-Viver) close to the town is on the C-5 del núcleo de cercanías de Valencia Valencia-Caudiel that connects Valencia and Castellón de la Plana.
Castellón (province)
Castellón or Castelló is a province in the northern part of the Valencian Community, Spain. It is bordered by the provinces of Valencia to the south, Teruel to the west, Tarragona to the north, and by the Mediterranean Sea to the east. The western side of the province is in the mountainous...
province of Valencian Community, 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...
. It is in the comarca
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...
(region) of Alto Palancia
Alto Palancia
Alto Palancia is a comarca in the province of Castellón, Valencian Community .- Municipalities :*Algimia de Almonacid*Almedíjar*Altura*Azuébar*Barracas*Bejís*Benafer*Castellnovo*Caudiel*Chóvar*Gaibiel*Geldo...
.
Geography
The municipality has an area of 78.30 km², is crossed by the river Palancia, and an area in the south is part of the Calderona mountain range. However, no part of the municipality is in the Sierra Calderona National Park.The town centre is located at a height of 523 m, on a rocky promontory
Promontory
Promontory may refer to:*Promontory, a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water*Promontory, Utah, the location where the United States first Transcontinental Railroad was completed...
along the Palancia river channel. The precipice is very difficult to access and therefore, the population has settled in the opposite direction, staggered along the slope of the hill.
Districts and pedanías
In the municipality of Jérica there are two population centres:- Los Ángeles
- Novaliches
Bordering localities
Altura, BenaferBenafer
Benafer is a municipality in the comarca of Alto Palancia, Castellón, Valencia, Spain....
, Caudiel
Caudiel
Caudiel is a municipality in the comarca of Alto Palancia, Castellón, Valencia, Spain....
, Gaibiel
Gaibiel
Gaibiel is a municipality in the comarca of Alto Palancia, Castellón, Valencia, Spain....
, Navajas
Navajas
Navajas is a municipality in the comarca of Alto Palancia, Castellón, Valencia, Spain.-External links:*...
, Sacañet
Sacañet
Sacañet is a municipality in the comarca of Alto Palancia, Castellón, Valencia, Spain....
, Segorbe
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...
, Teresa
Teresa, Castellón
Teresa is a municipality in the comarca of Alto Palancia, Castellón, Valencia, Spain....
, Vall de Almonacid
Vall de Almonacid
Vall de Almonacid is a municipality in the comarca of Alto Palancia, Castellón, Valencia, Spain.-See also:*Serra d'Espadà...
and Viver
Viver
Viver is a town in the Castellón province of Valencian Community, Spain. It is in the comarca of Alto Palancia.- Geography :The municipality has an area of . It is crossed by the river Palancia, and an area in the south is part of the Calderona mountain range...
in the province of Castellón
Castellón (province)
Castellón or Castelló is a province in the northern part of the Valencian Community, Spain. It is bordered by the provinces of Valencia to the south, Teruel to the west, Tarragona to the north, and by the Mediterranean Sea to the east. The western side of the province is in the mountainous...
and Alcublas
Alcublas
Alcublas is a municipality in the comarca of Los Serranos in the Valencian Community, Spain.-External links:*...
in the province of Valencia
Valencia (province)
Valencia or València is a province of Spain, in the central part of the Valencian Community.It is bordered by the provinces of Alicante, Albacete, Cuenca, Teruel, Castellón, and the Mediterranean Sea...
.
History
The first evidence of human settlement is from the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period, from human remains found in the Herreros Cave (Cave of the Blacksmiths). Several settlements from the Iberian period
Iberians
The Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
exist within the castle bounds.
The municipality has the highest number of Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
artifacts discovered in the comarca, epecially the large quantity of gravestones, including the unique gravestone of Quintia Prova of Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
on which the cost of a Roman arc with two statues is mentioned.
The first references to the present nucleus of the settlement are in the period of Muslims' presence in the area, including the Taifa
Taifa
In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.-Rise:The origins of...
of Valencia and the after the disintegration of the Caliph of Córdoba in 1027 and then the subsequent capture of the area by the Cid
El Cid
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar , known as El Cid Campeador , was a Castilian nobleman, military leader, and diplomat...
in 1098. The first stages of the towers and the oldest parts of the castle are from this time.
On 5 February 1235, the area was captured by the Christian army in order to control the sacristan of Girona
Girona
Girona is a city in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell, with an official population of 96,236 in January 2009. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès...
, Gillém de Montgriu, although the Muslim population were not expelled.
In 1249 the Carta Puebla is issued to populate Jérica, since the deployment was already evident. In 1255 King 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...
donates the estate of the villa of Jérica to the son he had with Teresa Gil de Vidaurre. Their son was Jaume ( Jaime) of Xèrica (Xèrica is the Valencian form of Jérica), the first gentleman of the villa of Jérica: lord of Xèrica. On 29 November 1255, in Calatayud, King James I grants the privilege that the Camino Real (Royal Road) from Aragón to Valencia passes through Jérica, leaving the old road which did not pass close to the population. The real privileges follow; the King grants polto in 1261 extending the realm of the castle and villa of Jérica. In 1272 James I donates the castle and villa of Jérica to his son Jaume of Xèrica in his will. Jaime II of Jérica succeeds in 1284 and two years later, in 1286, King Alfonso IV of Aragon
Alfonso IV of Aragon
Alfonso IV, called the Kind was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1327 to his death. He was the second son of James II and Blanche of Anjou...
confirms the lord's privilege of freedom of the villa. It was governed by him until 1321, when it is passed to his heir, his son Jaime. Jaime III lord of Xérica with provision by king Alfonso IV of Aragon, commissioned the fortification of the villa by extending the preexisting walls.
The Don Pedro de Jérica was head in 1361, in preference of his children Juan and Pedro, staying as heir of lord Juan Alfonso. At this time, war between the Kings of Aragón and Castilla breaks out again, and in 1363 the Castilian army enters the villa utilising the castle and the church that he was constructing.
In 1369, the last heir of the ville of Jérica, Juan Alfonso, dies ending the lineage. Jérica then is given back to Peter IV the Ceremonious
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...
as an estate. The King decides in 1372 to make a condado (give land to a Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
) and to give to investiture of Jérica to the Infante Don Martin
Martin I of Aragon
Martin of Aragon , called the Elder, the Humane, the Ecclesiastic, was the King of Aragon, Valencia, Sardinia, and Corsica and Count of Barcelona from 1396 and King of Sicily from 1409...
as a Fiefdom
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
, in a treaty, returning Jérica to Corona, when marrying Maria de Luna, Lady Segorbe.
The incorporation of Jérica to Real Corona did not last for long: in 1417 King Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso the Magnanimous KG was the King of Aragon , Valencia , Majorca, Sardinia and Corsica , and Sicily and Count of Barcelona from 1416 and King of Naples from 1442 until his death...
gives the señorío (noble estate) to his brother, the Infante Don Juan.
The señorío only lasts few years and in 1431 the Infante Don Juan sells it illegally to Francisco Zarzuela. This caused years of misery for the people of Jérica, who suffered with the tyrannous government of a family who nothing had to do with them.
This continued until 1479 when negotiations between the Jericanos and King Ferdinand el Católico
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
bore fruits and the villa was again is incorporated into Corona.
In 1537, Carlos I of Spain
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
gave the señorío to the Duke de Calabria, who on his death, donated it to the monks of the Monastery of San Miguel of the Kings of Valencia. A litigation between the governors of the villa and the then emperor Carlos I occurs, as he wishes it to be incorporated into the Real dominion. During the government of Felipe I, in 1564, Jérica already it is totally incorporated to the Real dominion. In 1565, it leaves Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, of which it had been a part of and joins Valencia and since then has had its own shield.
Finally, the locality was devastated during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, to the point of asking for inclusion to the list of Devastated Regions, which meant the state was in charge of numerous reconstructions of buildings.
Historic buildings
The religious monument Torre de las Campanas (Tower of the Bells) was constructed in 1634 in style of MudéjarMudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
on the site of a previous works. It is a unique example of the style in the Valencian Community . Due to its position as the highest construction in the area, it is the most familiar image of it.
The area has two civil monuments: a castle and watchtowers. There is a castle, of which the Roman foundations can still be observed, although most of the construction is of the Muslim period. The best conserved area is the main tower, the Torreta. This construction is robust: it is square with walls more than 1.5 m thick. The vaults in the centre of the ground floor are remarkable. These Muslim watchtowers, Torres de los Ordaces y la Muela, overlook the castle. Presently, they are in need of conservation.
Demography
The population was 1,577 in 2005, with 1482 around the main centre and 95 in the pedanía of Novaliches.Table of population by year
| Year | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1981 | 1991 | 2000 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,119 | 3,252 | 2,980 | 2,747 | 2,368 | 2,712 | 2,399 | 2,186 | 1,680 | 1,608 | 1,554 | 1,577 |
Administration
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
.
Economy
Traditionally, the primary sector has been of great importance in the Jericano economy. The agriculture of arid land has been important, producing oliveOlive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
, carob
Carob tree
Ceratonia siliqua, commonly known as the Carob tree and St John's-bread, is a species of flowering evergreen shrub or tree in the pea family, Fabaceae...
and almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
crops. Recently, rural tourism has been an important sector; centering around the medieval market.
Transport
The simplest access route by road is via the Sagunto to Somport autopista A-23. The town is to 67 km from ValenciaValencia (city in Spain)
Valencia or València is the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third largest city in Spain, with a population of 809,267 in 2010. It is the 15th-most populous municipality in the European Union...
, 74 km from 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...
, 40 km from Sagunto
Sagunto
Sagunto or Sagunt is an ancient city in Eastern Spain, in the modern fertile comarca of Camp de Morvedre in the province of Valencia. It is located in a hilly site, c. 30 km north of Valencia, close to the Costa del Azahar on the Mediterranean Sea...
and 78 km from Teruel
Teruel
Teruel is a town in Aragon, eastern Spain, and the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 34,240 in 2006 making it one of the least populated provincial capitals in the country...
.
The town can be accessed by rail as a station (Jérica-Viver) close to the town is on the C-5 del núcleo de cercanías de Valencia Valencia-Caudiel that connects Valencia and Castellón de la Plana.
Festivals
- 17 January - Fiestas de San Antón (Celebrations of San Antón) The animals and assistants on the church roll are blessed. The origin of the celebration is very old.
- 5 February - Fiesta de Santa Agueda (Celebration of Santa Agueda, the patron of Jérica) It is a local celebration commemorating reconquering of the Villa by the troops of James I of Aragon. There is an offering to Santa, the Mass and Procession in the streets by the locals. For years it has been accompanied by bullfightingBullfightingBullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and some Latin American countries , in which one or more bulls are baited in a bullring for sport and entertainment...
and also different activities like exhibitions, cultural days, etc. - EasterEasterEaster is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
- The most outstanding events are the celebrations of Maundy ThursdayMaundy ThursdayMaundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great & Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Canonical gospels...
and Good FridayGood FridayGood Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
, the nocturnal procession of the Blood of Christ, Patron of Jérica. Previously it was accompanied by the licensed soldiers, the “Encounter” where the Sacred HeartSacred HeartThe Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, after their routes through different streets, are in the seat and this makes three reverences. - The Wednesday following PentecostPentecostPentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
there is the popular “Joust” keeping up medieval traditions. - A complete weekend of June Celebrations in honor to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with religious acts, a verbenaVerbena (fair)In Spanish-speaking cultures, a verbena is a country fair, modest amusement park, or a dance party, especially one held at night. An old tradition, they usually take place after dark in the summer...
etc. - The second Wednesday of July is the Fiesta del Cristo de la Sangre (July festival of the blood of Christ) The origin of this celebration goes back to the foundation in Villa of the Convent of the Capuchins, who brought Christianity to the area.
- Third Sunday of July - Domingo de las Fuentes (Sunday of the Sources) There is a concert by the Municipal Band.
- Second week of August - Celebration in honor to the Virgin of the Abandoned ones, organized by the town veterans.
- Weekend of the 16 of August Celebrations in honor to San Roque, organized by the young people of the town. If this is not a weekend then the next weekend is used
- The first Saturday of September - Romería to the Sanctuary of the Santa Cave.
- Second weekend of September - Celebrations of the Daughters of Maria, with religious acts, a verbena, etc.
- Third Sunday of September - Fiestas en honor a la Divina Pastora (Celebrations in honor to the Divine Shepherd). They are, perhaps, the most popular celebrations of Jérica. During the first week there are a range of events, from the presentation of local senor and junior fair queens with their respective court, to the Rosary of the Shepherd, verbenas, the offering, the “varieties”, the junior Sunday Mass, games, the Vole, the Bacalá, etc.