La Vall d'Uixó
Encyclopedia
La Vall d'Uixó is a town situated in eastern Spain, in the Valencian
province of Castellón
. La Vall is located 25 km to the south of the province's capital Castellón
, 45 km to the north of the community’s capital Valencia and 8 km to the Mediterranean Sea
, so it is at 118 m above sea level.
Nowadays, la Vall d’Uixó is governed by People’s Party
(Partido Popular in Spanish) and its Mayoress is Mrs Isabel Bonig i Trigueros. She won the last ballot in 2007 by absolute majority. The previous legislature, the Lord Mayor was Josep Tur from Socialist Party of the Valencian Country
(PSPV). They governed la Vall d’Uixó four years thank to an alliance among PSPV, Esquerra Unida and Els Verds.
, according to a chronology of the C-14, approximately 16,000 years BC. There, two rocky panels were found with representations of cave paintings, giving an idea of the importance of place.
People continued living in the Valley during the Neolithic
and Bronze Age
. During the Bronze Age grew villages located high in the mountains, well fortified with walls and watchtowers. Its strategic location allowed them to control a vast territory and step into the Serra d'Espadà
. The Iberian era was supposed a considerable expansion of the population, as evidenced by the remains of the Iberian city of La Punta d’Orleyl and Poblat Sant Josep.
La Punta d’Orleyl occupies a large area and has four successive lines of walls and towers. Stresses its acropolis, where the remains were located on at least two large public buildings built with huge stones squared. The Poblat de Sant Josep, located at the top of the hill of the same name, represents a good example of the ancient urbanism. It is small but has a wall, two towers, streets and houses of the Iberian and Roman eras. Their time of glory was during the Iberian stages. Years ago, they were occupied during the AD 4th century, and in the end of the Roman Empire
.
During Roman times
, the population evolved towards agricultural sector. A few years ago was located the remains of a necropolis
of burial, which was dated between the 6th and 7th centuries and attached to the Visigothic period. In total we found the remains of 66 individuals with their funerary offerings.
The Arab conquest and the establishment of these populations did not change too much the kind of life. Throughout this long period has been able to document the existence of a dozen villages that are located on both sides of the Belcaire river. These are Alcúdia, Zeneja, Benigafull, Benizahat, Zeneta and Benigasló.Each was independent and had its own industrial area, as well as its necropolis.
The political and legal organization of La Vall was under the chairmanship of Castell d'Uixó. In 1250, la Vall received La Carta Pobla. Since that moment, la Vall become a important city inside the Kingdom of Valencia
. This situation did not lead too significant changes, because the Muslim community of La Vall also maintained the structure of society.
La Vall d'Uixó underwent profound changes during this time. Since the expulsion of the Moors in 1609, theoretically, all citizens in la Vall d’Uixó should be replaced by Christians, but it was not entirely so. The Moors
retained their houses and continued working the land and carrying out its industrial activities, but under Christian control.
During the 18th century, the population of La Vall increased significantly. The six villages joined each other and they created El poble de Dalt and El poble de Baix. From the 19th century (1860), both little towns formed a central square where the City Hall
is located at the present. Throughout the 20th century was the second major economic and demographic expansion.
La Vall attended to a high immigration because of the heavy industrialization of the ancient craft of footwear, lasting in time until the beginning of the 90s. Since then, and after a period of economic crisis due to the closure of this company, la Vall changed its socio-economic structure, which is centred now on the city commerce.
. This fantastic geographical situation is the main reason why the weather is typical from the Mediterranean coast. Its location is perfect, it's located 25 km to the south of the province's capital Castellón
, 45 km to the north of the community’s capital Valencia and 8 km to the Mediterranean Sea, so it is at 118 m above sea level, which make this town noticeably esetio.
Thanks to the huge economical and society development happened during the last decades, la Vall is one of the most prosperous cities in the province of Castellón.
La Vall d’Uixó is surrounded by few cities in la Plana Baixa: Almenara
, Alfondeguilla, La Llosa, Moncofa, Nules
and Xilxes and bordes on Valencia’s province with Sagunto
.
As the La Vall Anthem says, la Vall is surrounded by many mountains:
Penya Migdia (550 m.), Penya-Creuc (326m.), Ródeno (538 m.), Pinyal (309 m.), Font de Cabres (637 m.), La Pitera (645 m.), Penyalba (648 m.), Pipa (591 m.), El Frontó (621 m.), Sants de la Pedra (585 m.), El Castell (492 m.), Sumet (450 m.), La Balona (456 m.), Penya Garrut (412 m.) and Alto de Cerverola (492 m.).
Its source is in the Alfondeguilla mountains, and it flows into the Mediterranean Sea
, in Moncofa.
and Borriana
.
There are 16813 men and 16858 women. The ethnicity groups in la Vall d'Uixó are: Spaniards: 32976 Foreigns: 695
In these years were developed a strong process of economic development and a progressive population growth based on the following points:
In the industrial sector, the dominant economic sectors by employment size and the number of companies is the construction sector, followed by the footwear and leather sector. Historical heritage accumulated and preserved throughout the centuries and the proximity of the natural setting Espadán and the Mediterranean coast has allowed projection of the Vall d'Uixó as a tourist town. Historical heritage accumulated and preserved throughout the centuries and the proximity of the natural setting of the Close and Espadán enclaves along the Mediterranean coast to the tourist development has allowed projection of the Vall d'Uixó as a tourist town.
Results of the last ballot celebrated in la Vall, 27 May 2007. People's party got absolute majority and regained the government
La Vall has two historical city centres, because it is the result of the union of "El poble de Baixa", where is the Assumpció Church, and "El poble de Dalt" where is the Àngel Church. Both historical centres preserve its historical structure.
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
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...
. La Vall is located 25 km to the south of the province's capital Castellón
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...
, 45 km to the north of the community’s capital Valencia and 8 km to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, so it is at 118 m above sea level.
Nowadays, la Vall d’Uixó is governed by People’s Party
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
(Partido Popular in Spanish) and its Mayoress is Mrs Isabel Bonig i Trigueros. She won the last ballot in 2007 by absolute majority. The previous legislature, the Lord Mayor was Josep Tur from Socialist Party of the Valencian Country
Socialist Party of the Valencian Country
The Socialist Party of the Valencian Country or PSPV was a small nationalist and leftist Valencian party, mostly confined to the academic world within the University of Valencia....
(PSPV). They governed la Vall d’Uixó four years thank to an alliance among PSPV, Esquerra Unida and Els Verds.
History
The current territory of La Vall d'Uixó has been occupied since prehistoric times by different human groups. La cova de Sant Josep and other caves in the surrounding area represent the most ancient vestiges in La Vall, from the chronological point of view. The archaeological works in these caves have revealed that they were occupied by hunters of the Upper Paleolithic periodUpper Paleolithic
The Upper Paleolithic is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. Very broadly it dates to between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago, roughly coinciding with the appearance of behavioral modernity and before the advent of...
, according to a chronology of the C-14, approximately 16,000 years BC. There, two rocky panels were found with representations of cave paintings, giving an idea of the importance of place.
People continued living in the Valley during the Neolithic
Neolithic
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...
and Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
. During the Bronze Age grew villages located high in the mountains, well fortified with walls and watchtowers. Its strategic location allowed them to control a vast territory and step into the Serra d'Espadà
Serra d'Espadà
Serra d'Espadà is a long mountain range in the Alt Palància, Alt Millars and Plana Baixa comarcas, Valencian Community, Spain. Its highest point is La Ràpita ....
. The Iberian era was supposed a considerable expansion of the population, as evidenced by the remains of the Iberian city of La Punta d’Orleyl and Poblat Sant Josep.
La Punta d’Orleyl occupies a large area and has four successive lines of walls and towers. Stresses its acropolis, where the remains were located on at least two large public buildings built with huge stones squared. The Poblat de Sant Josep, located at the top of the hill of the same name, represents a good example of the ancient urbanism. It is small but has a wall, two towers, streets and houses of the Iberian and Roman eras. Their time of glory was during the Iberian stages. Years ago, they were occupied during the AD 4th century, and in the end of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
.
During Roman times
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, the population evolved towards agricultural sector. A few years ago was located the remains of a necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
of burial, which was dated between the 6th and 7th centuries and attached to the Visigothic period. In total we found the remains of 66 individuals with their funerary offerings.
The Arab conquest and the establishment of these populations did not change too much the kind of life. Throughout this long period has been able to document the existence of a dozen villages that are located on both sides of the Belcaire river. These are Alcúdia, Zeneja, Benigafull, Benizahat, Zeneta and Benigasló.Each was independent and had its own industrial area, as well as its necropolis.
The political and legal organization of La Vall was under the chairmanship of Castell d'Uixó. In 1250, la Vall received La Carta Pobla. Since that moment, la Vall become a important city inside the 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...
. This situation did not lead too significant changes, because the Muslim community of La Vall also maintained the structure of society.
La Vall d'Uixó underwent profound changes during this time. Since the expulsion of the Moors in 1609, theoretically, all citizens in la Vall d’Uixó should be replaced by Christians, but it was not entirely so. The Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
retained their houses and continued working the land and carrying out its industrial activities, but under Christian control.
During the 18th century, the population of La Vall increased significantly. The six villages joined each other and they created El poble de Dalt and El poble de Baix. From the 19th century (1860), both little towns formed a central square where the City Hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
is located at the present. Throughout the 20th century was the second major economic and demographic expansion.
La Vall attended to a high immigration because of the heavy industrialization of the ancient craft of footwear, lasting in time until the beginning of the 90s. Since then, and after a period of economic crisis due to the closure of this company, la Vall changed its socio-economic structure, which is centred now on the city commerce.
- More information: Ajuntament de la Vall d'Uixó / La Vall d'Uixó City Council
Geography
La Vall d’Uixó is situated in the valley of the Belcaire river, near the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. This fantastic geographical situation is the main reason why the weather is typical from the Mediterranean coast. Its location is perfect, it's located 25 km to the south of the province's capital Castellón
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...
, 45 km to the north of the community’s capital Valencia and 8 km to the Mediterranean Sea, so it is at 118 m above sea level, which make this town noticeably esetio.
Thanks to the huge economical and society development happened during the last decades, la Vall is one of the most prosperous cities in the province of Castellón.
La Vall d’Uixó is surrounded by few cities in la Plana Baixa: Almenara
Almenara
Almenara can refer to:* Almenara, Minas Gerais, a city in Brazil* Almenara de Adaja, a municipality in Valladolid province, Spain* Almenara de Tormes, a municipality in Salamanca province, Spain* Puebla de Almenara, a municipality in Cuenca province, Spain...
, Alfondeguilla, La Llosa, Moncofa, Nules
Nules
Nules is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Castellón . Located 18 km to the south of the province's capital, at 13 m over sea level, it has 13,750 inhabitants , living in Nules Town, Nules Beach and Mascarell....
and Xilxes and bordes on Valencia’s province with 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...
.
As the La Vall Anthem says, la Vall is surrounded by many mountains:
Penya Migdia (550 m.), Penya-Creuc (326m.), Ródeno (538 m.), Pinyal (309 m.), Font de Cabres (637 m.), La Pitera (645 m.), Penyalba (648 m.), Pipa (591 m.), El Frontó (621 m.), Sants de la Pedra (585 m.), El Castell (492 m.), Sumet (450 m.), La Balona (456 m.), Penya Garrut (412 m.) and Alto de Cerverola (492 m.).
Flora
The type of soil is varied and rich. In addition, la Vall has a high level of production of citrics. Also, we can find throughout the municipal district some carob trees, olives trees, pine trees, white mulberry trees, etc.Belcaire river
La Vall citizens used to call it the Barranco de San José. It has many tributaries, like "La rambla de Cerverola", "Barranc de Randero" and "Barranc de l'Alcúdia". Their beds are usually dry throughout the year.Its source is in the Alfondeguilla mountains, and it flows into the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, in Moncofa.
Demography
La Vall d’Uixó has an area of 67.10 km2 and, according to the 2009 official census, la Vall has a population of 33.670 inhabitants. Ranked by population, it is the fourth city in the province of Castellón, after Castelló de la Plana, Vila-realVila-real
Vila-real is a city in the province of Castellón, in the Valencian Community, Spain. Located 7 km to the south of the province's capital , at 42 m above sea level, it has 51,367 inhabitants , most of them living in the urban area that covers about 10.72% of its county's 55.4 km2 surface...
and Borriana
Burriana
Borriana or Burriana is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Castellón, part of the autonomous community of Valencia. Its population exceeds 34,000, some of them recent immigrants from North Africa and Eastern Europe ....
.
There are 16813 men and 16858 women. The ethnicity groups in la Vall d'Uixó are: Spaniards: 32976 Foreigns: 695
| Demographic evolution of la Vall d'Uixó since 1857 til' 2007 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1857 | 1887 | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1981 | 1991 | 1996 | 2002 | 2006 | 2007 |
| 7.229 | 8.506 | 8.643 | 8.856 | 8.807 | 9216 | 9.630 | 11.712 | 18.596 | 24.105 | 26.145 | 27.387 | 28.283 | 29.871 | 31.553 | 31.978 |
Economy and society
The current socioeconomic situation of la Vall d'Uixó is the result of the transformation produced in this territory mainly in middle of the last century.In these years were developed a strong process of economic development and a progressive population growth based on the following points:
- Process of industrialization
- Transformation process of a rain-fed agriculture to irrigated agriculture based on monoculture citrus.
- Site of tourism in the "Les Coves de Sant Josep.
- Population growth with a strong process of immigration.
In the industrial sector, the dominant economic sectors by employment size and the number of companies is the construction sector, followed by the footwear and leather sector. Historical heritage accumulated and preserved throughout the centuries and the proximity of the natural setting Espadán and the Mediterranean coast has allowed projection of the Vall d'Uixó as a tourist town. Historical heritage accumulated and preserved throughout the centuries and the proximity of the natural setting of the Close and Espadán enclaves along the Mediterranean coast to the tourist development has allowed projection of the Vall d'Uixó as a tourist town.
Politics
List of the preceding mayors of la Vall d'Uixó| Legislature | Name of Mayor | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 1979–1983, | Pedro Navarro Lereu - Vicente Zaragoza, | PCE |
| 1983–1987 | Vicente Zaragoza Michavila | PCE |
| 1987–1991 | Vicente Zaragoza Michavila | PCE |
| 1991–1995 | Ernest Fenollosa i Ten | PSPV-PSOE Socialist Party of the Valencian Country The Socialist Party of the Valencian Country or PSPV was a small nationalist and leftist Valencian party, mostly confined to the academic world within the University of Valencia.... |
| 1995–1999 | Vicent Aparici | PP People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... |
| 1999–2003 | Vicent Aparici | PP People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... |
| 2003–2007 | Josep Tur i Rubio | PSPV-PSOE Socialist Party of the Valencian Country The Socialist Party of the Valencian Country or PSPV was a small nationalist and leftist Valencian party, mostly confined to the academic world within the University of Valencia.... |
| 2007–2011 | Isabel Bonig i Trigueros | PP People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... |
| 2011–2015 |
Results of the last ballot celebrated in la Vall, 27 May 2007. People's party got absolute majority and regained the government
| Party | Votes | Percentage % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| PP | 8.576 | 48,14% | 11 |
| PSPV-PSOE | 6.204 | 34,82% | 8 |
| Compromís | 1.636 | 9,18% | 2 |
| PSD | 601 | 3,37% | 0 |
| CV-PIVU | 243 | 1,36% | 0 |
| EVPV | 231 | 1,3% | 0 |
Tourism
La Vall d'Uixó has an interesting heritage, especially Les coves de sant Josep (Saint Joseph's caves), which has an important caves painting into it, and it's the largest subterranean navigable river in Europe.La Vall has two historical city centres, because it is the result of the union of "El poble de Baixa", where is the Assumpció Church, and "El poble de Dalt" where is the Àngel Church. Both historical centres preserve its historical structure.
Religious monuments
- Ermita del Santíssim Crist del Calvari (S. XVIII): In the neighbourhood of Carbonaire. Hermitage with ancient glazed tile on its façade.
- Església del Santíssim Crist del Calvari.
- Església de Ntra. Sra. de l'Assumpció. Baroque façade. It was built at the end of the 17th century. La Capilla del Sagrari is very interesting, with old glazed tile. It has an organ recovered as it was desroyed in the civil war.
- Ermita de sant Vicent FerrerVincent FerrerSaint Vincent Ferrer was a Valencian Dominican missionary and logician.-Early life:Vincent was the fourth child of the Anglo-Scottish nobleman William Stewart Ferrer and his Spanish wife, Constantia Miguel. Legends surround his birth...
(S. XVII): In the Sant Vicent Square. Probably it was built over an antique Moslem mezquita. - Ermita de La Sagrada Família (S. XVIII): In the spot of San José. Next to it, there was one hermitage, now converted into an Information Center
- Ermita de sant Antoni (Buiilt at the end of S. XVII): Situated in the neighbourhood of San Antonio's Group. Once a year, it receives a pilgrimage on the feast of the saint.
- Ermita del Roser: In the neighbourhood of El Roser. It's one of the oldest churches in la Vall.
- Església del sant Àngel. Saint church of El Poble de Dalt.
Civil monuments
- Torre de Benizahat: Situated on Nostra Senyora de l’Assumpció street. It was built in the 12th century by the Muslim people.
- Hispan-Visigothic necropolis: Situated in La Unió neighbourhood. This Necropolis was excavated recently. Eight graves were found with the remains of 66 individuals belonging to the sixth and 7th centuries d. C.
- Iberian city of Punta Orley: Remains of a city whose ancient name has not been identified. It was excavated in part. Remains of two large public buildings of stone and four rows of walls belonging to different eras.
- Acueductes de sant Josep i l'Alcúdia: Located in the neighbourhood of El Roser. They are, after Les coves de sant Josep, the most important attraction of the municipality. The aqueduct was built by the Romans. Underwent various repairs in the medieval times.
Weather
During summer, the highest temperatures arrives til’ 42 °C, while the lowest temperatures arrives til’ 3 °C in winter. The precipitations during the year are 509.51 mm. per year.Gastronomy
The typical La Vall cuisine is influenced by the Valencian cuisine. La paella is a dish that is cooked every Sunday for lunch. However, there are very few dishes typical of this locality. These include:- Coca en tomata i barrets: They are a typical cold food for festive occasions. It’s a special pasta with tomatoes and vegetables.
- Empedrao: Ancient typical hunter meal, which is cooked with pork, rice, beans, shredded beef, rabbit or hare and partridge.
- Manjóvenes: A very light MuslimMuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
pasta. - Panets: They are prepared with figs and almonds, pressed into a mold made for the purpose.
- Arròs al forn: A very traditional dish consisting of ribs, sausages, chickpeas, tomatoes, and rice. Some people add more things
Sports
- La Vall d'Uixó has three teams of soccer: Unión Deportiva Vall de Uxó, Club La Vall and Castell d'Uixó. All are in regionals leagues. Also has a Tennis Club.
Notable people
- Josep PeiratsJosé PeiratsJosé Peirats Valls was a Spanish anarchist, activist, journalist and historian.Peirats was born in the province of Valencia. He had a limited schooling in one of the working class rationalist schools which offered an alternative to mainstream education controlled by the clergy and state...
, anarchist. - Alex DebónAlex DebónAlex Debón Latorre is a former professional motorcycle road racer, who last competed in the Moto2 World Championship....
, 250cc rider. - Tony Ferrer, musician.
- José Mangriñán, football player.
- Arturo TizónArturo TizónArturo Tizón is a Spanish motorcycle racer. From 2005-2007, he competed in the 250cc Motorcycle World championship.-Grand Prix motorcycle racing career:-References:...
, professional rider. - Francisco, singer.
- José Font Borrás, founded la Vall's Football Team.
- Jose Vicente Arzó, Silver medal in the Paralympic Games in 2008.