Callosa d'En Sarrià
Encyclopedia
Callosa d'en Sarrià is a Valencian
town and municipality
located in the comarca of Marina Baixa
, in the province of Alicante
, Spain
, lying in the valley of the river Guadalest, 50 km from the city of Alicante
. Callosa d'en Sarrià has an area of 24.8 km² and, according to the 2003 census, a total population of 8,060 inhabitants. The economy of Callosa is chiefly based on tourism
and agriculture
: it is the main producer of loquat
in Spain
. The most important monuments in the town are the Catholic
archpriest
al church of Sant Joan Baptista (Saint John), built in the 18th century, and the Fortress of Bèrnia, built in the 17th century at the top of a nearby mountain to defend the city from pirates and Morisco
s.
From Alicante, you will reach this town by the AP-7 or N-332 in Benidorm taking theCV-70 and then the CV-715 in La Nucia.
Callosa is located 10 km from the coast at the intersection on the C-3318 that connects Benidorm
with Pego
and the road from Benidorm
to Alcoi
through Guadalest.
The relief of the term marked by the course of two rivers that cross the town, the river Guadalest and Algar and surrounded by the mountains of Aitana
, Bèrnia and Aixorta. It has a Mediterranean climate
with temperatures reaching an average annual temperature, with a maximum of 24 °C in summer and minimum of 9.5 °C in winter
From Alicante
, you will reach this town by the AP-7 or N-332 in Benidorm
taking theCV-70 and then the CV-715 in La Nucia
.
, Bolulla
, Guadalest, Xaló, La Nucia
, Polop
and Tàrbena
.
The origin of Callosa (meaning probably "land hard, dry" in Latin) is an ancient Muslim farmhouse, after the Christian reconquest by the king James I of Aragon
in the s. XIII, the property was acquired by Admiral Bernat de Sarrià in 1290 during the reign of Alfonso III of Aragon
, becoming its first feudal lord. Hence, since then the city was renamed Callosa d'en Sarrià and became the center of the manor, which extended over part of the current district of Marina Baixa.
Since then acquired by different noble families, among which could highlight the Sarrià (1290–1335), Crown of Aragon
(1335–1445), Bou (1445–1560), Moncada (1560–1767) and the Count of Orgaz (1767). Today, the noble title of the people belongs to the family of Valldaura Crespí.
The city retains the old town part of its medieval urban structure, bounded by a line of walls of the intramural Callosa, which still can be crossed by one of its original doors: El Portal.
and Bolivia
) and the European continent.
s and medlar
s, introduced in Spain in the 19th century by the Callosan Juan Bautista Berenguer. Farmers are partners in a cooperative that handles the marketing of fruits, intended mostly for exporting; their main destinations are France and Italy.
Recently the City Council managed the "Denominación de Origen
" (DO) and thus, the Council of the Designation of Origin of loquats from Callosa d'en Sarrià, with a view to establish quality standards for the loquat produced in Callosa and its region.
The tourism
sector has experienced a significant rise in recent years.
, and Tàrbena
.
The Algar waterfalls form a natural park with an elevated grade of conservation of the ecological richness, and at the same time it has tourism and environment education services.
At the Fort you can still see the arches, the fosse, the bastion, the well and the wall remains. The wall measured 100 meters long and 100 meters wide. It has been considered as a Property of Culture Interest since 1997.
The explanatory panels show the ancient running and use of the Fort.
In 1910 the washing place was covered with a roof. Nowadays it is restored and it represents one of the mos charismatic images of the town.
It was successively owned by several Lords of Callosa such as the Moncada and the Bou Family until late 17th century. At this point, it started to get ruined, and it finally disappeared in the early 18th century. Nowadays some remains of the castle wall can be admired by visitors.
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...
town and municipality
Municipalities of Spain
The municipalities of Spain In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. municipi.*Galician or , sing. municipio/bisbarra.*Basque , sing. udalerria. are the basic level of Spanish local government...
located in the comarca of Marina Baixa
Marina Baixa
Marina Baixa is a comarca in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is bordered by the comarques of Comtat on the northwest, Marina Alta on the northeast, Alacantí and Alcoià on the west and the Mediterranean Sea on the east....
, in the province of Alicante
Alicante (province)
Alicante or Alacant is a province of eastern Spain, in the southern part of the Valencian Community. It is bordered by the provinces of Murcia on the southwest, Albacete on the west, Valencia on the north, and the Mediterranean Sea on the east...
, 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...
, lying in the valley of the river Guadalest, 50 km from the city of Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
. Callosa d'en Sarrià has an area of 24.8 km² and, according to the 2003 census, a total population of 8,060 inhabitants. The economy of Callosa is chiefly based on tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
: it is the main producer of loquat
Loquat
The loquat , Eriobotrya japonica, is a fruit tree in the family Rosaceae, indigenous to southeastern China. It was formerly thought to be closely related to the genus Mespilus, and is still sometimes known as the Japanese medlar...
in 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...
. The most important monuments in the town are the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
archpriest
Archpriest
An archpriest is a priest with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches, although it may be used in the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church instead of dean or vicar forane.In the 16th and 17th centuries, during...
al church of Sant Joan Baptista (Saint John), built in the 18th century, and the Fortress of Bèrnia, built in the 17th century at the top of a nearby mountain to defend the city from pirates and Morisco
Morisco
Moriscos or Mouriscos , meaning "Moorish", were the converted Christian inhabitants of Spain and Portugal of Muslim heritage. Over time the term was used in a pejorative sense applied to those nominal Catholics who were suspected of secretly practicing Islam.-Demographics:By the beginning of the...
s.
Toponymy
The relief of the term marked by the course of two rivers that cross the town, the river Guadalest and Algar and surrounded by the mountains of Aitana, Bernia and Aixorta. It has a Mediterranean climate with temperatures reaching an average of 17 C° in January. with a maximum of 24 °C in summer and minimum of 9.5 °C in winterFrom Alicante, you will reach this town by the AP-7 or N-332 in Benidorm taking theCV-70 and then the CV-715 in La Nucia.
Callosa is located 10 km from the coast at the intersection on the C-3318 that connects Benidorm
Benidorm
Benidorm is a coastal town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Valencian community, Spain, by the Western Mediterranean....
with Pego
Pego
Pego may refer to:* Pego , a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Abrantes* Pego, Alicante, a Spanish municipality located in the province of Alicante...
and the road from Benidorm
Benidorm
Benidorm is a coastal town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Valencian community, Spain, by the Western Mediterranean....
to Alcoi
Alcoy
Alcoy may stand for:* Alcoy, Spain , a municipality in the province of Alicante, Spain* Alcoy, Cebu, province of Cebu, Philippines....
through Guadalest.
The relief of the term marked by the course of two rivers that cross the town, the river Guadalest and Algar and surrounded by the mountains of Aitana
Aitana
Aitana is a mountain massif that is part of Prebaetic System in the eastern end of Iberian Peninsula. Administratively, the mountainous area is located in the Marina Baixa, Alcoià and Comtat comarcas in the northern part of Alicante province, Valencian Community, Spain...
, Bèrnia and Aixorta. It has a Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
with temperatures reaching an average annual temperature, with a maximum of 24 °C in summer and minimum of 9.5 °C in winter
From Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, you will reach this town by the AP-7 or N-332 in Benidorm
Benidorm
Benidorm is a coastal town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Valencian community, Spain, by the Western Mediterranean....
taking theCV-70 and then the CV-715 in La Nucia
La Nucía
La Nucia is a municipality in the comarca of Marina Baixa, Alicante, Valencia, Spain. It borders the municipalities Altea, Callosa d'En Sarrià, Benidorm, Polop and L'Alfàs del Pi....
.
Bordering towns
It borders with the municipalities of AlteaAltea
-External links:*, Portal de Altea*, Good Information-Guide of Altea - in German and English**, Photo gallery of Altea*, spherical Panorama of Altea...
, Bolulla
Bolulla
Bolulla is a Valencian town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Spain. Bolulla has an area of 13.6 km² and, according to the 2002 census, a total population of 355 inhabitants. The economy of Bolulla is exclusively based on agriculture...
, Guadalest, Xaló, La Nucia
La Nucía
La Nucia is a municipality in the comarca of Marina Baixa, Alicante, Valencia, Spain. It borders the municipalities Altea, Callosa d'En Sarrià, Benidorm, Polop and L'Alfàs del Pi....
, Polop
Polop
The Barony of Polop is an ancient Spanish hereditary lordship in the Kingdom of Valencia under the Crown of Aragon , similar in some respects to the English feudal barony and the Scottish feudal lordship...
and Tàrbena
Tàrbena
Tàrbena is a municipality in the comarca of Marina Baixa, Alicante, Valencia, Spain....
.
History
Deposits have been discovered belonging to the Neolithic (5,000 BC), Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Iberian and Roman eras. These settlements formed the basis for the establishment of Muslim hamlets in different parts of the municipality.The origin of Callosa (meaning probably "land hard, dry" in Latin) is an ancient Muslim farmhouse, after the Christian reconquest by the 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...
in the s. XIII, the property was acquired by Admiral Bernat de Sarrià in 1290 during the reign of Alfonso III of Aragon
Alfonso III of Aragon
Alfonso III , called the Liberal or the Free , was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1285...
, becoming its first feudal lord. Hence, since then the city was renamed Callosa d'en Sarrià and became the center of the manor, which extended over part of the current district of Marina Baixa.
Since then acquired by different noble families, among which could highlight the Sarrià (1290–1335), Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
(1335–1445), Bou (1445–1560), Moncada (1560–1767) and the Count of Orgaz (1767). Today, the noble title of the people belongs to the family of Valldaura Crespí.
The city retains the old town part of its medieval urban structure, bounded by a line of walls of the intramural Callosa, which still can be crossed by one of its original doors: El Portal.
Demography
Callosa has 7.888 residents (INE 2010). A 30.4% of the census are foreigners, mainly from Latin America (mainly EcuadorEcuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) and the European continent.
| Demographic evolution of Callosa d’en Sarriá | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1857 | 1887 | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1981 | 1991 | 2000 | 2005 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
| Población | 3.889 | 4.206 | 4.195 | 4.415 | 4.070 | 4.098 | 4.101 | 4.189 | 4.617 | 5.701 | 7.127 | 7.503 | 6.488 | 8.179 | 8.224 | 8.056 | 7.888 |
Economy
Callosa has a highly competitive agriculture based on loquatLoquat
The loquat , Eriobotrya japonica, is a fruit tree in the family Rosaceae, indigenous to southeastern China. It was formerly thought to be closely related to the genus Mespilus, and is still sometimes known as the Japanese medlar...
s and medlar
Medlar
Mespilus, commonly called Medlar, is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the subfamily Maloideae of the family Rosaceae...
s, introduced in Spain in the 19th century by the Callosan Juan Bautista Berenguer. Farmers are partners in a cooperative that handles the marketing of fruits, intended mostly for exporting; their main destinations are France and Italy.
Recently the City Council managed the "Denominación de Origen
Denominación de Origen
Denominación de Origen is part of a regulatory classification system primarily for Spanish wines but also for other foodstuffs like honey, meats and condiments. In wines it parallels the hierarchical system of France and Italy although Rioja and Sherry preceded the full system...
" (DO) and thus, the Council of the Designation of Origin of loquats from Callosa d'en Sarrià, with a view to establish quality standards for the loquat produced in Callosa and its region.
The tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
sector has experienced a significant rise in recent years.
Monuments and sightseen
Fonts de l’Algar
The Fonts de l’Algar (Algar Waterfalls) are at 3 km from the centre of Callosa, heading towards BolullaBolulla
Bolulla is a Valencian town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Spain. Bolulla has an area of 13.6 km² and, according to the 2002 census, a total population of 355 inhabitants. The economy of Bolulla is exclusively based on agriculture...
, and Tàrbena
Tàrbena
Tàrbena is a municipality in the comarca of Marina Baixa, Alicante, Valencia, Spain....
.
The Algar waterfalls form a natural park with an elevated grade of conservation of the ecological richness, and at the same time it has tourism and environment education services.
Fortalesa de Bèrnia
The Fortalesa de Bèrnia (Fortress of Bèrnia) was built in 1562 by the royal engineer Giovanni Battista Antonelli. It was a magnificent and clear exponent of the military architecture in the Renaissance epoch. King Philip II of Spain ordered its construction to face the Ottoman incursions on the coast. In 1612, because of its inefficiency and because it was far from the coast, it was demolished by order of Philip III of Spain.At the Fort you can still see the arches, the fosse, the bastion, the well and the wall remains. The wall measured 100 meters long and 100 meters wide. It has been considered as a Property of Culture Interest since 1997.
The explanatory panels show the ancient running and use of the Fort.
El Poador de la Font Major
This is the old washing place and a water trough built in 1786 by the Town Council of Callosa d’en Sarrià. It used to have twelve spouts and the washing place was able to provide space for over seventy people.In 1910 the washing place was covered with a roof. Nowadays it is restored and it represents one of the mos charismatic images of the town.
Sant Joan Baptista Church
The first data about the present church is from 1574, when the Parish Church was built. In 1578 it was inaugurated by Francisco de Mesa. An extension of the Church was considered during the second half of the 18th century. The construction of the crossing started in 1765 and ended in 178. In 1819 some works on the façade were made, the material used was marble from the local quarries, and they were finished in 1865. The upper part of the façade was made in 1917, but this time the material used was painted concrete emulating the marble.Remains of the Castle wall
The first information about the castle dates from 1322, when Infant Don Pedro was given it by Bernat de Sarrià, Lord of Callosa, who might be the builder.It was successively owned by several Lords of Callosa such as the Moncada and the Bou Family until late 17th century. At this point, it started to get ruined, and it finally disappeared in the early 18th century. Nowadays some remains of the castle wall can be admired by visitors.
Fiestas
- Festes de Sant Jaume. Les Danses de Sant Jaume, also known as La Festa del Fadrí are the oldest fiestas in the festivities of Callosa d'en Sarrià, as well as in the region. The historian Adolf Salvà dates the fiestas in 1819, when is the first written reference. Its origin, like many other celebrations, is pagan: possibly the dances were in honor of some god of the fertility. The festival is in honor of a saint, in this case Saint James. The festivals of Sant Jaume are not limited exclusively to the dances, they are also a few days of celebration in the streets, like: cucanyes (popular games), games of Calitx (a popular game with coins) of Valencian pilotaValencian pilotaValencian pilota is a traditional handball sport played in the Valencian Community. Its origins are not known, but seems to be related to the French Jeu de paume....
, loquat, cake tasting, correguda del gall (Rooster race), etc.
- Moors and Christians. As a people with historical roots, since 1860 are held the second weekend in October, the celebrations of "Moors and Christians", are declared National Tourist Interest since 1985. They are celebrated in honor of the Virgen of injuries. Among the most spectacular acts, are the colorful parades Entrada Mora and Entrada Cristiana old dances preceded by Nanos, which accompany the Virgin during the procession.
- The dance of the Nanos precedes the parade and represent the pagan festival.
Gastronomy
The typical dishes of Callosa include:- Crosta. A typical Carnival dish. It’s made with dry rice and contains among other ingredients, sausageSausageA sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
s, covered with beaten egg, baked in clay pot.
- Minxos. Cover patties of chopped vegetables and fish.
- Putxero (or olla) amb pilotas. Typical dish from the festivities of Moros i Cristians. It's similar to Spanish stew, incorporating some balls stuffed with meat and blood and wrapped in cabbage leaves.
- Desserts, Referring to desserts, we highlight the pastissets d’aguardent i a l’aire, tiny cakes with liquor. And of course, the loquatLoquatThe loquat , Eriobotrya japonica, is a fruit tree in the family Rosaceae, indigenous to southeastern China. It was formerly thought to be closely related to the genus Mespilus, and is still sometimes known as the Japanese medlar...
in all its varieties (natural, in syrup, cakes and so on).
Policy
| Results of local elections in May 22, 2011 | |||||
| Party | candidate | Votes | % | Seats | |
| 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... |
Juan Bautista Saval Ferrando | 1.948 | 50,99 | 7 | |
| PSPV-PSOE | Alfonso Puigcerver Berenguer | 1.038 | 27,17 | 3 | |
| BLOC Bloc Bloc may refer to:* Eastern Bloc, a former group of countries in Europe* Voting bloc, a group of voters voting together* Trade bloc, a type of intergovernmental agreement* Bloc voting , several types of voting systems... |
Vicent Llobell Bertomeu | 834 | 21,83 | 3 | |
| source: Generalitat Valenciana | |||||
External links
- City Hall of Callosa d’en Sarrià
- Índice estadístico municipal de Callosa de Ensarriá. Unidad de Documentación de la Diputación de Alicante
- Touristic Information Callosa Naturalment
- Information about the Algar Waterfalls
- For more information about the fiestas Callosa en festes