Vinaròs
Encyclopedia
Vinaròs is a town and municipality
in eastern Spain
, in the province of Castelló and part of the autonomous Valencian Community
. The town is on the Gulf of Valencia
coast of the western Mediterranean Sea
, Vinaròs is a fishing harbour and tourist destination.
hamlet of Vinalaroz in eastern al-Andaluz was captured by King James I of Aragon
. It was under rule of the Knights templar order
between 1294 and 1311, and of the order of Montesa during the 14th century.
The town grew during the 16th and 17th centuries, when fortifications and navy yards were built, and attained great prosperity during the following two centuries, due to its involvement in ship building and Valencian wine trade. The town suffered a strong decline in the early 20th century as a consequence of the spread of phylloxera
in the regions vineyard
s, which devastated wine production.
Today, the prosperity of Vinaròs is bound to tourism and fishing, it is renowned for its tasty prawns. Vinaròs is part of the Taula del Sénia
free association of municipalities.
during 1583-1596, with a 'new' Baroque
portal added during 1698–1702.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in eastern 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...
, in the province of Castelló and part of the autonomous Valencian Community
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...
. The town is on the Gulf of Valencia
Gulf of Valencia
The Gulf of Valencia , is a gulf or inlet of the western Mediterranean Sea, on the eastern coast of Spain. Its limits are the Cap de la Nau headland in the south, while the northern limit is diffuse: for some it is the Cape of Vinaròs; and for others it is the Ebre Delta. When the Cape of Vinaròs...
coast of the western 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...
, Vinaròs is a fishing harbour and tourist destination.
History
The first historical record of Vinaròs is in 1233, when the MoorishMoors
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...
hamlet of Vinalaroz in eastern al-Andaluz was captured by 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...
. It was under rule of the Knights templar order
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
between 1294 and 1311, and of the order of Montesa during the 14th century.
The town grew during the 16th and 17th centuries, when fortifications and navy yards were built, and attained great prosperity during the following two centuries, due to its involvement in ship building and Valencian wine trade. The town suffered a strong decline in the early 20th century as a consequence of the spread of phylloxera
Phylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
in the regions vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s, which devastated wine production.
Today, the prosperity of Vinaròs is bound to tourism and fishing, it is renowned for its tasty prawns. Vinaròs is part of the Taula del Sénia
Taula del Sénia
The Taula del Sénia or Mancomunitat de la Taula del Sénia is a mancomunitat or free association of municipalities made up of 22 towns, totalling up to 100,000 people, of some of the comarcas that make up the center of the historical region of Ilercavonia , Spain...
free association of municipalities.
Main sights
Sights in Vinaròs is the fortress-like Església Arxiprestal de l'Assumpció (Archpriestal Church of the Assumption of Our Lady), built in the prevailing Renaissance architectural styleRenaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
during 1583-1596, with a 'new' Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
portal added during 1698–1702.
People
- Louis Joseph, Duke of Vendôme (1654 - 1712), marshal in the War of the Spanish Succession fighting on the side of the Bourbons. He died at Vinaròs from indigestion after eating a serving of king prawns.
- Maria Conesa (Vinaròs, 189x - MéxicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, 197x) actress in MéxicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
as "la gatita blanca". - Carles SantosCarles SantosCarles Santos is an unclassifiable spanish artist who began his career as a pianist and later worked in many other creative disciplines, including musical composition, filmmaking, screenwriting, acting, scenic musical shows, graphics, montage, sculpture, photography, poetry, and...
Ventura (born 1940), pianist, composer, painter, sculptor and performer. - Leopoldo QuerolLeopoldo QuerolLeopoldo Querol was a Spanish classical pianist.Querol was born in Vinaròs, Castellón in 1899. He was a graduate of the Valencia Conservatory....
: pianist and professor at the National Conservatory of Music. - Joan Elies Adell i PitarchJoan Elies Adell i PitarchJoan Elies Adell i Pitarch is a Catalan-language poet and essayist.-Biography:Joan Elies Adell was born in Vinaròs, Baix Maestrat, Castellón Province, Valencian Community...
: poet - José María Salaverría: writer.
- Jordi Pablo RipollésJordi Pablo RipollésJordi Pablo Ripollés is a Spanish footballer who plays for Villarreal CF B as a right midfielder.-Club career:Jordi Pablo began his career with Vinaròs CF, joining Villarreal CF's youth system at 16...
: Málaga CFMálaga CFMálaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
football player