Albocàsser

Albocàsser ( Albocácer in Castilian) is a Spanish commune of 1.395 inhabitants located in the Province of Castellón, Valencian Communauté. It is the capital of comarque of the Alt Maestrat /Alto Maestrazgo.

Geography

The town of Albocácer constitutes an important node of communications in the north of the province of Castellón. The urban center is located in a corridor which does not exceed 600 Mr. of altitude, prolonged towards the SO by the corridor of Els Ibarzos and towards by the corridor of Tírig which leads to the plain of San Mateo. The ravines ( ramblas ) Carbonera with the SO and Morellana-Valltorta with, do not constitute the river system of its territory.

The climate is characterized by the moderation of the temperatures, so much estival (20º-24º) that winter (3º-9º). The pluviometric mode is also typically Mediterranean, with its maximum with the autumn.

The zones more the punts were arranged for agriculture; if not the vegetable landscape shows the variety of the flora with the yeuses omnipresent ones, the solid masses of kermes oak or scrubland, and the pleasant presence of the aromatic species (lavender, rosemary, thyme, savory).

Hamlets

Calzada .
Casetes .
Masía Brusca .
Suffered Masía .
Sant Pau/San Pablo .

Localities bordering

The territory of Albocácer is close to the following localities: Ares del Maestre, Catí, Tírig, Coves de Vinromà, Sarratella, Sierra Engarcerán Culla and Vilar de Canes all in the Province of Castellón.

History

The many archaeological vestiges of prehistoric times, Iberian, Romans and Arabic indicate a very old human presence. The official birth certificate of the town of Albocácer is dated from the January 25th 1239; this day there, Gift Blasco de Alagón, lieutenant of the king Jacques Ier the Conqueror, granted a charter of settlement ( carta puebla ) to Juan de Brusca (a firm door always its name) and thirty other people who will be governed by the habits ( fueros ) of Aragón. In 1243, Albocàsser seems a Fief of the Ordre of Calatrava, which confirmed the charter of settlement on January 24th of this same year. June 2nd 1275, the order exchanged the district with Artal de Alagón. Albocàsser was high with the row of City during the seigniory of Artal de Alagón (1275-1293). This last, in its turn, gave the city to the king Jacques II on June 14th 1293. The following year, it is the monarch who transferred it with other places to the Ordre from the Temple. After the dissolution of this one, it belonged to the inheritance of the Ordre of Montesa until the XIXe century. During this XIXe century, it was the theater of frequent confrontations during the wars carlists.

Demography

Administration

Economy

After the disappearance of the vine because of will phylloxéra, the almond tree and the olive-tree constitutes the bases of the agriculture of the city. Some varieties of fruit trees and the carefully cultivated products of the small gardens irrigated by the water of norias, supplement the agricultural production of Albocácer.

In the field of the breeding mainly exist avicolous and porcine exploitations; one also finds the pasturage of ovine and caprine herds.

Industry (little developed) relates to the textile sector (clothes industry of clothes).

Monuments and Places

Religious monuments

Ermita of los Santos Juanes (Hermitage of the Jean Saints). Of Gothic style . Included today in fabrics urban, the hermitage of los Santos Juanes is a construction of the end of the XIIIe century, located out the walls of what was the primitive core of the village, with a plan of the type known as of Reconquest: a single nave covered by pointed arches which support the roof. The door is in semicircular arch. The hermitage preserves a tomb hones some with an inscription; it also shelters the Retable Saints Jean Baptiste and the Evangelist (beginning of XVe century).
Hermitage of Esperanza . with a united hotel trade, founded in XVe century by Strong Bernardo.
Hermitage of San Pedro Mártir . Of XVe century, with an interesting side gate.
Hermitage and hotel trade of San Pablo . Declared Monumento Histórico Artístico Nacional (Historic building). At end of XVIe century, beside the primitive hermitage, hotel trade was built, was increased at the XVIIIe century by two wings with doors on the sides. Hotel trade is articulated around a central court closed by a door (with an exit side of pre by a gate in semicircular arch); a separated wing, built out of stone, gives access as well the church as the kitchen, with its chimney, like with the old stables.

By a stone staircase of tradition gothico-Catalan woman, one reaches the higher dependences, worked well out of cut stone and roofs out of wooden, where the room of the meetings is, decorated with monochromic murals with the first third with the XVIIe century. In 1617 one started to build the church. It is made of a rectangular single nave, with three spans, without vaults nor Transept, with an interesting chorus.

Hermitage of San Miguel . (XV-XVIII centuries). In the zone of the interesting farms like the whole of the Farmhouse of Brusca .

Parish church . Of severe style baroque; it was started at the end of the XVIIe century to replace the first Gothic church of XIIIe century; it comprises three naves without transept nor side chapels, with Voûte S in semicircular arch with glasses. From its sober cut stone frontage the gate with two bodies with leant pilasters and a statue is detached from the Assumption of Ntra. Señora . The sanctuary preserves a considerable number of parts of Orfèvrerie, ornaments and remainders of furnace bridges, as well as the retable of the Virgin of Esperanza, good example of Gothic art.

Civil monuments

Castle . rebuilt and increased in 1289 by Artal de Alagón, which added two turns, it was restored in 1568. Acquired by the town hall in 1872, it became a barracks of the Guardia Civil until 1927. In 1930 the Marie made it cut down. Currently, there remain only some interesting ruins with wall sides and a tower.

Tower of Fondeta . Turn of defense isolated in the village.

Tower of Falsa to 1 km of the village. It is about an old strengthened farm.

Palau Fuster (Fuster Palate). Among the buildings of the fixes Mayor (Main street), note the palate built by the family Fuster XVIIIe century.

In various places of the territory, one can see the many dry stone masonries, testimony of the intense breeding of the sheep at the time medieval.

Other sites those of tired Na Fuentes Tosca and Masía Brusca among the many farms disseminated on the territory, of which much of them was restored recently to be used as residences for rural tourism.

Places

Barranco of Valltorta . Cave paintings of the Mesolithic time. The Museum and the cave paintings of the Barranco of Valltorta, which with those of Barranco de Gasulla (Ares del Maestre) form a single artistic treasure, declared by UNESCO Patrimoine of Humanity. Their interest recognized universally visits impossible to circumvent of this site.

Cave of los Caballos . Cave paintings.

Festivals

San Antonio Abad . It is celebrated with the end of the week nearest to the day from the Saint, 16 and 17 of January. Let us note the hauling of tree trunk by horses " rossegades" , large traditional bonfire on the place of the church and the procession with animals; during the way of this procession, one makes the public reading of popular the " publicata" , critical annual satirist of the life of the village.

Employers' Festivals . In August the Employers' Festivals in the honor of the Virgin of the Assumption take place. During 10 days consecutive, around on August 15th, are held plays taurins called " boil Al carrer" (toros emboulés), events cultural (theater, dances, exposures, concerts, attributions of literary prizes and photographic, etc), sporting and ludic events.

Pèlerinages has San Pedro Mártir, San Miguel and San Pablo . They celebrate last Sunday of April, and first Sunday of May, respectively, with blessing of branches. For that of San Pablo, one organizes a pastoral picnic and a typical ball " Pla" ball; , animated by the Bandaged of Música local.

Inmaculada Concepción . One of the habits autochtones and popular of Albocácer is the cantà of the charts which is done each year, the night of December 7th, the day before the festival of the Immaculate Conception; at the time of this ceremony, the conscripts beseech the protection of the Virgin during their military service. The night of December 7th, the conscripts meet on the place of the church, accompanied by some many musicians and a public; four of them (for each color of the card deck) are placed in front of the frontage of the parish church, and entonnent a song (different each year); they connect each chart of the play with the mysteries of the Passion of the Lord and the Pains of the Virgin Mary. After that, all the conscripts traverse the various streets of the city, by singing traditional the " albaes". The origin of this singular tradition is gone back in 1870 following a fact to a soldier from the city during the Guerre to Cuba.

Fiesta of Oferta . It is celebrated at the weekend which precedes carnival. It consist of the offering of local products (typical cakes, desserts, etc) by private individuals, associations, etc These products are drawn with the fate at the time of a lottery on the place from the church. Formerly the collected money was used in the general interest of the village. The groups of friends dine and attend a dressed up ball.

Gastronomy

Among the typical dishes, let us note: the Olla and the botifarres , Carn of erà (meat ragout), meat with ember with garlic mayonnaise, rabbit with snails. Among the desserts let us select: pastissets , coquetes of Sant Antoni , rollets of aiguardent , prims , ametlles ronyoses , Coke celestial , curd and the blank with almonds.

External bonds

the official site
Statistical of the baptisms, births, deaths (1700-1899)

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