Llutxent () is a town located in the eastern part of Spain, in the Valencian Community, within the county of the

Vall d'Albaida Vall is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Ely Ould Mohamed Vall (born 1953), Mauritanian military officer * Raymond Vall (born 1942), French politician See also * Örjans Vall, football stadium in Halmstad, Sweden * Vall, the ...

, 80 km south of Valencia and 110 km north of

Alicante Alicante ( ca-valencia, Alacant) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 , the second-largest in th ...

. As of 2016, it is inhabited by 2,402 people. The town's economy is based on agriculture, construction, transport and the

manufacture Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a rang ...

pallet A pallet (also called a skid) is a flat transport structure, which supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, a pallet jack, a front loader, a jacking device, or an erect crane. A pallet is the structural foundat ...

s, and a small services sector. The town was first settled by Ancient Romans. Llutxent is host to one of the most popular Moors and Christians celebrations during the end of April, attracting many people around the Valencian Community to see the festival.

Name

The town derives its name from the Latin etymon ''Luciana villa'' or ''pagu Lucianu'', meaning "Light Villa" or " Pagus of Light". Some other sources suggest that the town may have been named after the Roman Patronymic ''Lucius'' with the ending ''in''. The town was also known as ''Luxen'', ''Luchent'', and ''Llutchen'' in the past. ''Llutxent'' is commonly abbreviated to ''Llutx''.

History

Roman period

The origin of the earliest settlement at the site of present-day Llutxent was by the Romans, in the form of Roman Villa. The town's name comes from this early settlement. However, no ruins of Roman Origin have been found.

Muslim rule (711–1492)

Little is known about the Islamic Period in Llutxent. The town's area was made up of a large number of farmsteads (with names such as ''Benicia, Benitxellví, Xetà, Rafal, Osset, Cometa'' which are still used to indicate the areas where those farmsteads used to be) that depended upon the Castle of Xiu.

Christian reconquest (1229–1245)

The first written references about the town are about the reconquest of the municipality's area by James I of Aragon and the arrival of Catalan-Aragonese troops to the
beyond the Xúquer
lands. These describe the "Great Islamic revolt of 1247–1248, after which James I of Aragon in 1248, besieged and conquered the castle of the Xiu. Subsequently, James I of Aragon gave the town to the conquering troops and established a permanent

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

population in Llutxent, while the farms located around the town's area kept their native Islamic population. In 1276, the town is razed during Al-Azraq's revolt. Jaume I, in response to the town's razing, sent Christian troops which successfully re-conquered the town. Next year, the town's control and territory was given to the Italian noble "Joan de Proxita", who created the Barony of Llutxent.

Christian Rule

Between 1348 and 1349 Llutxent was scene to various skirmishes during the War of the Union of the Crown of Aragon. ''The Proxitas'', as lords of Llutxent, began the construction of the Palace Castle. In 1487, the town's lordship was handed over to the family of the ''Maçà''.

Modern History

Main sights

Castles and palaces * Castle of Xiu.

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

Abandoned Abandon, abandoned, or abandonment may refer to: Common uses * Abandonment (emotional), a subjective emotional state in which people feel undesired, left behind, insecure, or discarded * Abandonment (legal), a legal term regarding property ** Chi ...

after the Expulsion of the Moriscos, the building is still an important

landmark A landmark is a recognizable natural or artificial feature used for navigation, a feature that stands out from its near environment and is often visible from long distances. In modern use, the term can also be applied to smaller structures or f ...

for the town and its surrounding area. In dire need of renovation. * Castle-palace of Llutxent. Constructed between the 15th and 16th centuries by the Proxitas. The building is currently owned by the municipality. Religious buildings * Church of the Assumption, built in the 19th century on top of an old

Gothic Church Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It e ...

in ruins. The building follows the Classical Architecture Style, and it is home to important pieces of art and culture of great historic value, such as the Santa Faç icon-chest. * Monastery of the Corpus Christi (The convent), erected by the Dominicans, it was the first Valencian University (General Study in Arts and Theology). The building has undergone several renovations, modifications and extensions, with the most important one being the addition of the Corpus Christi in the 17th century, a church built in the Gothic style. A 200-year old Carob Tree can be found next to the Monastery. * Chapel of the Consolation, founded by Catalan pilgrims in 1772, the building follows the Barroque Architecture Style. A stained glass windows were added to the chapel in the 1970s by Alfred Manessier. Other sights * The Coast, Stone-paved road built in 1580 that connected Monastery of the Corpus Christi with the town's church and was used for religious pilgrimage between the two. * Farmer's park, near which various Llutxentine organizations are located.

Government, politics and corruption

Local Government

Llutxent's Municipal Council ('' Ajuntament in Catalan or Ayuntamiento in Spanish''), is elected by universal suffrage according to proportional representation, in municipal elections held every 4 years, and it cannot be dissolved. Logo Ajuntament de Llutxent

The law requires the Municipal Council to meet in full session at least every three months and extraordinary sessions can be called by either the mayor or by at least 1/4 of the Council Membership. The Municipal Council does not formulate major laws, but drafts regulations related to legislation from the Cortes Generales (''The Legislative Body of Spain'') or the Generalitat Valenciana (''Regional Government''). It oversees the

budget A budget is a calculation play, usually but not always financial, for a defined period, often one year or a month. A budget may include anticipated sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities including time, costs and expenses, environmenta ...

, and it may raise taxes to supplement grants from the

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

and the Regional Governments. It is made up of 11 council members, who elect the Mayor of the Town ('' Alcalde, in Catalan and Spanish''). If no head of the list of each party gets a

majority A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from #Related terms, related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-WebsterMotion of no confidence to remove the Mayor and to install a new one. The Mayor, in most instances, serves as the leader of the

majority A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from #Related terms, related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-Webster chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

of the Municipal Council, directing municipal administration, heading the municipal police force, and exercising extensive powers of appointment, the mayor plays a major public relations role and enjoys a great deal of prestige. The Mayor also organizes and elects the Local Government Team, composed of Municipal Council members usually of his or her political party, who assist him or her in his or her duties. Llutxent's Local Government is currently subdivided into 4 Departments: * Mayorship, headed by the Mayor. * Department of the Interior. * Department of Health. * Department of Tourism. The municipal budget for fiscal year 2018 was of €3,092,766.42 ($3,465,753.58).

Infrastructure

Main sights

Monastery of the Corpus Christi (Llutxent) The Monastery of the Corpus Christi is located in the municipality of Llutxent ( Valencia), Spain. The convent building has its origins in an hermitage of the 13th century and was renovated in the 18th century. This monastery presents buildings f ...

References

{{authority control Municipalities in the Province of Valencia Vall d'Albaida