Vall d'Albaida (; ) is a ''

comarca A ''comarca'' (, , , ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain, and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, mark ...

'' in the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

Valencian Community The Valencian Community is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid wit ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Etymology

The name of the ''comarca'' is derived from the Hispano-Arabic word ''albáyḍa'', which in turn is derived from the classical

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

البيضاء (''al-bayḍāʾ'', "The white one" – reference to the white chalk land of the comarca), from which the yellow flowering plant native to the comarca gets its common name Anthyllis cystoides. Arabic language influence on the Spanish language

History

Reconquered by the Aragonese king

James I of Aragon James I the Conqueror ( Catalan/Valencian: ''Jaume I or Jaume el Conqueridor''; Aragonese: ''Chaime I'' ''o Conqueridor''; ; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1 ...

in the first half of the 13th century it was heavily populated by Muslims until the Expulsion of the Moriscos from the

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. The Kingdom of Valencia was formally created in 1238 when the Moorish taifa of Valencia was taken in ...

in 1609.

Geography

Lying approximately 70 km south of the city of

and covering an area of some 722 square kilometers, Vall d'Albaida borders on the north with the ''comarca'' of Costera, to the east with

Safor Safor (; ) is a ''Comarques of the Valencian Community, comarca'' within the province of Valencia (province), Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain. The capital is the city of Gandia, but also includes the towns of Oliva, Piles, Valencia, Piles a ...

, to the south with

Comtat Comtat (; ) is a ''comarca'' in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain. Municipalities The ''comarca'' is composed of 24 municipalities, listed below with their areas and populations: See also *Geography of Spain Spa ...

and

Alcoià Alcoià (; ) is a Comarques of the Valencian Community, ''comarca'' in the Provinces of Spain, province of Alicante (province), Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain. Municipalities The ''comarca'' contains eight municipalities, listed below wi ...

, and to the west with

Alto Vinalopó The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: '' altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In four-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in chor ...

, the latter three of which belong to the

province of Alicante Alicante (, , ; ; ; officially: / ) is a province located in eastern Spain, in the southern part of the Valencian Community. It is the second most populated Valencian province, containing the second and third biggest cities in the Valencian Co ...

. The Albaida River runs through the ''comarca'' from south to north.

Climate

The area enjoys a typically

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

, characterised by hot summers and relatively cold winters, with an average of two snowfalls per year.

Municipalities

The Vall d'Albaida ''comarca'' is composed of 34 municipalities.

Culture

Route of the Monasteries of Valencia

The Route of the Monasteries of Valencia ( GR-236) is a monumental and cultural route that connects five monasteries located in the south of the

Province of Valencia Valencia ( , ), officially València (), is a provinces of Spain, province of Spain, in the central part of the autonomous Valencian Community. Of the province's 2.7 million people (2024), almost one-third live in the capital, Valencia, whic ...

. Of the four different itineraries available, three (by foot, by

Mountain bike A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling (''mountain biking''). Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in r ...

and on

horseback Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the u ...

) cross various ''comarques'' within Vall d'Albaida, following signposted riding trails, mountain trails, old roads and railroad tracks, and include the Monastery of the Corpus Christi and Xio Castle, both in the municipality of

Llutxent Llutxent () is a town located in the eastern part of Spain, in the Valencian Community, within the ''Comarques of the Valencian Community, comarca'' of the Vall d'Albaida, 80 km south of Valencia and 110 km north of Alicante. As of 2016, ...

. By foot, the route takes approximately 3–4 days. The Route was inaugurated in 2008.Source:

Las Provincias ''Las Provincias'' is a regional newspaper published in Valencia, Spain. Founded in 1866, it is one of the oldest publications in the country. History and profile ''Las Provincias'' was first published in Valencia in January 1866.Miguel Lorenci ...

The route of the Monasteries: El Pas del Pobre.
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References

*http://palomatorrijos.blogspot.com/2009/12/los-marqueses-de-albaida-pleito-por-el.html *http://palomatorrijos.blogspot.com/2009/12/los-marqueses-de-albaida-valencia.html * Amelias GOMEZ MARTINEZ: "Propiedad señorial en el marquesado de Albaida perspectivas socieconómicas del señorío en la segunda mitad del s. XVIII". Published 1988 by Excmo. Ayuntamiento de Albaida in lbaida. 1988. 288 pages. Library of Congress HD779.A375 G66.

External links

Comparsa Saudites d'Ontinyent
(in English) (en valencià) (en español)
La Vall d’Albaida
(in Valencian and Spanish)
Mancomunitat de Municipis de la Vall d'Albaida
(in Valencian and Spanish) {{DEFAULTSORT:Vall D'albaida Comarques of the Valencian Community Geography of the Province of Valencia