Ontinyent
Ontinyent (Valencian)
Onteniente (Spanish)
Municipality
Flag of Ontinyent
Flag
Coat of arms of Ontinyent
Coat of arms
Ontinyent is located in Province of Valencia
Ontinyent
Ontinyent
Location in Spain
Ontinyent is located in Valencian Community
Ontinyent
Ontinyent
Ontinyent (Valencian Community)
Ontinyent is located in Spain
Ontinyent
Ontinyent
Ontinyent (Spain)
Coordinates: 38°49′20″N 0°36′26″W / 38.82222°N 0.60722°W / 38.82222; -0.60722
Country Spain
Autonomous community Valencian Community
ProvinceValencia
ComarcaVall d'Albaida
Judicial districtOntinyent
Government
 • AlcaldeJorge Rodríguez Gramage (2011) (PSPV-PSOE)
Area
 • Total125.43 km2 (48.43 sq mi)
Elevation
382 m (1,253 ft)
Population
 (2018)[1]
 • Total35,395
 • Density280/km2 (730/sq mi)
Demonym(s)36.019 ontinyentí, ontinyentina
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
46870
Official language(s)Spanish and Valencian
WebsiteOfficial website
Colourful houses in the historic Sant Antoni neighbourhood.

Ontinyent[lower-alpha 1] (Spanish: Onteniente)[lower-alpha 2] is a municipality in the comarca of Vall d'Albaida in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is situated on the banks of the Clariano River, a tributary of the Xúquer, and on the Xàtiva–Alcoi railway.[2] Ontinyent is near the Sierra de Mariola Natural Park.[3]

Ontinyent is a historic city with many baroque churches, aristocratic mansions, city walls, the palace of the Dukes of Almodòver and a 16th century bridge alongside newer apartment buildings and modern retail. The city has been known for its production of cloth, paper, brandy, furniture and earthenware and its trade in cereals, wine, almonds and olive oil.[2]

Juan Roig, Spanish billionaire and president of Mercadona, went to school in Ontinyent.[4]

History

Evidence of human settlement in the area dates back to the end of the Neolithic period, as suggested by excavations at the Castellar site between the Barranco dels Tarongers and the Barranco del Averno in Bocairent.[5]

Sites occupied during the Roman era are short-lived. Small agricultural settlements were located on the outskirts of what would later become the medieval urban core. It seems likely that one of these Roman settlements gave rise to the name of the town: the pagus Untinianus. From this name would arise in the medieval period different versions of the name: Ontinient, Hontinient and Ontinyent.[6]

The town of Ontinyent is also documented as having Muslim origins dating back to the 11th century. The poet al-Untinyaní was born there and it is known that the castle of Ontinyent (hisn Untinyân) was a stopover on the way from Murcia to Valencia. Although few structural remains have survived in the city, the windows of Pou Clar or the famous Covetes dels Moros (found in ravines between Ontinyent and Bocairent) show the importance of Islamic civilisation in the area. The caves were probably communal granaries that belonged to the peasant communities of the Andalusian period and had their origin in the tradition of the Berber people who settled in the area.[7]

Ontinyent was conquered by the troops of Jaime I in the year 1244 and incorporated into the Kingdom of Valencia.

In the 18th century, the administration was castellanized throughout the Kingdom of Valencia and with it the name of the town changed its root "Onti-" to "Onte-". The Castilian form Onteniente became the official form until the end of the 20th century when the original Latin root of the name was reinstated.

In the provincial division of 1822 it was assigned to the province of Xátiva and in the division of 1833 to that of Alicante, passing definitively to the province of Valencia in 1836.

Ontinyent received the title of city in 1904.[8]

"Valencian Tuscany" - a land of vineyards

The area around Ontinyent is known for its many vineyards.[9][10][11]

The Vall d'Albaida's climate has long made it an ideal spot for viticulture.[12]

City redevelopment

With the decline of the textile trade, Ontinyent has had to reinvent itself and has started an extensive process of redevelopment.

  • The neighbourhood of Sant Antoni will see the creation of a new public square by shutting the left hand lane on the historic Carrer de Sant Antoni and ending access to the Plaça de la Coronació.[13]
  • The municipal market or mercat off of Plaça de la Coronació will see the opening of a new café featuring indoor and outdoor seating to tap into the growing gastronomic trend of the Valencian Community.[14][15]
  • The Plaça de la Glorieta will be remodelled to become an important green space in the city. The planting of 58 new trees will increase its tree coverage by 50%.[16][17]
  • The Museo Textil de la Communidad Valenciana has seen the redevelopment of a number of historic warehouses on the Clariano River.[18]
  • The Cantereria district will see the demolition of a row of houses and the construction of a floodable park on the banks of the Clariano River.[19]
  • La Muralla Norte, part of the ancient city walls, is being restored and improvements are being made to increase access to La Vila, the historic core of the city. 2.013.750€ from the Programa de Conservación del Patrimonio Histórico Español will be spent on the restoration of the wall and the reconstruction of the Abellons Tower, alongside stabilising the hillside near the Casa de Cultura and the Casa Barberá.[20] The wall is said to have "two skins" - one Islamic and the other Christian. A second tower was discovered during renovations.[21]
  • The new Hospital de Ontinyent is set to open its doors early 2023 after investing almost 40 million euros in the construction of this much needed facility.[22] The new hospital will house a pioneering brain injury unit and will be the main hospital for the municipalities of Albaida, Agullent, Aielo de Malferit, Fontanars dels Alforins, Atzeneta d'Albaida, Bèlgida, Benissoda, Bufali, Carricola, Palomar, Bocairent and Ontinyent.[23] The current hospital will then be converted to focus on chronic care.[24]

Pou clar - natural spring

The natural spring just outside of the city is well known as a natural beauty spot and a favourite for bathers.[25]

The Pou Clar is known as one of the Valencian Community's biggest natural attractions with its many pools, waterfalls, plant life and fish.[26] In March 2022, it featured as the main backdrop in a Turia beer ad campaign.[27]

Natural spring outside of Ontinyent.

Places to visit

  • The Pont Vell, a 16th century stone bridge crossing the Clariano River in the centre of the city.[28] Recent excavations have revealed that a tower assumed to be defensive was actually an ancient mill.[29]
  • The Palau de la Vila, an old Andalusian fortress on the Clariano River, sits in La Vila, the medieval walled settlement.[30]
  • La Vila, the name for the ancient core of the city, is a maze of medieval housing, narrow lanes, small squares and colourful buildings. Ontinyent was one of the most populous towns in the 15th century and this can be seen in the wealth of historic buildings.[31][32][33]
  • Hotel Kazar, an impressive early 20th century Mudéjar palace in the centre of the city, is now a hotel.[34] The house was built in 1925 for the Mompó family and is still known as Chalé Mompó.[35]
  • The vineyards to the west of the city.[36]
  • The Mirador San Rafael in the San Rafael neighbourhood is a "balcony" offering panoramic views of the city. It sits above the Clariano River and overlooks La Vila (the medieval core of the city), the Pont Vell and the Pont de Santa Maria.[37][38]
View across to the old core of the city.

Moros i Cristians - festival

This festival has taken place every August since 1860 and commemorates the Christian reconquest of the city from Muslim troops in the 13th century by Jaime I. Battles are reenacted with cannon fire, opulent costumes and impressive decorations alongside theatrical parades.[39][40][41] As an integral part a kind of anthem of the fiestas Moros i Cristians in Ontinyent, Chimo (Marxa mora, march of the Moors) was composed by José María Ferrero Pastor in 1964.

Personalities

Notes

  1. ↑ Valencian pronunciation: [ontiˈɲent]
  2. ↑ Spanish pronunciation: [onteˈnjente]

References

  1. ↑ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. 1 2 One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Onteniente". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 118.
  3. ↑ "Culture, Architecture and Heritage in the Serra Mariola | Serra Mariola". Serra Mariola Turismo. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  4. ↑ Ontinyent, R. Tomás | (2019-06-07). "El colegio La Concepción inaugura el pabellón sufragado por Juan Roig". Levante-EMV (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-31.
  5. ↑ Ribera, Agustí (1995-01-01). "1995 Ontinyent Vall Albaida Prehistòria Arqueologia". Història bàsica d'Ontinyent.
  6. ↑ Ribera, Agustí (1995-01-01). "1995 Ontinyent Vall Albaida Prehistòria Arqueologia". Història bàsica d'Ontinyent.
  7. ↑ "Ontinyent, Capital of the Vall d'Albaida - Comunitat Valenciana". www.comunitatvalenciana.com. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  8. ↑ "Ontinyent tourism". Vall d'Albaida. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  9. ↑ "Stay among vineyards in the Valencian Tuscany - Comunitat Valenciana". www.comunitatvalenciana.com. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  10. ↑ "MORNING AMONG VINEYARDS IN VALENCIAN TUSCANY - Agullent". Vall d'Albaida. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  11. ↑ "La Toscana Valenciana (Valencia)". Agricultural Tours Valencia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  12. ↑ "Valencia Wine Region, Spain". www.winetourism.com. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  13. ↑ "Ontinyent empieza las obras de remodelación de Sant Antoni". loclar (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  14. ↑ "Ontinyent tras a licitación les obres del mercat municipal". loclar (in Catalan). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  15. ↑ S.L, EDICIONES PLAZA. "Ontinyent saca a licitación las obras de la cafetería del mercado municipal por 409.000 euros". Valencia Plaza (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  16. ↑ Ontinyent, Levante-EMV / (2019-10-02). "Ontinyent da por definitivo el proyecto de remodelación de la Glorieta consensuado con entidades ciudadanas y Patrimoni". Levante-EMV (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  17. ↑ "La Glorieta de Ontinyent incrementará su superficie verde en un 50%". loclar (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  18. ↑ "La II fase del Museo Textil de la CV en Ontinyent sale a licitación por 1'6 millones de euros". loclar (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  19. ↑ Ontinyent, A. G. H. (2021-01-15). "La CHJ invertirá 600.000 euros para construir un parque fluvial en Cantereria". Levante-EMV (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  20. ↑ "Así avanzan las obras de restauración de la muralla de Ontinyent". loclar (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  21. ↑ "El hallazgo de una torre aumenta el coste de la Muralla de Ontinyent en 580.000€". loclar (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  22. ↑ "El nuevo Hospital de Ontinyent estará acabado en el primer trimestre de 2023 y sube su inversión a 38,4 millones". Europa Press. 2021-07-30. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
  23. ↑ Bellvis, Vicente (2021-08-01). "El nuevo Hospital de Ontinyent acabará las obras en 2023" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-31.
  24. ↑ "El nuevo hospital de Ontinyent cuadruplicará el espacio actual". Redacción Médica (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-31.
  25. ↑ "Home". Reserves Pou Clar (in Catalan). Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  26. ↑ "Pou Clar, el singular nacimiento del río Clariano". dondeviajar.republica.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  27. ↑ "Cerveza Turia invita a 'no hacer nada' en su nueva campaña". MarketingNews (in Spanish). 2022-03-18. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  28. ↑ "Pont Vell (1501) - Ontinyent". Vall d'Albaida (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  29. ↑ "Descubren un antiguo molino durante la 2ª fase de restauración del Pont Vell". loclar (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  30. ↑ "Palace of La Vila - Ontinyent". Vall d'Albaida. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  31. ↑ "Barrio medieval La Vila - Comunitat Valenciana". www.comunitatvalenciana.com. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  32. ↑ "Albaida Información de tu ciudad". albaida.portaldetuciudad.com. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  33. ↑ "Ontinyent: qué ver y qué hacer". Guía Turismo CV (in Spanish). 2020-01-29. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  34. ↑ "Hotel – Kazar". Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  35. ↑ "Hotel Kazar . Las Provincias". www.lasprovincias.es. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  36. ↑ Blogger, O. P. (2022-02-19). "How Spain's Valencia region has become a coastal paradise for wine lovers". Olive Press News Spain. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  37. ↑ "Ontinyent: una ciudad llena de historia". Revista Mediadores de Seguros (in Spanish). 2016-07-25. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  38. ↑ Valenciana | 0, Comunidad (2021-08-31). "Qué ver en la provincia de Valencia 🥇". Márcate un Viaje (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  39. ↑ "Moors and Christians festival in Ontinyent. 25/08/2022. Fiestas in Ontinyent | spain.info in english". Spain.info. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  40. ↑ "Moors and Christians Ontinyent 2019 in Spain, photos, Fair, Festival, Entertainment when is Moors and Christians Ontinyent 2019 - HelloTravel". www.hellotravel.com. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  41. ↑ "MOORS AND CHRISTIANS IN THE REGION OF VALENCIA - Comunitat Valenciana". www.comunitatvalenciana.com. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
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