Morella

Morella is a common to the north of the Province of Castellón (Spain); it is the chief town of the area ( comarca or comarque) of the Ports. Its surface is of 383,55 km ², the third of the autonomous Communauté of Valence. |

Geography

. Morella, city ranging between Teruel and the Catalonia, appear with the eyes of the visitors, surrounded by its walls centenaries and crowned by its impressive castle, with more than thousand meters of altitude. The collars in the mountain are Torre Miró (1259 Mr.) and Querol (1020 Mr.).

Because of the abrupt and mountainous relief of the area of Els Ports, the way to arrive at Morella crosses ravines, wood of pines, wood the yeuses ones, wood of evergreen oaks, beds of drained rivers and rock bars.

The N-232 road is the axis of communication of Morella towards Zaragosse and Logroño. In the same way, this road connects Morella with the tourist resorts on the littoral of the Valencian Community, like with the highway of the Mediterranean (A-7) and with the N-340 road. Since Castellón, one can also reach the city by N-238 which is connected then with N-232 in direction of Morella.

Hamlets

On the territory of Morella, one finds the hamlets following:

Bespa, Castellons, coll there Moll, Make of In Torres, Herbeset, Els Llivis, Morella Calved it, Muixacre, Ortells, Pobla de Alcolea, Roca, Primera del Río, Segunda del Río, Vallivana and Xiva de Morella .

Close cities

Zorita del Maestrazgo, Palanks, Forcall, Villores, Cinctorres, Castellfort, Ares del Maestre, Catí, Chert, Vallibona, Castell of Pull up and Herbés, all in the Province of Castellón.

History

Perched in a spectacular way on the side of a mountain, the strengthened city of Morella, the antique Castrated Aelia Roman and stronghold of the Carlisme at the time of the general Cabrera, dominates the landscape of the Alto Maestrazgo . Morella can post a history as old as famous. In his territory, one found the many ones and interesting archaeological remainders; today still the cave paintings are preserved of Morella Calved it which attest presence of the prehistoric man on these grounds. In Solanes were found a score of burials of the Bronze Age and hypogean with Hostal Nou, prehistoric vestiges who were lamentably destroyed. Morella was one of the first villages appeared on the Spanish ground, since it is considered that its foundation dates from the Neolithic period .

With the arrival of the Celtic , was established with the current site of Morella, the tribe of the beribraces or brigaces . On the presence of the Greek S without the area, one with the priceless testimony of called the Treasure of Morella , whose coins (lost today) came from Crete, Taras and of the Grande Greece. The cartaginois did not succeed in subjecting the ilercavones , descendants of the beribraces. Hannibal passed a pact with them and made its allies of them. Mandonio, kinglet of Mandonia (Morella), took part in the Punic Wars and the ilercavones fought some times at the sides of the cartaginois and other times in favor of the Romans, and always for the defense of their independence. After the death of the general Quintus Sertorius, who had rebelled against the capacity of Rome, all the area passed to the capacity Romans. Morella was deeply romanisée and its inhabitants adopted the Roman habits and laws. The city obtained the title of colony of Latin right and was integrated into the province of Tarragone.

The Vandales reflect with fire and with Morella blood and occupied it during approximately three years, giving up it in 411. The Visigoths ordered by Athaulf conquered the Tarragonaise area in 414, but Morella, thanks to a pact, remained dependant on Rome until Alaric went Master completely of the province in 476. The passage of the Visigoths in Morella left few traces. However, it is considered that the churches of San Nicolás de Morella and San Pedro de Castellfort are wisigothic foundations.

The Berbère S occupied Morella in the year 714. Later, the city passed under the dependence of the Arab king of Tortosa. At that time Morella is associated in the name of Cid which, with what seems, was that which precisely rebuilt its castle. Around Morella was held a fameusa battles during the Moslem domination, and whose main character was Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar, against which linked their forces the king Moor of Tortosa and the Christian king Sancho Ramírez of Aragon. The Cid fought to them battle with the foot of Morella the August 14th 1088, in the place named Pla del Rei , putting in rout its adversaries, making captive 2.000 men-at-arms and many noble Christian and Arab chief. In the year 1117 the king gift Alphonse Ier the Fighter reconquered Morella for the first time for the Christians. The city turned over to the capacity of the Moslems; the count Ramón Berenguer tried to seize in 1157 it, after the conquest of Alcañiz, but failed. It was to be Jacques Ier the Conqueror who, in the year 1232, expelled Arabic definitively. The Christian forces which reconquered Morella, were directed by gift Blasco de Alagón - known under the nickname of El Mayor -. He was the feudal lord of the city, but to its death, the city passed directly under the royal capacity. Don Blasco published the April 16th 1233 the first " charter of repeuplement" ( carta-puebla ) of Morella, which conceded with its inhabitants the fueros of Sepúlveda and Extremadura. Later, king Jacques Ier removed suzerainty and cancelled the carta-puebla, by enacting the another February 16th 1249. Jacques Ier behaved liberally with the morellanos and the honourable privilege of fidelity granted to them.

In 1672, the city had to undergo the attacks of a epidemic that the documents of the time call malignant fevers. Since, one celebrates in Morella famous Sexennial Fêtes, in commemoration of the decision taken the February 14th 1673 to celebrate neuvaine each six years in thanksgiving for the salutary intercession of the Virgin of Vallivana when Morella was struck by this epidemic of plague.

During the War of succession, Morella took party for Philippe V. The partisans of the Archduke Charles, under the command of Drove of Valjunquera, tried to enter Morella, but were put in rout on the mountain of San Marcos. Morella had to go, finally, on February 3rd with the forces of Philippe V which besieged it. Under the reign of this monarch, Morella became the seat of the Gobernación Militar there Política .

In 1808, it united with patriotic rising against Napoleon; as in much of places, in fact the popular classes faced the troops of invasion. Lastly, in October 1813 the Spanish forces, ordered by the Elío general, succeeded in reconquering it.

At the time of the reign of Ferdinand VII, Morella was taken in constant political convulsions of the confrontations between the partisans of the Constitution of 1812 and the partisans of the absolutism, called realistic . The confrontations culminated the June 5th 1822, when a group of absolutists obliged the garrison of Morella to go, in their making believe that they had more forces. Twelve days later, the governmental troops recovered the city. Despite everything, one year after, the absolutists re-occupied the city. With died of Ferdinand VII in 1833 ignited cruel the war carlist between the partisans of the brother of the missing king, gift Carlos, and those of the queen mother Marie Christine. Again, one witnessed cruel fights and barbarities without name. When the second civil war carlist was completed, Morella was devoted during years to think the wounds resulting from the confrontation.

Demography

Festivals

Majorté of them have an origin in the religious worship.

San Julián , owner of the city (January 7th).

San Antonio (weekend following on January 17th).

Carnival

Ciclo of rollos preceded there (from April 25th to July 10th).

Rogativa Al Santuario de Vallivana (first weekend of May).

Corpus Christi .

Sant Joan (Saturday nearest of June 24th).

Boil of Sant Roc (August).

Feria agrícola will ganadera there (agricultural fair the second weekend of September).

Anunci : celebrates themselves the year preceding the Sexenni , and precisely announces the celebration of the latter.

Sexenni : (Sexennial Festivals) it is the festival par excellence of Morella. It is celebrated each six years, in August, in the honor of the Virgin of Vallivana. During the sexennial Festivals, each day, a corporation (turners, tisserands, plowmen, travellers, gipsies) carries out its dance. The last festival took place in August 2006.

Economy

Morella was and remains the shopping mall of its canton. Its economy rests on the service sector, redynamized currently by tourism. Agriculture and the breeding (porcine and avicolous) supplement its economic activity.

Places and Monuments

Religious monuments

Church of Santa María . The Church Archipresbitérale de Sainte Marie the Major one constitutes an obligatory halt for impassioned religious art. This Gothic construction joins together in the same frontage the Door of the Apostles and that of the Virgin. Inside, in the posterior part of the chorus, one can see carved in the shape of plank, the Gantry of Glory. The singular staircase spiral, jubé, the major furnace bridge, the three rosettes with stained glasses of the Valencian School of the XIVe century and the organ of Torull are some of its jewels.
Convent of San Francisco . Most significant of the unit is the chapter house where there is a fresco, which represents the Macabre Dance XVe century. The church of the convent dates from the 14th century, and was repainted in the neo-classic style in 1800. Today one can appreciate the original Gothic style.
Church of San Nicolás . What was the Church of Saint Nicolas, of late Romance style, is a showroom today.

Civil monuments

Castle . Built at the top of the rock. It is formed of the place of weapons (1.070 m), of the palate of the governor, the " Aljibe" , of the tower of Pardalea, retretas Al vuelo by where in 1838 the carlists entered, of the prison of Cacho, the ruins of royal palaces, turns of Homenaje, and houses official, testimonys of the various forms of civilizations and cultures.
Medieval Walls . One must detach his doors of Nevera, San Miguel, Morella, San Mateo, Forcall, del Rey there of los Estudios, there mow torres del Péblico, Nevera, el Trinquet, San Miguel, Redonda, of the fuente, Alós, del Asperó, Beneyto, of Fredes, San Mateo, del Forcall, del Carraixent, del Rey, of los Estudios and San Francisco.
Aqueduct of Santa Lucía . It is about a considerable work of XIV century Gothic civil engineering; it is by him that the spring waters of " arrived; Vinatxos " and of " Aljub " towards the " Font Calved " of Morella.

Ayuntamiento ( town hall ). It is a Gothic building of the XIV and XV centuries.
Put Solariegas . Morella has many private mansions. That of cardinal RAM (at the end of the street Blasco de Alagón), of the 16th century, is currently a hotel trade. Put of Cofradía de Labradores (in the street of Cofradía). Los Estudios there del Consell Put (close to the place of los Estudios), Put it of Ciurana de Quadres (in the rise of San Juan), Put it of Rovira (in the street of Virgen) and del Marqués of Cruilles Put it are some examples among others.

Famous personalities

Joaquín Oliet Cruella: neo-classic painter of the XIXe century.

Juan Francisco Cruella: painter of frescos of the 19th century.

Jose Segura Barreda: priest and historian of the 19th century.

Francesc de Vinatea: Lawyer of the XIVe century.

External bonds

Photographs of Morella
Federación Valenciana de Municipios there Provincias - Tourist Guide
Morella.net
Site of Tourismo de Morella carried out by the '' Agencia Valenciana de Turisme ''
Seen satellite in Google Maps
All on Morella - More than 3000 photographs of Morella
Webcam on Morella

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