San Jorge (Castellón)

San Jorge (Castilian name , Sant Jordi in Valencian and officially Sant Jordi/San Jorge ) is a common to the north of the Valencian community in Spain. It belongs to the Province of Castellón and more precisely to the area ( Comarque ) of the Baix Maestrat (Valencian name, Bajo Maeztrazgo in Castilian). Its population in 2005 is of 744 inhabitants.

Geography

San Jorge is located in the central sector of comarque in a corrugated plain and a landscape of cultures on dry ground, typically Mediterranean, like the olive-trees, Caroubier S, Amandier S; but the citrus fruits gain ground a little more each day.

One arrives at this locality since Castellón by taking the CV-10 then N-232.

Localities bordering

San Jorge is close to the communes to: Traiguera, Vinaròs, Cálig, and Cervera del Maestre all in the Province of Castellón.

History

Layers were not found prehistoric but there exists a great number of Iberian cores of settlement in the neighborhoods: Puig de Vinarós , Puig de Benicarló , Vinyets de Canat , Tessa Alta and some currently destroyed tombs found on its territory.

It is necessary to seek the true beginnings at the time of the occupation sarrasine of the grounds of the Ébre. Many fields of olive-trees which existed already at the time of the occupation of the troops of Jacques Ier the Conqueror, toponyms like the zone " dels Moros" and the small farm with its mill with oil show us the remainders of this culture.

After the reconquest, started with Jacques I {{er}} the Conqueror with the capitulation of Cervera in 1233, the grounds of San Jorge ended up being a territory of the city close to Traiguera (Traiguera Valley). The medieval origin and the most known and documented Christian woman are in a hamlet dependant on Traiguera, made up starting from a farmhouse called Mas dels Astellers or Estellés . The Farmhouse dels Stellers or Estellers appears in 1261 when the farmhouse is bought by the brothers Esteban and Bononate Steller and one their friends called Domingo of Montreal. After this act of purchase on August 2nd, 1261, the Esteller family settled; she exists still today and its name is carried by 60% of the current inhabitants. In addition to the Esteller family, came from other families like: Sifre, Born, Marí, Calaf, Meseguer, Vidal, Will shoe, etc the history medieval and modern, until in 1655, turns around this farmhouse whose size increased little by little and who ends up becoming independent.

The Order of the Hospital and then that of the Order of Montesa, starting from 1319, were the feudal lords who controlled the farmhouse and the other cities of the Maestrazgo .

At the beginning of the 17th century, let us note the beginning of a long lawsuit to separate from known matriz Traiguera. The reasons were the population growth of the Farmhouse, the economic dependence, the lawsuits jurisdictional, the richness of some rare families, Esteller and finally the economic disaster of Traiguera during the war dels segadors. The request of separation formally began in 1626 in front of the the Cortes de Monzón when the inhabitants asked it via the order of Montesa.

By a royal privilege of Philippe IV conceded in 1647 and a Real Carta of this same King granted in 1649, the Mas del Estellers was called Sant Jordi (and not San Jorge) and became a city of Maestrazgo (" Valley of Montesa"), as the documents of S. attest it.

The confirmation of this independence occurred in May 1655. The lawsuits with Traiguera continued; but each one had its own leaders, its separate territories and its own history.

The new town of Sant Jordi was occupied with half of the 17th century by about fifty families. The War of succession temporarily paralyzed its population growth and economic.

The Napoleonean wars had a special impact on the locality because of the many incursions, tributes and calamities which had to support the inhabitants like also the other villages of Maestrazgo.

During the wars carlists, families like It, Pavía and Esteller belonged to the band of Cabrera.

The most important fact of the 19th century is the population growth with like consequence the urban development. San Jorge passed from some 150 inhabitants whom it had in 1794, according to Cavanilles, with 215 inhabitants (census of 1841).

In 1887, it arrived at a historical maximum with 1 676 inhabitants, because as from this year, the population decreased passing by 1 431 in 1919, 1 006 in 1950, 605 in 1984; but in 1998 a new population growth started.

Demography

Administration

Economy

An economy mainly based on agriculture, is also based on tourism which profits in San Jorge from a splendid golf course.

Monuments and Places

Hostal . Remainders of the building of the old church with slightly broken arcs.

Parish church . The new church came to replace the old place of medieval worship which was on the large one places and which had been built in 1387. The process of construction of the new building started in 1735 and was completed with the construction of the bell-tower in 1759. Construction was entrusted to Joan Barceló, great architect who also carried out that of Alcalá de Chivert inter alia.

Golf course .

Local festivals

San Antonio Abad . It celebrates on January 17th. The demonstrations which are organized, are close to those which one finds in the close villages: cultural toros, balls and spectacles.
Fiestas Employers' . They celebrate on April 23rd in the honor of patron saint San Jorge.
Romería Al Santuario of the Makes Safety . May 1st, one makes cook rice in the sanctuary.
Santiago Apóstol . In its honor starting from July 25th the great festivals take place.

External bonds

Instituto Valenciano de Estadística
Federación Valenciana de Municipios there Provincias - Guía Turística.
País Valencià, poble has poble, comarca has comarca.

Random links: