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VALENCIA. 



VALENCIA. 



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lnrnAtlcin ta 1849 WM l.llO.MO. It to divided into tat thr following 



L Tb* provine* of Valenois, oonaista of a long and rather 

 narrow traot extending long the Mediterranean Sea, the modern pro- 

 Tine* of Valencia, forming the oentnl portion, Alicante the southern, 

 and fWellnn the northern. The whole of the interior is moun- 

 tainous, the low and lerrl tract* lying along the coast and the courses 

 of tli* river*. The mountain! are a portion of the great buttress 

 which hi thU province and that of Murcia support* the table-land of 

 Oastilla la Nueva. The mountain* are mostly lofty, ragged, and bare, 

 and in some parts they extend close to the coast The Sierra de Pena- 

 qoUa pro MM the proTince north of Alicante in a direction from south- 

 west to north-east, terminating at Cpe San Martin. ThU range 

 missile of ecfaktoee rocks capped by limestone. The other sierras, 

 which are Tory irregular, but hare mostly a direction from west to east, 

 consist for the moot part of limestone, marbles of various colours, and 

 gypsum. The Talleye are generally narrow, but there are a few level 

 tract* of considerable extent. 



Kirm. The rivers mostly originate in the provinces west of Valencia. 

 The Turia, or Quadalaviar, rises in Aragon, and crossing Valencia in 

 a direction from north-west to south-east passes the city of Valencia, 

 and falls into the sea below the small port of Onto. The Jucar rises in 

 Castilla la Nueva, and soon after entering this province receives the 

 Gabriel on the north bank; it then flows westward, receives the 

 Magro, and enters the sea at Cullera, The other rivers have a shorter 

 course. The Alcoy, which rites near the town of Alcoy, and the 

 Palaneia, which enters the sea below Murviedro, are the only rivers of 

 considerable sise which belong entirely to thia province. The Mijares 

 me* hi Aragon, and receive* in this province the Villahermosa and 

 UK Monleou, The Segura crosses the southern angle of the province 

 on iU way from Murcia to the sea. 



Soil and Production*. The numerous streams and rivers of this 

 province afford the means of irrigating the lauds to perhaps a greater 

 extent and in a more perfect manner than anywhere else in Spain. 

 The most extensive of the level tracts are those of Valencia, Orihuela, 

 Alicante, and Jativa (Xativa), or San Felipe. These Sat and rich 

 lands are called Huertas, 'gardens.' The Huerta of Valencia has a 

 mam-trunk canal, filled from the Turia, whence numerous smaller 

 canal*, called acequias, distribute the water in regulated proportions 

 to the various beds into which the land is divided. These beds are 

 quit* flat, and the water is allowed to stand on them for a few days, 

 after which it is let off. The seed is then sown, and no sooner is one 

 crop removed than the land is prepared for another. Three or four 

 crops are thus obtained in the year. The Huerta of Alicante is 

 waUxid from a vast reservoir called El Pantano, constructed in the 

 mountains about fifteen tidies from the city of Alicante. This huerta 

 comprehend* an expanse of about 30,000 acres, everywhere encircled 

 by lofty mountain*, except towards the sea. The huertas of Jativa 

 and of Orihuela, are also of considerable extent, well watered, and 

 exceedingly productive. 



All the level grounds are under cultivation, and wheat, barley, oats, 

 malic, bean* and pea*, flax and hemp, are produced in abundance. 

 In th* swampy ground* Urge crops of rice are obtained, which are 

 generally consumed in the province, rice forming a large portion of 

 the food of the lower classes ; but these tract* are very unwholesome. 

 Much rice U grown in the vicinity of the Albufera, [ALBCFKHA DE 

 VALBKCIA.] The higher ground* and slope* of the hills are allotted 

 to Tine*, mulberry-tree*, olive*, figs, oranges, lemons, quinces, and 

 pomegranate*. The forest-tree* are mostly elms, chestnuts, the ilex- 

 oak, cv press, and poplar*, whilst lofty pine* cover the summits of the 

 rocky hill*. The rugged moon, unfit for cultivation, are abandoned 

 to the various specie* of cistus, rosemary, thyme, lavender, and other 

 odoriferous shrub*. 



Th* quantity of win* produced annually in Valencia amount* to 

 about 9,000,000 gallons. In the districts of Henioarlo and Peniscola 

 strong red wine is produced, of which a large quantity is exported 

 to Germany and to Bourdaaox, for mixing with the i-econd-class 

 eapsU to give them body and colour. Large quantities of raisins 

 r* exported to England, which are called Valencia*, and are used 

 for making plum-puddings. The exports of fruit are large, especially 

 ' ,' 



Mo great number of cattle or hone* Is kept In Valencia; and the 

 steep, though numerous, yield wool of indifferent quality. Mercury, 

 vnpsr, aulpbur, arsenic, argentiferous-lead, iron, Ac. are among the 

 Mineral products, but thfy are procured only in small quantities. 

 The manufacture* are unimportant Woollen and linen stuffs are 

 Indeed made in several town* of the province, and silk good* in Valen- 

 cia aad other places, bat they are chiefly consumed within the province. 



The manufacture of satins, silk-ribands, and velvets, has BO much 

 improved and increased a* to render a supply from France no longer 

 necessary. Cloth of superior quality Is made at Alcoy, and silk 

 is no longer exported in it* raw state, but is spun at Valencia and 

 other places by steam. Cordage and matting are made from the flbro 

 of the esparto-rush ; and tiles, soap, glass, paper, pottery, and earthen- 

 ware, are exported to other parts of Spain. 



Town*. The city of Valencia is the capital of the ancient province 

 and also of the modern. [VALENCIA.] Alcoy, 60 miles S. by W. 

 from Valencia, stands on the main rood from Alicante to Valencia, 

 on a tongue of land between two streams which are the head-waters 

 of the river Alcoy. The houses are built among terraced gardens in 

 a ravine overlooked by hills. There are many new houses, for it is a 

 busy commercial place, and has considerable manufactures of ; 

 and of woollen-cloths of a superior quality. It contains three parish 

 churches, and has a population of about 27,000. The city of Alicante, 

 cupital of the province of Alicante, is described under that hea<l. 

 [ALICANTE.] limicarlo, 80 miles N.N.E. from Valencia, is a walled 

 town with a ruined castle, and with R small fishing port It is a 

 straggling ill-built place, and contains a population of about 0000. 

 The vicinity is celebrated for full-flavoured red wines, which aro 

 exported to Bourdeaux and elsewhere to give body to the iuferior 

 clarets. Cattellon lie la Plana, 40 miles N.N.E. from Valencia, tin- 

 capital of the province of Castellon, stands iu a well-irrigated aud 

 fruitful plain, whence the addition to the name. It is a well-built 

 aud flourishing town, surrounded by walls, and contains some fine 

 old churches, and a remarkable octagon bell-tower, Torre de loa 

 Campanas, 260 feet high. It has brandy distilleries and ;m active 

 trade. Kibalta, the Spanish painter, was born here, March 25, 1551. 

 The churches and convents once contained several of his finest works, 

 and a few still remain. The population in 1815 was 16,952. Con- 

 centaina, 55 miles S. from Valencia, contains a square Moorish tower, 

 and has manufactures of woollen-cloths. The population in 1845 

 was 6972. Cullera, 28 miles S.S.\V. from Valencia, is a small town on 

 the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, at the mouth of the Jucar. It 

 contains an old castle and a church, aud had in 1845 a population of 

 7114. i'lche, the Illici of the llomans, 15 miles S.W. from Alicante, 

 stands at a short distance from the left bank of the Elda, a tributary 

 of the Segura ; it occupies both sides of a ravine, over which there 

 is a handsome bridge. The houses are Moorish, with flat roofs and 

 few windows, and rise above each other on the rugged slopes. The 

 old castle has been turned into a prison. The church of Santa Maria 

 is handsome, and has a fine portico, and a tower from which may be 

 seen a vast extent of plantations of date-trees, which encircle the town 

 on all sides : these trees are tens of thousands in number, and many 

 of them are of great age. The dates are exported from Alicante, and 

 are sold as Barbary dates. Klche is a flourishing place, and iu 1845 

 contained a population of 18,068. Jatii-a (Xativa), or San Felipe, 

 40 miles S. by W. from Valencia, was the Roman Setabie, celebrated 

 for its castle, aud its fine linen handkerchiefs, which were greatly 

 prized at Rome. The castle, of very large size, occupies a rocky 

 height above the town. The town is well-built, and well supplied 

 with public fountains. It contains a collegiate church and five parish 

 churches. There are beautiful public walks, aud the huerta, abundant 

 in grain, fruits, and flowers, extends northward till it communicates 

 with the huerta of Valencia. The population of the town is about 

 15,000. ifonovar, 27 miles W.N.W. from Alicante, has manufactures 

 of coarse woollens, and contained in 1845 a population of 7590. 

 Aforella, 50 miles N. from Castellon, stands ou a rugged slope, with a 

 castle above it The town contains many good houses, and has 

 three or four churches, and several fountains supplied from nu 

 aqueduct The population in 1845 was 6211. Murviedro, 18 miles 

 N.N.E. from Valencia, stands on the site of the Sagimlum of the 

 Romans, which was besieged and taken by Hannibal, B.C. 219. The 

 town is built on the south bank of the Palaucia at the base of a 

 mountain, aud is now a poor straggling place. It contained in 1S45 

 a population of 7476. Long lines of walls and towers crown tho 

 heights above the town, where ore also the remains of the Roman 

 theatre. There are portions of the walls of the Circus Maximus and 

 other Roman antiquities. There is a large Moorish castle, aud the 

 place, with its fortifications, is of the highest military importance for 

 the defence of Valencia, Novelda, 20 miles W. from Alicante, stands 

 on the western bonk of the Elda, which enters the Segura at its 

 mouth. The town stands in a fine plain, and has manufactures of 

 brandy aud lace. Population, 8095. Orihuela, 35 miles S.E. from 

 Alicante, a city, and the see of a bishop, is situated at the foot of a 

 mountain which overlooks it on the north, and is built on both banks 

 of tho Segura, which is here crossed by two bridges. The plain, or 

 huerta, is about 17 miles from east to west, and about 5 miles iu 

 average breadth from north to south. It is bounded N. and S. by 

 ranges of hills and mountains bare of trees, E. by the Mediterranean, 

 and W. by the Huerta of Murcia, of which it is a prolongation. This 

 huerta is of extraordinary fertility, aud produces in abundance all 

 kinds of grain, fruits, and vegetables. There are large plantations of 

 olive-trees, mulberry-trees, and orange-trees. The town is long ami 

 narrow, winding round the base of the mountain. The streets are 

 wide, but not paved, the houses tolerably good, aud the general aspect 

 agreeable. It contains a cathedral, and ten other churches, a 



