Zarra, Valencia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zarra
Location
Coordinates : 39°5′30″N, 1°4′36″W
Time zone : CET (GMT +1)
- summer : CEST (GMT +2)
General information
Native name Zarra (Spanish)
Spanish name Zarra
Administration
Country Spain
Autonomous Community Valencian Community
Province Valencia
Comarca Valle de Ayora Cofrentes
Geography
Land Area 49.72 km²
Altitude 605 m AMSL
Population
Population 492 (2006)
Density 9.90 hab./km² (2006)

Zarra is a municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain, the smallest of the seven villages that make up the comarca of Valle de Cofrentes.

Contents

[edit] Historical Interest

The name is of Iberian origin and means "the old".

The village contains a church dating back to the 18th century and a free standing clock tower built in 1880. The majority of the houses date back 400 years.

During the Moorish occupation of Spain a castle was built, but no remains exist today and the exact site is somewhat of a mystery. The village was reconquered by the Spanish in 1249 and incorporated into Valencia in 1281. Modern day Zarra dates from around 1600.

[edit] Modern Zarra

The village has a population of around 500, recent population increases being mainly due to the British influx into the village and surrounding area.

[edit] Fiestas

Zarra boasts three fiestas a year, marking the beginning of the fiestas within the valley. The first being San Anton (January), Santa Ana (July) and the main yearly "bull" fiesta (late July/August).

[edit] Local industry

The main industry for the village is agriculture, in particular the growing of cherries and olives.