Moncada, Valencia

Moncada
Municipality

Coat of arms
Moncada

Location in Spain

Coordinates: 39°32′35″N 0°23′34″W / 39.54306°N 0.39278°WCoordinates: 39°32′35″N 0°23′34″W / 39.54306°N 0.39278°W
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Valencian Community
Province Valencia
Comarca Horta Nord
Judicial district Moncada
Government
  Alcalde Joan Josep Medina Esteban
Area
  Total 15.6 km2 (6.0 sq mi)
Elevation 37 m (121 ft)
Population (2008)
  Total 21,651
  Density 1,400/km2 (3,600/sq mi)
Demonym Moncadense, Moncanero
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 46113
Official language(s) Valencian
Website Official website

Moncada, or Montcada (Valencian pronunciation: [moŋˈkaða, muŋˈkaða], locally: [moŋˈka, muŋˈka]), is a municipality in the comarca of Horta Nord in the Valencian Community, Spain.

Place names

On the official writings in Latin Monscatanus was used, from mons ("mountain"), making 'Montcada' the correct original spelling and Moncada a vulgarization of the name. However, officially the town's name is written Moncada,[1] but also in Valencia accept dual Montcada/Moncada denomination, as the origin of the name is linked from the 13th century to the lineage of the House of Montcada, although the removal of the letter t dates from the 15th century, where previously, the Moncada form was used in the earliest known documents relating to the Royal Acequia of the municipality, this denomination coming from the vulgar pronunciation, simplified by omitting the letter t.[2] Moreover, government agencies on language as the Valencian Academy of Language always use Montcada variant to refer to the name of the municipality of Valencia.[3]

Geography

The relief of the municipality is formed by a quaternary plain on the gently rising in the northern and western parts of Tertiary hills, an extension of the Sierra Calderona, and reaching its highest point in Tos Pelat (92 m) hill situated on the border between the terms of Bétera, Valencia and Moncada. The hills extend to the town center that has already begun to occupy the hill of Santa Barbara.

The Carraixet Ravine penetrates by northwest and cuts across the term to go out by southeast, along The Alfara Patriarch.

Neighborhoods and districts

The urban environment is the core of Moncada, together with the following population centers:[4]

  • Barrio de Los Dolores
  • Barrio del Pilar

Bordering towns

The municipality of Moncada borders the following locations: Albalat dels Sorells, Alfara the Patriarch, Bétera, Foyos, Museros, Náquera and Valencia, all of the province of Valencia.[1]

History

Commune House of the Royal Acequia de Moncada.
Old City Hall, which houses the library and the archaeological museum.

The territory of the municipality of Moncada was the subject of an intense human occupation from the early days of Romanization. There are few data we have from earlier times. In the area known as the Xop and in some fields for extraction of clay for pottery, appeared a few fragments of ceramic belonging to handmade vessels and two arrowheads. Also before the Roman times is the Iberian settlement of Tos Pelat, which remaining parts of its walled town and were seen sections of the walls of the rooms, and were for a long time been collected fragments of Iberian vessels with geometric decoration painted and even whole pieces. We know the existence of two large rustic Roman villas, one in the departure of Pou or Pousaig and the other in the departure of Bordellet. By the characteristics of the collected materials, both towns should to blossom during the 2nd and early 3rd centuries AD.

The origin of the population is attributed to the Iberian or Roman period, due to the archaeological materials found in its term. King James I in 1239 granted to the inhabitants of the conquered lands of Valencia, of all water and major medium and minor irrigation ditch, but literal, and expressly reserved the channel that was called Real, that it was going to Puzol, better known as "Royal Ditch of Moncada" that irrigate the most of the left bank of the River Turia, from Paterna to Puzol. It extended the boundaries of irrigation on the twenty towns and thirteen districts that conform the irrigable area of the Royal Ditch of Moncada, specifically the populations of Cuart de Poblet, Paterna, Burjassot, Godella, Rocafort, Moncada, Alfara of the Patriarch, Vinalesa, Bonrepos and Mirambell, Almácera, Foyos, Meliana, Albalat dels Sorells, Museros, Albuixech, Masalfasar, Masamagrell, Puebla de Farnals, Rafelbuñol, El Puig and Puzol, and the hamlets of Benimámet, Beniferri, Masarrochos, Benifaraig, Carpesa, Borbotó, Houses of Bárcena, Mahuella, Tauladella, Rafalell and Vistabella.

The first written documentation come from, however, of the time of the conquest. Some years later, Moncada returned to crown and was changed to the Order of the Temple by the Farmhouse of Ruzafa in 1246 (to have greater strategic value by keeping the southern flank of the capital of the Kingdom). In 1248 the commander of the Templars granted Municipal corporation Population Charter and about in the same time was created the bailiff of Moncada, one of the richest of the Order of the Temple, and after the Order of Montesa, which was passed after being suppressed in the early 14th century.

During the War of Succession in 1706, Moncada was occupied by the Bourbon army. This occupation lasted short time as Basset, Austracist general, forced it to raise its reals.

After the Civil War, the city suffered a widespread destruction during the conflict and Salvador Rodrigo Rosalen is left in front of City Hall.

Moncada Islamic Necropolis

In 1996 to realize the excavations for the foundations of a house in Barreres street were found seven human burials pointing to an Islamic origin; Islamic culture were dated between the 11th and 13th centuries. Located archaeologically the location of the Islamic necropolis, the subsequent discovery in 2006 of some silos and the remains of two houses in The Ravalet, dating from the Almohad period (12th century), allowed the archaeological finding Islamic origin or previous of the city.[5]

Between November 2006 and January 2007 in San Roque Street, following the demolition of a house, they found 25 to 30 bodies of young people in good condition and a few babies in almost good condition, dating from around the 12th century. Some showing large head injuries, which were shattered by impacts. It is presumed that the bodies found professed the Muslim religion by the way in which lay buried.

In early 2006, were found traces of the Moorish occupation, in what some experts have dubbed "the hamlet of Moncada" next to the Palace of the Counts of Rótova, current city council of the Municipality of Moncada. This finding corresponds to a first level. In the second level were found houses dating from the 16th century.

Demography

Moncada has a population of 21,847 inhabitants in 2010.

Economy

Moncada's economy, as well as the other towns in the Valencia region of l'Horta, is mostly agricultural, due to the geographical location that gives to the entire area of a fertiloe orchard that has been, for centuries, the main economic resource of Moncada. Despite the dominance of primary sector in agriculture area, Moncada has detach over the past 10 years by a boom in the tertiary sector, produced primarily by strong demand in the hospitality sector arising from the close presence of the Cardenal Herrera CEU University, whose influx of students has served as a stimulus for the modest local hotel industry.

Transportation

The easiest way to reach Moncada is from the city of Valencia through the CV-308.

Moncada has three stations of Metro Valencia (Moncada-Alfara, Seminar-CEU and Masias).

It also has a bus to Valencia and intercity bus service connecting the town of Moncada with its various neighborhoods.

Equity

Gate Church of San Jaime.

Festivals

- Falla La Tauleta (1973)
- Falla El Mercat (1982)
- Falla Del Poble (1982)
- Falla Badia (1984)
- Falla Tos Pelat (1987)
- Falla Amics de Masies (1994)
- Falla El Palmar (1996)
- Falla Les Eres (1997)
- Falla El Campet (1997)
- Falla Archprieste Vila - Sant Enric (2000)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Moncada in CIVIS: Municipal Information System of the Generalitat Valenciana
  2. Casanova,Emili, Congrés Internacional de Toponímia i Onomàstica Catalanes, València, April 21, 2001, Universitat de València, 2002, ISBN 978-84-370-5443-8, Electronic text (online) available at www (p-319)
  3. AVL: Spelling and noble in Valencia
  4. Moncada Nuclei Population and INE National Statistics Institute: List of population units Moncada
  5. Ajuntament de Moncada: urban archaeological interventions

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Moncada.