tourism in alcalalí

Hermitage of San Juan de la Mosquera from the 18th century. In the past, the Mosquera district housed the estate, farmstead, aljama and barony. The centre of the village was the church, now the hermitage of San Juan, around which the streets were scattered with the thirty houses that existed in 1577, the various riu raus, the threshing floor, the tahona, the baking oven, the oil mill and the other agricultural elements that made it up. In 1609 it was totally depopulated, coinciding with the expulsion of the Arabs. Nowadays, there are only a few scattered houses that have been converted into summer dwellings and the Hermitage of San Juan itself. This was ordered to be built by the archbishop San Juan de Ribera and has been preserved to this day in its original form and integrity, with only the missing bell tower.

Ermita del Calvario: It is dedicated to the Virgen del Calvario and its construction was carried out between 1952 and 1954. All the inhabitants of the municipality contributed to its construction, voluntarily, free of charge and spontaneously.
voluntarily, free of charge and spontaneously. Subsequently, in 1956, the construction of the sacristy began, and the work was completed in May of the following year, thanks to the economic contribution of the whole town and the selfless work of the inhabitants. The sacristy was the site of the holy Christ of the Thirst, which presides over it. It is the work of Francisco Navarro Soriano and is a work of remarkable artistic value for its anatomical precision, for the exemption of all impasto and paint and for the vigorous and dramatic attitude with which the Lord is represented.

Sport is intimately linked to nature, especially to mountain sports such as hiking, paragliding, cycling, etc. Moreover, as the weather is exceptional, these sports can be practised at any time of the year.

Medieval Tower: The inhabitants of Alcalalí were victims of frequent attacks by pirates and bandits.
bandits. To protect himself from these invasions, Mosen Pedro de Castellví, sovereign of Alcalalí and Jalón, ordered the construction, at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th century, of a tower measuring 6x8 m. and 18 m. high, to serve as a watchtower and last bastion of defence.

Don Eiximen Ruiz de Lihori built a palace-residence next to the tower in 1600, connecting both buildings with an elevated bridge. In 1833, the roof of the palace was repaired and the lookout platform of the tower was completely closed. The Town Council of Alcalalí acquired the tower in 1992 and in 1995 it was completely restored and the top floor was re-established as a lookout point.

It currently conserves its original structure and is divided into 5 floors. The Medieval Tower of Alcalalí is registered in the Register of Assets of Cultural Interest of the Spanish Historical Heritage with the category of Monument.

In 2006, conservation, restoration and interpretation work was carried out on the graffiti and engravings on the tower. These are of great historical-artistic interest and are undoubtedly of great expressive richness. These manifestations of man, made during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, give us a deeper understanding of the habits, customs, feelings and sensations of the people who inhabited the lands of Alcalalí. We can see various calendars, a swordsman, people fishing and rowing, birds and exotic animals, a shotgun, daggers, crosses, a religious image and various boats. The depiction of boats in an inland village such as Alcalalí is very interesting. It is thought that these engravings were made by sailors who may have stayed for a time in the Tower.

On the top floor of the Tower is the Mirador. From here you can enjoy magnificent panoramic views of the Vall de Pop. We can see the Coll de Rates, the neighbouring village of Parcent with its bell tower, Mount Pop de Murla, where the last battle between the Moors and Christians took place in 1609, Mount Seguili and the town of Xaló.

Church of the Natividad de Nuestra Señora: The first Catholic church built in Alcalalí, as far as is known, was
that we know of, was built in 1577. Later, in 1582, the second church was built and between 1768 and 1808, the Parish Church of the Nativity of Our Lady was largely destroyed during the Civil War. Many neighbours hid valuable objects in their houses, which were returned at the end of the war. Reconstruction work was completed in 1961.

The church contains images of important historical and artistic value, such as the image of the Cristo de la Salud. You can also visit the Parish Museum, which displays old chasubles, the Lihori family's clothing and, among other objects of interest, a library with the history of the church.