Villarreal
Villarreal
Vila-real (Valencian) | ||
---|---|---|
Vila-real (official) | ||
Postal code 12540 | ||
Dialing code | +34 | |
Official language(s) | Valencian and Spanish | |
Website | Official website |
Villarreal[a] (officially, in Valencian: Vila-real)[b] is a city and municipality in the province of Castellón which is part of the Valencian Community in the east of Spain.
The town is located at 42 m above sea level, 7 km to the south of the province's capital (
The town was founded with royal status by
The city is the birthplace of Francisco de Asís Tárrega y Eixea (1852–1909) who was a Spanish composer and classical guitarist of the Romantic period. He is also the composer of Gran Vals, an excerpt of which was used in a popular Nokia ringtone. In modern times Vila-real is well known for its football club that bears the city's name, a club that, in spite of the city's small size, has won the Europa League, reached the semi-finals of the Champions League (twice) and has since finished amongst the top clubs in Spain on several occasions.
Etymology
Both the Castilian Spanish Villarreal and Valencian Vila-real are cognates meaning 'Royal Village', due to the city's foundation by King James I of Aragon. Throughout the Middle Ages, as were most European settlements, it was officially known by its Latinised name Villae Regalis. A 1592 tapestry of the Valencian Parliament shows the city's representative with the old Valencian name Vilareal. It was in the late 18th century, as Spain became more centralised, that the Castilian name took over. The city was renamed in 1939, after the Spanish Civil War, as Villarreal de los Infantes (Royal Town of the Infantes), to avoid confusion with other Spanish localities with the same name. It is sometimes still referred to under this extended version.[2]
On 27 February 2006, the municipal corporation voted the Valencian name to become the exclusive official name for the municipality.[3] The agreement was thus published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado in January 2007, and the dual official name Villarreal/Vila-real removed.[3][4]
Inhabitants of the city are known as vila-realencs (male) or vila-realenques (female) in Valencian, and villarrealenses in Spanish.
History
Villarreal was founded on 20 February 1274 by King James I of Aragon (hence its royal status), to strengthen his reconquest of Eastern Spain from the Moors. It was placed strategically on the ancient
The original town was surrounded by walls, but expanded outside these limits beginning in the 14th century due to an increase in population. The demographic and economic imbalances which characterise the 15th century carried on into the beginning of the 16th with constant conflicts between the Christian population and the Mudéjars (Muslims who still lived in Christian majority Spain) who lived in the area.
During the 16th century, productive farm land was extended and enhanced by drilling wells to obtain water and convert dry land into irrigated fields, making it possible to begin commercial agriculture in the 17th century. After the city's disastrous participation in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the second half of the 18th century, the first industries were established, mainly for textiles. Also during that time, the city became involved in various revolts and wars which changed Spain's political make-up.
In the 19th century, the cultivation and trade of oranges was introduced, which gave the town great economic progress, led both by businessmen and by farmers' associations or "
Main sights
Sights in the town include:
- Basílica de Sant Pasqual (Saint Paschal's Basilica), from the 20th century (the former building was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War).
- Església de Sant Jaume (Saint James's Church), from the 18th century.
- Plaça Major (Main Square), a square surrounded by several porticoed houses built in different periods.
- The City Museum "Casa de Polo"
- Chapel and park of Mare de Déu de Gràcia (Our Lady of Grace).
- Monument of Francisco Tárrega
Economy
Villarreal's economy has evolved since the days of cultivation and trade of oranges in the last century to the manufacturing of ceramic tiles, which today is its most important source of income.
It hosts 4 of Spain's 500 largest businesses, all of which trade in the ceramic tile industry. Other industries in the city include financial services, bricks and other clay products, and basic metals.[2]
Sport
The town is home to
Villarreal CF full-back Joan Capdevila played in the Spain national squad that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Capdevila and Villarreal teammate Marcos Senna played in the Spain national squad that won UEFA Euro 2008.
Notes
- ^ Spanish pronunciation: [ˌbiʎareˈal]
- ^ Valencian pronunciation: [ˈvila reˈal]
References
- ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
- ^ a b quality-Datenbank Klaus Gebhardt e.K. "Villarreal de los Infantes in Spain (Espana)". Top500.de. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ^ a b "El topónimo Vila-real ya es oficial a todos los efectos". El Periódico Mediterráneo. 20 February 2007.
- ISSN 0212-033X.
- ^ "Europa League 2010/11". Web oficial del Villarreal CF. Retrieved 27 September 2018.