The historic quarter

The medieval part of Bocairent was declared a national site of artistic-historical importance in 1975. Its special character derives from many peculiarities: the way the houses appear to be stacked up on top of each other; its narrow winding stepped streets, like “les Voltes” street, Sant Joan street, “Emboç” street; the little squares, like Canterería and Sant Vicent; its medieval chapels, such as Sant Joan, Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados and Nuestra Señora de Agosto; its gateways and ancient entrance passages, like the Agost gateway, the Sant Blai gate and la Calzada Excusada passageway…The abundance of fountains in the historic quarter reminds us of the importance that water has had for the town; fountains such as Gracia, Sant Jaume, l’Aljub, Manyàs…(all of which were built between 1793 and 1794).

The parish church of Our Lady of the Assumption is one of the most important important monuments in the town; it was built on the ruins of the old Arabic castle. It is also worth mentioning the viewpoints offering panoramas of the Sierra Mariola Natural Park and the Covetes dels Moros (Moorish Caves). Another place well worth visiting is the recently restored old washhouse.

The Magic Route gives us a vision of the outskirts of the historic quarter and also of the terraced fields built by the Arabs, which are still in use today. During rehabilitation work in the historic quarter in 2008, excavations revealed the remains of several medieval houses. These important ruins demonstrate what houses would have looked like at the beginning of the process of industrialisation. People combined textile work in their houses together with work in the fields and animal husbandry. Dating from the 16th and 19th centuries there are a total of four houses with their own street. Their structures reveal wells, orchards, entrances, stockyards, industrial machinary housing…