Xátiva, the city of a thousand fountains.
A colourful mosaic of civilizations molded the architecture,history, and culture of the alluring Xativa we see today.
Its urban Arab framework hides churches, convents and palaces that witnessed sieges and revolutions, but also legends and traditions we are about to discover in this exciting route.
Ever since the Neanderthal man set the foot in the nearby landscapes of the Black Cove , Xátiva has been inhabited by each and every one of the civilizations that occupied the Iberian Peninsula.
The Iberians in Saitabi (Iberian for Xativa), with renown riders in the campaigns of the Carthaginian general Hannibal, even minted their first coins at the end of the third century before Christ. The Iberian Saitabi would later turn into Saetabis Augusta (Saetábis), a borough under Latin law famous for the quality of its linens, as well as for its strategic position on the Vía Augusta.
Afterwards, under the Visigothic rule, Xativa turned into a bishopric and its bishops took active part in the councils of Toledo. Later, under the Arab domination, Medina Xateba became a flourishing cultural center, and the earliest European center of paper manufacture, as well as home to poets and scholars.
In 1244 the king James I conquered the town and gave it back its Christian character. Under his rule, the Castle was enlarged and turned into a state prison and the town awarded with the title “City” in 1346. Therefore, it turned into the second city in the Kingdom of Valencia.
Renown noble families moved in and enhanced the splendour of Xativa, until the revenge of Felipe V fell on the city. The city of Xativa had sided with the unsuccessful Archduke Charles of Austria in the War of Spanish Succession, and the eventually victorious Felipe V unleashed his wrath by ordering the town to be burned, destroyed and renamed, as he tried to bury Xativa into oblivion.
Fortunately, Xátiva recovered its importance and name over the 18th and 19th centuries. It also struggled to recover its lost bishopric. However, despite being the birthplace of two of the popes who would go down history, and housed a splendorous basilica, Xativa would never become the bishopric.
Today Xátiva is a city with about 28,000 (30,000) inhabitants, capital of a district and an outstanding service center, with a bustling commercial activity.
A city that surprises, which proudly exhibits its past full of illustrious figures of all periods – saints, bishops and cardinals. Some of them deserve a special mentio, this is the case of the Borgia popes, Calixto III and Alexander VI, or artists such as Jose Ribera “The Españoleto”, scholars and writers as the Villanueva brothers, explorers and inventors such as Francisco de Paula Marti (Martí), inventor of the Shorthand and of the fountain pen among many others.
Its streets hide thousands of stories and legends, some of them tragic. Its castle dominates and embraces this magical town, whose history and past will soon surprise you.
Welcome to Xátiva, welcome to the city of a thousand fountains, of the Borgia Popes, of the city burned by the wrath of a king.
You are invited to discover this unique and alluring place.
GPS de Introducción histórica: 38.9897, -0.522172
GPS de Monumento conmemorativo a los defensores de la ciudad, maulets: 38.9896, -0.522103
GPS de Iglesia de Sant Francesc: 38.9893, -0.522028
GPS de Fuente real de Sant Francesc, La ciudad de las mil fuentes: 38.9892, -0.522167
GPS de La calle Montcada, la nobleza de Xátiva: 38.9892, -0.521711
GPS de Colegiata Basílica o La Seu, Iglesia Colegial Basílica de Santa María: 38.9876, -0.519683
GPS de Antiguo Hospital. Plaza de Calixto III: 38.9874, -0.520719
GPS de Antiguo Convento de Sant Doménec: 38.9866, -0.521116
GPS de Puerta barroca dels Escalons, Tradición de las santas Anastasia y Basilisa: 38.9878, -0.519565
GPS de Real Monasterio de Santa Clara. Fuente del antiguo portal del Lleó: 38.9892, -0.519243
GPS de Plaza de la Trinitat: 38.9893, -0.518353
GPS de Calle del Angel. Palacio del Barón de Sacro-lirio. Fuente del Angel: 38.9893, -0.51779
GPS de Casa natalicia de Rodrigo de Borja, futuro papa Alejandro VI: 38.989, -0.517291
GPS de Plaza de Sant Pere: 38.9892, -0.516744
GPS de Fuente real de los veinticinco caños: 38.9884, -0.512409
GPS de Jardiín romántico de Carmen Pérez o del Beso: 38.9888, -0.512699
GPS de Introducción a la Xátiva Antigua. Costa del Castell: 38.9862, -0.519764
GPS de Iglesia ermita de Sant Josep: 38.9859, -0.518165
GPS de Mirador a la ciudad El Bellveret: 38.9861, -0.519812
GPS de Restos arqueológicos de un palacio árabe: 38.9856, -0.51897
GPS de Iglesia Sant Feliú: 38.9849, -0.519308
GPS de Iglesia Sant Feliu. Interior: 38.9848, -0.519533
GPS de Nevera .Descripción y su historia: 38.9842, -0.520681
GPS de Introducción al Museo Municipal del L'almodí de Xátiva: 38.9876, -0.522333
GPS de Edificio de L'almodí. Patio renacentista antiguo Almudín o depósito de trigo.: 38.9876, -0.522317
GPS de Edificio Aduana de Mercaderías o Peso Real. Estructuración de las salas de exposiciones.: 38.9875, -0.522317
GPS de Planta 3ª Los orígenes de Xátiva.: 38.9876, -0.522349
GPS de Plantas 2ª y 1ª: 38.9876, -0.522376
GPS de Introducción al Castillo de Xátiva.: 38.9831, -0.51823
GPS de Plaza de armas: 38.9829, -0.51845
GPS de Decantación. Sistemas de aljibes: 38.9828, -0.518514
GPS de Escalera cañones.: 38.9828, -0.519329
GPS de Cañones: 38.9828, -0.519598
GPS de Torre redonda: 38.9827, -0.519544
GPS de Acceso al segundo recinto fortificado. Pavimento de opus spicatum: 38.9829, -0.52
GPS de Jardines árabe, romano, cristiano: 38.9829, -0.520665
GPS de Dehesa y conjunto de cuatro aljibes de origen islámico: 38.9831, -0.520982
GPS de Puerta Santa María. Defensa en codo y dependencias nobles.: 38.9826, -0.521078
GPS de Capilla gótica de Santa María: 38.9826, -0.521507
GPS de Cárcel Historica, prisioneros ilustres del Castillo. Historia del Conde de Urgel: 38.9825, -0.521711
GPS de Sala del Duque de Calabria: 38.9825, -0.521738
GPS de Torre de Baset: 38.9824, -0.522226
Audioguías 2009-2011 | Audioguiasonline.com se publica bajo licencia Creative Commons