Internationally known for its celebration of the Moors and Christians festival, Alcoy is primarily an industrial town. A reminder of the days of the Iberian settlers, the figure of an Iberian spinner on display at the Archeological Museum is a sign of Alcoy’s affinity with the fabric manufacturing business.
Alcoy’s history goes back to the pre-historic period when the early Neolithic settlers set up their abode in its mountains and hills. When the Arabs conquered and settled in the area, there was not really much of a city present in the present location. A few scattered farmhouses formed the settlement that the invaders triumphed over. It was during the Reconquista in 1245 when King Jaime I snatched the area from the Moors that any semblance of a city was established. Even though the King of Aragon succeeded in reclaiming the central region, there were still many outlying farmlands that were still inhabited by the Arabs. These posed a threat to the safety and security of the main town area. Many revolts led by the Moorish captain Al-Azrak were successfully quelled during the period between 1247 and 1258.
Alcoy Spain
It was during one of these revolts that the mythological appearance of Alcoy’s patron saint is said to have scared off the Moorish invaders and their captain. The city has been organizing a festival on that day every year since then in order to thank their saint and celebrate the victory over the Moors. This festival is known all over the world as the Fiesta Moros y Cristianos de Alcoy.
The production of fabrics was an important source of income for the inhabitants of Alcoy since the 13th century. By the 14th century, Alcoy had also become the hub of a growing metal industry. From the fifteenth century onwards, Alcoy became an important centre for industry.
The 19th century saw the establishment of the first school of technical learning in Alcoy, which is today a part of the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Today, the city boasts a culture that is not only a constant reminder of its past but also an example of the city’s rapid progress into a modern town.
This post has also been translated into Spanish by using the Google online translation tool, La Historia de España Alcoy is the translated post. If you feel you can add something positive to the Spanish translation please feel free to contact me through the comments section below or though The Olive Branch contact page, many thanks.
Buenas,
About 50 years ago, my husband, children and I were in Alcoy. My husband was in the Air Force, assigned to a receiver site on top of a high mountain in the area. For a couple of years we did get to go to the fiesta of the Moros and the Christians. Here is my description of the fiesta. We did go to the church to see the stained glass of St. George. After that, we stood out on the sidewalk to watch the parade of the different towns and hamlets in the area. In the square they had built a small castle. On the street, they had painted stripes of two red, one yellow, signifying the Spanish flag. I was told that the red was for blood (sangria) and the yellow was for gold (oro). The different towns and hamlets each had their own costumes and were quite colorful. During the festival they had mock battles between the Moors and the Christians, with the Moors taking the castle the first day, and the Christians taking back the castle on the second day. They had blunderbusses and sword fights and it was quite spectacular. I someday would like to go back to see this festival again. Me gusta mucho.