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81-457: The Miguelete Tower is a Valencian Gothic style tower, it is 51 m. high to the terrace, and it is 63 m. (206.7 ft.) in total. It has the shape of an octagonal prism and has 207 steps. For many centuries it was called "New Bell" or "Champ of the Cathedral", to differentiate it from the "Old Bell", a square tower with a Romanesque style that was located on Barchilla Street, but little remains of

162-670: A nationality of Spain, and in accordance to the second article of the Spanish Constitution which grants autonomy to the " nationalities and regions " that compose the Spanish nation, Valencia was granted self-government and constituted itself as an autonomous community in 1982, with the promulgation of its first Statute of Autonomy , the basic organic law, later approved by the General Courts of Spain. All autonomous communities were organized politically within

243-522: A parliamentary system ; that is, the executive branch of government. The "President" is dependent on the direct support of the legislative power , whose members elect him by majority . A new Statute of Autonomy was promulgated in 2006. The government of Valencia is represented by the Generalitat Valenciana (statutorily referred to simply as La Generalitat ) constituted by three institutions: The Generalitat can also be integrated by

324-810: A definite end with the Expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609 by the Hispanic Monarchy, which represented the loss of up to one third of the population of the Kingdom of Valencia and took the main agricultural labor force away. In 1707, in the context of the War of the Spanish Succession , and by means of the Nova Planta decrees, king Philip V of Spain abolished the Kingdom of Valencia, and

405-763: A part of the Subbaetic Range . The most emblematic mountain of the Valencian Community is the Penyagolosa , in the Alcalatén area. It is widely thought to be the highest peak with 1,813 m, but actually the highest peak is the Calderón (1,839 m) located in the Rincón de Ademuz , a Valencian exclave between Aragon and Castilla–La Mancha . The most emblematic mountain in the southern part of

486-431: A precise study of demographic states and processes. Valencian population traditionally concentrated in localities with fertile cultivation and growing lowlands by the most important rivers ( Júcar or Xúquer , Turia or Túria , Segura , and Vinalopó ), also in harbour cities important to the agricultural trade. In actuality, population is particularly dense along the coast as well as in central and southern regions of

567-458: A very considerable population increase, even greater during the summer season, mainly due to the seasonal migrations of the tourism industry workforce. The main metropolitan areas of the Valencian Community according to their population are three, plus a fourth one shared with the Region of Murcia . The most populous one is the metropolitan area of Valencia , which is located in the central area of

648-492: A wooden structure, located on stone pillars, similar to that existing in many other bell towers of the Crown of Aragon . The current belfry is an attachment built between 1660 and 1736. The terrace had an elegant openwork or "pierced" crest that served as a crown and that was razed in the 18th century, being replaced first by a wooden railing and in the 19th century by a metal railing until the restoration of 1983. The third level of

729-413: Is Violante, from 1735. The other trebles are Ursula (1438), Barbara (1681), Paul (1489), and Narcissus (1529). Of the great bells, Vincent (1569), Andrew (1604), Manuel (1621), Jaime (1429) and María (1544). It is one of the most numerous sets of Gothic bells in all of Spain, with two large Gothic (Catalina and Jaime) and six smaller Gothic, Ursula, Pablo, Narciso, Vicente, Andrés and María, to which we add

810-644: Is an architectural style . It occurred under the Kingdom of Valencia between the 13th and 15th centuries, which places it at the end of the European Gothic period and at the beginning of the Renaissance . The term "Valencian Gothic" is confined to the Kingdom of Valencia and its area of influence, which has its own characteristics. The common characteristics of the Valencian Gothic are

891-493: Is currently lost. In the first years of the performances of the Valencian Bell Towers Guild some of the peals were still automatic, since four of the electrified ones retained their engines. However, after the great restoration of 1992, only Barbara's flip impulse engine, the bell that warns the daily choir, was left. External mechanisms had also been provided to play by pulling Manuel (daily peal to close

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972-522: Is divided into three provinces : Castellón , Valencia and Alicante . According to Valencia's Statute of Autonomy , the Valencian people are a "historical nationality" . Their origins date back to the 1238 Aragonese conquest of the Taifa of Valencia . The newly-founded Kingdom of Valencia enjoyed its own legal entity and administrative institutions as a component of the Crown of Aragon , under

1053-480: Is intended to be the modern conception of self-government of the Valencian Community from the first autonomist movements during Second Spanish Republic , but also joining it to the traditional conception of Valencian identity, as being the successor to the historical Kingdom of Valencia. In fact, after a bipartisan reform of the Valencian Statute of Autonomy in 2006, it records the foral civil law , using

1134-414: Is made up of the municipalities of Castellón de la Plana , Almassora , Villarreal , Benicàssim , Borriol and Burriana or Borriana, and has 309,420 inhabitants (INE 2008) and an area of 340 km²; Castellón de la Plana is the main centre and most populous municipality of this metropolitan area. The Murcia - Orihuela metropolitan area includes the urban area of Orihuela in the Valencian Community, plus

1215-475: Is managed through occasional nocturnal restrictions during summer and exploitation of aquifers. Valencia's water needs result in harsh contention with neighbouring autonomous communities such as Castilla–La Mancha and Catalonia. Agriculture—more specifically, citrus cultivation for the export market—was responsible for Valencia's first economic boom in the late 19th century, after centuries of slow development and even decay. Although in absolute terms

1296-525: Is more diversified with a higher presence of vegetables , especially in the Vega Baja del Segura area. Though the low insulation rate and overall stable weather during the summer may pose a threat to water supplies for agriculture and human consumption, conversely this climate allows tourism to be the province's main industry. Very dense residential housing along the coast, occupied by locals, people from inland Spain and from other EU countries (mostly from

1377-486: Is the bell room with eight windows, seven of them used by the bells. The eighth corresponds to the spiral staircase, which from here becomes narrower. In 1425 the tower was already completed to the terrace, but the spire project conceived by Antonio Dalmau was not continued. The plans are preserved in the Municipal Historical Museum of Valencia. The bell of the hours, named El Miguelete, hung from

1458-437: Is the town in the Valencian Community with the smallest number of inhabitants. The study of the demographic evolution of the Valencian Community can be divided into two clearly differentiated periods, which belong to two different moments of the demographic transition: the old demographic cycle or regime (until the 18th century), characterized by high mortality and high birth rates, and the modern demographic regime or cycle (from

1539-483: Is very unevenly distributed: it is concentrated on the coastal strip and has an average population density of 224.3 inhabitants/km². The community has shown strong demographic growth from the 1960s until 2023, when it reaches its maximum; 17.03% of its population is of foreign nationality (INE 2023). Despite the high population rate, there are 24 municipalities, most of them in the province of Castellón, that have less than 100 inhabitants. Castell de Cabres with 19 inhabitants

1620-550: The Comité Econòmic i Social (Social and Economic Committee). Prior to the 1833 territorial division of Spain Valencia was divided into four administrative provinces of Spain : Alicante , Castellón , Valencia and Xàtiva . From 1833, the current three-province system was consolidated: The Valencian Community is further divided into 34 comarques (including the city of Valencia) and 542 municipalities (141 in

1701-734: The Community of Madrid with more than five million inhabitants. Its homonymous capital Valencia is the third largest city and metropolitan area in Spain. It is located along the Mediterranean coast on the east side of the Iberian Peninsula . It borders Catalonia to the north, Aragon and Castilla–La Mancha to the west, and Murcia to the south, and the Balearic Islands are to its east. The Valencian Community

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1782-844: The Fall of the Western Roman Empire , during the Barbarian Invasions in the 5th century AD, the region was first invaded by the Alans and finally ruled by the Visigoths (see Valencian Gothic ), until the arrival of the Arabs in 711, which left a broad impact in the region, still visible in today's Valencian landscape and culture. After the fall of the Caliphate of Cordova , two main independent taifas were established at

1863-671: The House of Bourbon , a new Kingdom of Spain was formed implementing a more centralized government and absolutist regime than the former Habsburg Spain . The first attempt to gain self-government , or autonomous government, for the Valencian Community in modern-day Spain was during the Second Spanish Republic , in 1936, but the Civil War broke out and the autonomist project was suspended. In 1977, after Franco 's dictatorship Valencia started to be partially autonomous with

1944-681: The Segura in the province of Alicante, whose source is in Andalusia , and the Júcar (or Xúquer ) in the province of Valencia, whose source is in Castilla–La Mancha . Both are subjected to very intense human regulation for cities, industries and, especially, agricultural consumption. The river Turia (or Túria ) is the third largest and has its source in Aragon . Most rivers in the area, such as

2025-701: The Valencian Country . The current autonomous community under the Generalitat Valenciana self-government institution was established in 1982 after the Spanish Transition . Official languages are Spanish and Valencian (the official and traditional name used in the Valencian Community to refer to what is commonly known as the Catalan language ). As of 2020, the population of the Valencian Community comprised 10.63% of

2106-506: The Vinalopó , are usually short, have little current (due to agricultural usage, climatic reasons or both) and are often completely dry during the summer. Other Valencian rivers are the Serpis and Sénia . The Valencian Community is, with 5,216,195 inhabitants (INE 2023), the fourth autonomous community in Spain by population, and represents 10.85% of the national population. Its population

2187-473: The desertic climate ( Köppen BWh ) are also found in the Valencian Community. The Csb climate is more common and is found in inland, high altitude areas (generally starting above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft)) across the 3 provinces of the Valencian Community, especially in the interior of Castellón but also in El Rincón de Ademuz and the north of Los Serranos comarcas in the province of Valencia . In

2268-449: The 20th century, including Alcoy or Alcoi , Elda , Ontinyent , Petrer , Villena , and La Vall d'Uixó . In recent decades, the concentration of population around the large capitals has increased and large metropolitan areas have been formed, although the demographic concentration has also occurred in coastal towns and cities, so that traditionally small populations, such as Benidorm , Gandia , Calpe or Torrevieja have experienced

2349-625: The Bell Ringers of the Cathedral of Valencia, which are an evolution of the Valencian Bell Tower Guild and who are part of the Valencian Federation of Bell Groups (Federación Valenciana de Campaneros). The Annual Calendar (which begins with Advent) includes all the annual liturgical feasts, as well as Advent and Lent Sundays, the peals of the eve of the solemnities in which they are sung in the Cathedral and

2430-550: The British Isles, Benelux, Germany and Scandinavia), boosts the summertime population (and hydrological demands). In 2004, Valencia's GDP was 93.9% of the European Union average, although this figure may be too low because of the important presence of foreign residents either from other regions of Europe or as economic immigrants, who are not properly represented in the official statistics. As in all of Spain, there

2511-515: The City Council of Valencia. However, the peals, over the centuries, were adapted to the needs of both the Cathedral and the City, evolving with them. The electrification meant an absolute break with tradition, since only some of the bells that had to do so were turned, the chorus peals (replaced by bell flips) disappeared and those for the dead were reduced to the minimum expression. The peals,

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2592-680: The Ebro river, the Carthaginians occupied the whole region. The dispute over the hegemony of Saguntum , a Hellenized Iberian coastal city with diplomatic contacts with Rome, destroyed by Hannibal in 219 BC, ignited the Second Punic War , which ended with the incorporation of the region to the Roman Empire. The Romans founded the city of Valentia in 138 BC, which, over the centuries overtook Saguntum in importance. After

2673-527: The Gulf of Valencia, around the Valencian Community's capital. It is the third largest in Spain, with 1,774,201 inhabitants (INE 2011). The metropolitan area of Alicante - Elche has 757,085 inhabitants (INE 2014) and is the eighth metropolitan area in Spain by population; it is the sum of the urban areas of Alicante (468,581 inhabitants) and Elche-Crevillent (288,504 inhabitants), therefore a bipolar metropolitan area. The metropolitan area of Castellón de la Plana

2754-466: The INE, the largest metropolitan areas are: In the process whereby democracy was restored in Spain between 1975 and 1978, the nationalist and regionalist parties pressed to grant home rule to certain territories in Spain. The constitution of 1978 opened a legal way for autonomous communities to be formed from provinces with common historical and cultural links. In recognition of the Valencian Community as

2835-541: The Kingdom of Valencia as a third independent country within the Crown of Aragon in 1238. The kingdom developed intensively in the 14th and 15th centuries, which are considered the Golden Age of the Valencian culture, with significant works like the chivalric romance of Tirant lo Blanch . Valencia developed into an important kingdom in Europe economically through the silk trade. It also rose to power politically with

2916-523: The Mediterranean, or by land through Catalonia . The Valencian territory has few natural resources; the only important mineral deposit is the marble quarried in Alicante province. Hydrological resources (see Geography above) are also lacking: the demand for water exceeds the supply, with this imbalance especially serious in Alicante province. In particularly severe drought years, the problem

2997-498: The Miguelete itself. Only the ones in the windows and the Miguelete for the clock are automated. Barbara, for the daily choir ringing, as well as Manuel for ringing to close the city gates, and María for call to prayers. These three do not prevent manual ringing. The Bell Tower of the Cathedral of Valencia has had, since its origins, a written list of the bell peals, which was part of the "Consueta" or liturgical customs and uses of

3078-480: The Province of Alicante, 135 in the Province of Castellón, and 266 in the Province of Valencia). Valencia is long and narrow, running mainly north–south; historically, its rather steep and irregular terrain has made communications and the exploitation of the soil difficult, although the soil of the coastal plain is particularly fertile . This coastal axis has facilitated connections with Europe, either by sea through

3159-675: The Spanish population. The city of Valencia (capital of the Valencian Community) was founded by the Romans under the name of Valentia Edetanorum , or simply Valentia , which translates to "strength" or "valour", in full "strength of the Edetani " (the centre of Edetania was Edeta , an important old Iberian settlement 25 km north of Valencia, in what is now modern day Llíria , other important nearby settlements included Arse–Saguntum , Saetabis and Dianium ). With

3240-816: The Valencian Community were the Iberians , who were divided in several groups (the Contestani , the Edetani , the Ilercavones and the Bastetani ). The Greeks established colonies in the coastal towns of Saguntum and Dianium beginning in the 5th century BC, where they traded and mixed with the local Iberian populations. After the end of the First Punic War between Carthage and Rome in 241 BC, which established their limits of influence in

3321-494: The agricultural sector has continued to grow, the boom in the secondary and tertiary sectors during the Spanish miracle of the 1960s, has meant that its relative importance has decreased over time. The provinces of Castellón and Valencia still have thousands of hectares of citrus-producing groves and citrus continues to be a major source of income on the countryside. Province of Alicante also grows citrus, but its agriculture

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3402-532: The bells, facilities, and the bell tower as a whole, was carried out first by the Valencian Bell Tower Guild and now by their successors, the Bell Ringers of the Cathedral of Valencia. This has been possible through various sources of financing including direct subsidies from the Valencian Government or the City Council of Valencia via an annual line in the city budget. The six iron yokes of

3483-452: The cathedral bells consisted of ringing the five major bells. The others were rung for the dead and in exceptional cases for an extraordinary event. The electrification, carried out by The Roses Brothers of Adzaneta de Albaida, regardless of the original characteristics, consisted of the mechanization of six bells: two trebles, one of the medium ones, Barbara, and the three minor of the large ones (Vicente, Andrés and Jaime). The solemn ringing of

3564-404: The cathedral. As a brief summary, the bells oscillated and rang at least since the middle of the 15th century and that in the 16th century the turn, or full circle ringing of all the bells prevailed, since it began with Mary, the largest of all. There were different chorus rings throughout the day, week, and year, and there were different rings according to the season. There were also peals for

3645-439: The conflict between two competing names: "Valencian Country" and "Former Kingdom of Valencia". On one hand, "Valencian Country" represented the modern conception of nationality that resurged in the 19th century. It became well-established during the Second Spanish Republic and later on with the works of Joan Fuster in the 1960s, implying the existence of the "Catalan Countries" ( Països Catalans ). This nationalist subtext

3726-496: The corners and the fine moldings that indicate the different levels of the floors. The first level is solid, leaving only the gap for the spiral staircase. The second level has a vaulted enclosure, which is the old prison or Cathedral Asylum with a single exterior window. The third level is the "Home of the Bell-Ringer ", another vaulted enclosure similar to the previous one although larger and with two windows. The upper floor

3807-682: The creation of the Council of the Valencian Country ( Consell del País Valencià ), and in 1982 the self-government was finally extended into a Statute of Autonomy ( Estatut d'Autonomia ) creating several self-government institutions under the Generalitat Valenciana . The first democratically elected President of the Generalitat Valenciana , Joan Lerma , took office in 1982 as part of the transition to autonomy. The Valencian Statute of Autonomy make clear that Valencia

3888-409: The dead, with a dozen different combinations, and festival peals, based exclusively on the turning of the five major bells, since the others do not dizen in the words of Canon Herrera, author of the famous Consueta of 1705. There was also no shortage of other peals such as for storms, those for taking souls out of purgatory, or those of alarm, as well as the closure of the city gates that was in charge of

3969-559: The dunes, thus forming now protected areas of remarkable ecologic value. In addition to mainland Valencia, the Valencian territory administers the tiny Columbretes Islands and the coastal inhabited islet of Tabarca . Valencia has a generally pleasant climate, with mild winters and hot summers, heavily influenced by the neighbouring Mediterranean sea. Still, there are important differences between areas: The warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen Csb ), humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ), oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb ) and

4050-440: The end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th), in which the drop in mortality initially caused a demographic transition, with strong increases in the population, which passed in its final moments of demographic stability thanks to the drop in birth rates. In the case of the Valencian Community, and in Spain as a whole, both cycles temporarily coincided with the non-presence of reliable population censuses, which would not allow

4131-537: The establishment of the Muslim Taifa of Valencia , during the Al-Andalus period, the name developed to بلنسية ( Balansiya ). The modern names of the city are Valencia (Spanish) and València (Valencian). The older spellings Valençia , Ualençia and Ualència are also found in pre-reform Spanish and Valencian texts. To distinguish it from its capital city, a number of names have been used for

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4212-408: The five major bells of the Cathedral shifted to a more parochial form with small, medium and large bells. Mechanization was carried out as an irreversible process, which had two consequences: due to limitations of the technology of the moment, neither the mechanisms reproduced the rich variety of local ringing style, nor did the facilities allow manual ringing. Budgetary constraints allowed only six of

4293-489: The following: The most important valencian architects of the Valencian Gothic style are: Pere Compte , Francesc Baldomar  [ es ] , Pere Balaguer , Andreu Julià  [ es ] , etc. The most important buildings of the Valencian civil Gothic style are: Valencian Community#Government The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain . It is the fourth most populous Spanish autonomous community after Andalusia , Catalonia and

4374-642: The former wetlands and salt evaporation ponds in the Santa Pola and Torrevieja area. All of them are key Ramsar sites which make Valencia of high relevance for both migratory and resident seabirds and waterbirds. There are many important coastal dunes in the Saler area near the Albufera and in the Guardamar area, both of them were planted with thousands of trees during the 19th century in order to fix

4455-669: The gates) and María (peal for prayers four times a day) by pulling the rope. Consequently, there are currently two distinct blocks of peals: automatic and manual. The automatic ones are limited to the prayer signs (three soundings of Maria's clapper for each of the three Angelus and five soundings of the clapper for the peal of Souls), Manuel's closing of city gates (for half an hour, first every two minutes and then accelerating to maximum speed), and Barbara's three choir flips at 09:01, 09:16 and 09:26, two pre-day and afternoon Angelus peals on Saturday and Sunday and one last peal for worship on Saturday at 7:45 pm. The manual peals are interpreted by

4536-441: The great celebrations. All this is recorded in the Consueta Nova, based on the Consueta de Herrera of 1705, and updated to the current needs of both liturgical and citizen life. Thus, the announcement peals of the feast day from the day before at noon have disappeared (except for the festivities of the Virgin of the Forsaken and Corpus Christi) since the current bell ringers, volunteers, have work or study obligations, and live far from

4617-493: The historic center (which is more and more depopulated). Nowadays it makes more sense to touch the holidays at noon, with ringing or flipping depending on the holiday, to build the community holiday, when people walk through the historic center. There are three peals of dawn left: for the Virgin of the Forsaken , for Corpus Christi , and for the Assumption of Mary . In general, the bells are turned with ropes, thus recovering traditional techniques of both stopping and flipping that

4698-404: The institutions that the Valencian Courts create. The Courts have approved the creation of the Síndic de Greuges ( Ombudsman ), the Sindicatura de Comptes (Public Audit Office), the Consell Valencià de Cultura (Valencian Council of Culture), the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua (Valencian Academy of the Language), the Consell Jurídic Consultiu (Juridic and Consultative Council) and

4779-400: The last bell ringers before electrification had perfected, as well as changing rhythms. The peal is facilitated by self-centered bearings so that most of the hoods, except Maria, Catalina, Narcissus, or Pablo that still retain the traditional installation, will be maintained as long as the hoods operate safely and without excessive effort. Visits to the Miguelete Tower are possible every day of

4860-481: The machined bells were replaced with wooden yokes. The wooden windows that act as a loudspeaker were replaced, as well as the ratchets. The playing platform has been put at a safer height for the bell ringers, and this also allows them to better see their work. The rooms have been equipped with new electric wiring and new barred doors that allow visitors to see the interior even if closed. Electronic mechanisms for daily and automatic ringing have been replaced twice due to

4941-424: The media and Spanish written language. However, the variant of "Valencian Country" ( País Valencià ) that emphasizes the nationality status of the Valencian people is still the preferred one by left-wing parties, civil associations, Valencian written language and major Valencian public institutions. "Valencian Community" is a neologism that was specifically adopted after democratic transition in order to solve

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5022-565: The metropolitan agglomerations of Murcia, Molina de Segura and Alcantarilla, in the neighboring Region of Murcia . This supraregional metropolitan area has a total population of 776,784 inhabitants (INE 2009), an area of 1,787 km² and a density of 445.54 inhabitants/km², making it the seventh largest in Spain. In recent decades the concentration of the population in the provincial capitals and in their metropolitan areas has increased considerably, in cities such as Torrent , Mislata , Paterna , Burjassot , or San Vicente del Raspeig . According to

5103-419: The middle of a prolonged Avenida de la Paz and the beginning of what would become the Plaza de la Reina . The entrance of this bell, very sonorous, modified the sound of the set. The bell room was not modified until the electrification of the bells, which meant the removal of the wooden doors, replaced yokes, ratchets, and the large beam from which the two trebel or minor bells hung. The traditional ringing of

5184-429: The most creative and ancient touch of the Cathedral, which sounded no less than two hundred times a year, was stopped and faded from collective memory. They also canceled the daily signs of both prayer and closing the city walls. The new peals only announce masses: that original meaning of the bells of not only announcing but accompanying, with the loudest community music, the festive, painful or daily events of citizen life

5265-550: The original walls. Little by little its name changed to "Torre del Miguelete" after the great bell of the hours, which has served to name the whole by metonymy . Originally it was a separate tower, and it was joined to the Cathedral at the end of the 15th century when the central nave was extended. It has access through an angular portal adorned with archivolts and a passage covered with curious ribbed turns. The octagonal tower measures 50.85 m, its perimeter being equal to its height, with external decoration of diagonal buttresses on

5346-446: The province of Alicante this climate is only found in the highest altitudes of Serra de Mariola and Sierra de Aitana . Both Cfa and Cfb climates can be only found in the interior of the province of Castellón, with marginal presence in the Valencian province, only in the Rincón de Ademuz comarca. The presence of the desertic climates ( BWh ) is marginal to scarcely populated areas south of Elche . There are only two major rivers:

5427-422: The purview of the Furs of Valencia . Valencia experienced its Golden Age in the 15th century, as it became the Crown's economic capital. Local institutions and laws continued during the dynastic union of the early modern Spanish Monarchy , but were suspended in 1707 as a result of the Spanish War of Succession . Valencian nationalism emerged towards the end of the 19th century, leading to the modern conception of

5508-460: The rapid evolution of technology. On 25 December 2014, the Jaume bell suffered a serious incident that has not been investigated and for the recovery of the bell a destructive, invasive and irreversible system was chosen, consisting of sawing the handles and drilling the crown thus mutilating the bell. The Cathedral of Valencia has three sets of bells, differentiated by their use, and therefore located in different places. The Bell Tower, and especially

5589-480: The region, Valencia and Dénia , along with the small and short living taifas of Orihuela , Alpuente , Jérica and Sagunt and the short Christian conquest of Valencia by El Cid . However, the origins of present-day Valencia date back to the Kingdom of Valencia , which came into existence in the 13th century. James I of Aragon led the Christian conquest and colonization of the existing Islamic taifas with Aragonese and Catalan colonizers in 1208; they founded

5670-403: The region. After the Christian conquest, it became the Kingdom of Valencia . In the last decades, Valencian Community has become the preferred name to avoid any controversy . "Valencian Community" is the standard translation of the official name in Valencian recognized by the Statute of Autonomy of 1982 ( Comunitat Valenciana ). This is the name most used in public administration, tourism,

5751-419: The rest of the states belonging to the former Crown of Aragon and which had retained some autonomy, and subordinated it to the structure of the Kingdom of Castile and its laws and customs. As a result of this, the institutions and laws created by the Law of Valencia ( Furs de València ) were abolished and the usage of the Valencian language in official instances and education was forbidden. Consequently, with

5832-779: The rise of the Crown of Aragon, (within which the Kingdom of Valencia had achieved the largest population and the greatest economic power at that time) and the ascension of the Valencian House of Borja in Rome (see Route of the Borjas , Route of the Monasteries and Route of the Classics ). After a slow decline following the dynastic union of the Crown of Aragon with the Kingdom of Castile, Valencia's successful status came to

5913-553: The set of bells, are in immediate operation. On the deck of the dome, is the old signal bell that is now in disuse. In the bell of the Bell Tower are the two bells of the clock: that of the quarters, from 1736 and the Miguelete, intended exclusively for playing the hours. The latter gives its name to the tower and is the largest that was used throughout the Crown of Aragon; it was first melted after agreement of 1418 and had to be recast several times: in 1465, 1484 and 1521, until it

5994-859: The territory is the Aitana (1,558 m). The rather thin coastal strip is a very fertile plain without remarkable mountains except those around the Cap de la Nau area in northern Alicante province and the Peñíscola area in the Castellón province. Typical of this coastal area are wetlands and marshlands such as L'Albufera close to Valencia, El Fondo in Elche and Crevillent , La Marjal near Pego , Albufera of Gayanes in Gayanes or El Prat in Cabanes , also

6075-469: The territory, and more sparse around the inner and northern regions. Important historical cities include Sagunto and Dénia in Roman times; Valencia , Alicante , Xàtiva , Orihuela , Elche , Gandia , and Villarreal or Vila-real later on in history and, more recently, Alzira and Castellón de la Plana . Another set of noncoastal cities increased significantly in numbers due to industrialization in

6156-546: The tower was often home to bell-ringers. The last bell-ringer who lived in the Miguelete Tower was Mariano Folch, who was in charge of the bells for more than sixty years and who died around 1905. In 1940, the original set of eleven bells (six small and five large) had been altered with the addition of Eloy, a bell from the Santa Catalina Church tower, which at that time was about to become an icon in

6237-556: The traditional conception of a kingdom, and, on the other hand, it also recognizes Valencia as a nationality , in accordance with the modern conception. Valencia was affected by the 2024 Spanish floods . The inland part of the territory is craggy, with some of the highest peaks in the Valencia and Castellón provinces forming part of the Iberian Mountain Range . The mountains in the Province of Alicante are in turn

6318-524: The twelve bells existing at that time were mechanized. Therefore, six others remained in place with all their original installation. However, the limitations of the mechanization became evident when the Valencia Bell Tower Guild was commissioned to play for the 1988 Corpus Christi procession. Several bells required significant adjustments to ring, and one could not ring at all. The long continuous process of restoration and maintenance of

6399-529: The year by acquiring a ticket from the cathedral. After the performances of the Bell Ringers of the Cathedral of Valencia, visitors can see the three rooms of the bell tower through barred doors, and continue up to the terrace. The management of the tower, except for visits to the bell room, is carried out by staff of the Cathedral Chapter. Valencian Gothic Valencian Gothic ( Valencian : Gòtic valencià ; Spanish : Gótico valenciano )

6480-483: Was last in 1539. In the Bell Room there are eleven from the early construction of the building. In medieval times they spoke of "els cinc senys i les sis morlanes" and in more recent times of "the big five and six trebles". These are the ones used for the various daily, festival, funereal, and special events. The oldest is Catherine, from 1305, so far the oldest still in use across the entire Crown of Aragon. The newest

6561-699: Was opposed by anti-Catalan blaverists , who proposed "Former Kingdom of Valencia" ( Antic Regne de València ) instead, in order to emphasize Valencian independence from Catalonia. Currently, blaverists have accepted the official denomination. The autonomous community can be homonymously identified with its capital "Valencia". However, this could be disregarding of the provinces of Alicante and Castellón. Other more anecdotal translations have included "Land of Valencia", "Region of Valencia" and "Valencian Region". The term "Region", however, carries negative connotations among many Valencians because it could deny their nationality status. The pre-Roman autochthonous people of

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