Visiting Lliber, take a look at Spains rich history in this magical town
The Costa Blanca is more than just an assortment of breath-taking beaches and mesmerising views. The region’s rich history reveals conquests, ruins, passion, and beauty. And from this juxtaposition of cultural clashes, the quintessential Spanish culture was born.
So if you’d like to know where Spanish roots come from, read on and we’ll take you on a virtual visit to the magic town of Lliber.
Romans, Muslims & Catholics
The soundest theory about Lliber is that it has Roman origins. Perhaps the strongest evidence is its name, which may come from praedium Liberii, or in English, the estate of Liberius. That being said, remains found near the Pozo de Gata area reveal that before that it might have been an Iberian settlement.
Despite it primarily being an Iberian and Roman settlement, there are some documents in Vall del Pop that describe the place as a Muslim settlement as well. Evidence of this is present not only in the found documents but also in the architecture and remains found in the city and the surrounding area.
By the year 1256, Jaume I conquered the lands and defeated the Muslims. Subsequently, it was given to Constanza of Sicilia who enjoyed the income from Lliber until the 1300s.
In the year 1408, the lord of the lands, Pedro de Castellví sold them to Jaime Verdeguer. In doing so, he decided to divide the territory into two manors, Alcalí-Mosquera and Xaló-Lliber.
Two centuries later, Felipe III, King of Spain. ordered the expulsion of all Moorish people from Spanish territory. After the 25 Moorish families were expelled, the land known today as Lliber had to be completely repopulated.
Christian families, who came mainly from Llucmayor on Mallorca, created the new Catholic settlement that people can still visit today. The region is mostly Christian now. Llíber was one of the very few places in Spain to rise in arms against Moorish expulsion.
Independence From Jalón
Llíber was part of the Jalón church until 1577. This year, it gained its independence as a standalone town with its own church and ruling. This was a great step forward for the town despite being its population being gone less than fifty years later.
Nowadays, Jalón remains a beautiful town that is very close by and deserves a visit.
San Cosme & San Damián Church
This is not the oldest church in the region. The first one was built over a mosque in the 16th century, but this one is now the main religious spot in the city.
The construction began in 1859 and ended in 1875. It follows a neo-classical style with a rectangular ground floor and a single nave divided into three segments. On the sides, it is possible to find smaller chapels with strong buttresses.
Finally, the most visually appealing feature of the building is the hexagonal bell tower featuring a clock. Due to the position of the church and the importance for the local population, this clock and the toll of the bell are a big part of the everyday routine for the local population.
Conclusion
The vestiges of past civilizations join with the breath-taking views to make this one of the most magical little towns in the entire Costa Blanca. You can easily see how the Roman, Moorish, and Christian legacies make way for a unique civilization made with every influence.
If you want to be privileged to see the quintessential Spanish heritage and idiosyncrasy, visiting Llíber is a must when in the region.
