Introduction
When the first Christian colonists (13th century) arrived to the then Moorish region of “La Vall d’Albaida”, brought a new social organization with them. At the same time, they also brought a completely different conception which is reflected in the territory distribution; in the artistic production; in the carrying out of a new town planning; or, in general, in all the aspects of everyday life in the town. The coexistence between both cultures went on for 350 years, until 1609.
Jaime I will distribute the land among his vassals. These nobles will build palaces, will decorate their houses with coats of arms, will beautify the cities and will also dominate the mills, the olive-oil mills and everything they could take profit out.
The economic base of the three towns which concern us was the agriculture. However, there were other activies such as the manufacture of wook, farming activities, the manufacture of tiles and bricks, carpentry, construction, and the maufacture and repair of farming tools.
These activities are grouped in different trades, located in the streets and squares, from which they take the name. The town was the centre of the region where people made exchanges and the administrative capital of the different manors. It was usual to build walls around the cities as a defensive strategy. Thus, we can see the remains of the old walls in Ontinyent, Bocairent and Albaida, with the entrance door, barbicans and fortresses to guarantee the defense and, at the same time, the opulence and importance of the main lords.
The geographical distribution and the occupation of the region undergo a real metamorphosis, from the Al-Andalus conception, with a scattered and dispersed habitat, and with many farms near to small hydraulic units, to a Christian-feudal conception where people form a group to live in the town and increase their safety. Town planning adapts to topography. The defensive ability of the towns of Albaida, Ontinyent and Bocairent was mainly in the orography of the plot.
The layout of the roads adapts to the contour lines. The staircases overcome the existing irregularities. The beautiful squares are the points that structure the town planning and are also enclaves of public and business life of the towns. They start to build important civil buildings, such as town halls, marketplaces, churches and chapels, both inside and outside the town boundary.
Regarding the artistic production in the region of “La Vall d’Albaida”, most of the works are from the 15th century. Gold work, painting, ceramics and sculpture are the main disciplines practiced. The processional cross of Ontinyent, the “Vera creu” of Albaida (15th century), in gold, and the processional cross of Bocairent (15th century) are good examples of the works made by the goldsmiths from these towns. With regard to the pantings, the most outstanding works are in Ontinyent (the Anunciación of Santa Maria’s Church, 14th century) and Bocairent (altarpieces of the Last Supper and the “Virgen de la Salud” by artist Borbotó, in the parish museum). Other two works from that time, but which have unfotunately disappeared, are the Gothic altarpieces of the parish musum of Albaida and the altarpiece of the Hospital-chapel of San Miguel in Albaida.
The following works are examples of the most important sculptures in the region: the “Buen Pastor”, located in the northern wall of Santa Maria’s Church in Ontinyent; the “Virgen de la Asuncion”, in the vault of one side chapel of the same church; and the corbels sculpted in the Gothic stairs of the Torrefiel Earls’ Palace, 15th century. In Bocairent, the baptismal font from the 15th century (parish church) and the crucifix of San Antonio chapel are the most outstanding examples.
Finally, it is worth mentioning the importance the pottery had in medieval times in the Vall d’Albaida region, both in the decoration and in the production of small pieces. The collection of ceramics from the 15th century which is in the parish museum of Bocairent is a good example.
