museums - Camping Santa Marta

The town of Cullera is located on the shore of the Mediterranean and occupies a central position in the Region of Valencia. Bathed by
the waters of the Gulf of Valencia, with its vast plains of rice fields and citrus groves irrigated by the Júcar river and sheltered by the
ubiquitous mountain Raboses, Cullera offers visitors a privileged environment full of contrasts and a microclimate that ensures mild
winters and pleasant summers.
Cullera, the mythical Roman Sucro and later the Colla-Aeria (High Summit) of the Muslims, has developed today into a leisure town
with a stable population of 24,121 inhabitants, which expands significantly with the arrival of tourists during the summer.
In short, a holiday destination with wide experience at the service of tourists and which has managed to reinvent itself every day to
offer endless possibilities. Extensive award-winning beaches renowned worldwide for their quality, splendid monuments and cultural
heritage, spectacular cuisine based on rice and seafood, a wide and diverse range of accommodation and the best entertainment and
fun for all the family.
Do you need any more reasons? Discover the real Mediterranean, discover Cullera!
HISTORY
The history of Cullera is linked, without doubt, to
its mountain the “Muntanya de les Raboses”, the
Mountain of Gold, the Magic Mountain ...
The first signs of settlement were Upper Paleolithic
remains found at Cueva del Volcan del Faro. On
the opposite side is the “Abric Lambert”, declared
a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, a cave where
Neolithic populations left clear examples of their
art: Schematic Art. Along with the aforementioned
shelter, the Bronze Age town of “Les Oliveretes” tells
us of the first open air human settlements with a
defined social organization.
Right in the centre of the old town, particularly in the
Rápita neighbourhood, remains have been found ranging
from Roman Republican times to the late Roman period.
A salting factory dates from this period. It is located on c/
Augustine Olivert and used to part of the port infrastructure.
This finding highlights the importance that Portum Sucrone
had acquired by this period of late antiquity.
It was during the period of Islamic rule that Qulayra, the
name used by the Arabs, developed an urban structure at the
foot of its castle. The Arabs built the castle with its towers,
walls and fortifications. They extended the town along the
southern slopes of the mountains surrounding and protected
it with a wall that runs below calle del Mar. An example of this
is the Barri del Pou, which with its steep, narrow alleyways
reminds us of the arrangement of Islamic medinas.
But what led to King Jaime I to conquer Hisn Qulayra was its
strategic position. The control of the goods transported by the
river Júcar to its mouth at Qulayra, was the deciding factor of his
conquest in 1239. After the Christian conquest the Barri de la Vila
was created “ex novo”. This district was expanded during the 14th
and 15th centuries, as the town grew in importance, thanks in
large part to its tradition of trade, agriculture and fishing.
In the 16th century, Cullera saw many violent episodes with the
attacks of the dreaded Barbary pirates. Like many other coastal
communities, it developed an entire military architecture based
on the defence and control of the coastal strip: a chain of coastal
towers was created, such as the “Marenyet”, and the Castle was
fortified with bastions and ravelins and, of course, the town was
walled for the protection of its people.
During the 17th and 18th centuries Cullera enjoyed a period
of splendour associated, again, with its agricultural activity.
This was a period in which many of the town’s landmarks were
built – the Sangre and Santos Juanes churches, the Casa de la
Enseñanza, the Guildhall and a large number of chapels and
manors of undeniable artistic interest.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, with the expansion of rice
cultivation, Cullera grew gradually with more characteristic
buildings and infrastructure of great interest such as the
Sanctuary of the Mare de Deu del Castell, the Iron Bridge, the
Municipal Market, the Lighthouse, the Maritime University and the
Casa del Pueblo and many private buildings that give a distinctive
appearance to the city.
LA CASA DE LA ENSEÑANZA
As we move into the Barrio de la Vila we find
one of the first public schools in Spain: The
Casa de la Enseñanza, designed in 1788 by
Vicente Gascó Maso (1734-1802), director of
the architecture section of the Academy of San
Carlos, Valencia, with one of the walls of the
building erected directly on top of the sixteenth
century wall that surrounded the village.
The main facade on the calle Rio follows the
neoclassical canons that Vicente Gascó himself
established with his ideas within the academic
framework, and which were rediscovered
by the architectural ideals of the last quarter
of the eighteenth century in Valencia. With
a fully symmetrical order the arrangement
of the openings marks the tone of the facade,
since the absence of decorative elements
means that the formal characteristics of doors,
windows and balconies, of extreme simplicity,
together with the fascias, are the elements that
present a simplified neoclassical ideal, whose
greatest exponent is the broad pediment which
presides over the whole. The facade now on
Calle San Sebastian was constructed with the
same compositional criteria as the main facade,
although adapted for length. These are the only
erections that Vicente Gascó produced for the Casa
de la Enseñanza. It should be noted that on the first
floor on both fronts, the windows were traced as
rectangular shapes framed in stone, topped with
a small ledge and on the bottom panel or ledge
formed by a slab flanked by two small pillars (this
type has now been replaced, although a similar
opening has been retained).
The Casa de la Enseñanza was designed to house a
school for children and rooms for their respective
teachers, and on the ground floor it also had a wood
store and a wheat store with an area for a poor
family who served the teachers, with two bedrooms
and kitchen. Access areas were in calle San Sebastian
and there were separate entrances for boys and male
teachers on one side, and girls and female teachers
on the other, with separate stairs too. The main floor
consists of a vestibule, school and rooms for the
most advanced students, both boys and girls, with
their own toilets and independent entrances. The
second floor houses the separate accommodation
for the two male and two female teachers.
The Casa can be visited by appointment.
C/ del Río, 38
Historical Centre
THE WALLS
Cullera castle cannot be understood without
the defensive ring of walls and towers in which
it sits. The Castle consists of the fortress, the
upper enclosure or “Albacar Vell” located on the
esplanade where the shrine is located, and the
lower enclosure or “Albacar Nou” which is situated
on the southern slope of the mountain.
sections of walls which surrounded the Castle:
The Torre de la Reina Mora or Santa Ana, the Torre
Miranda, the Torre del Racó de San Antonio, the Tower
Desmochada and the Tower Octagonal. Within the
enclosure are the remains of the “velles revoltes” and
old Islamic track that led to the Castle, now replaced
by the current Camino del Calvario.
Both were used to shelter troops, horses, cattle and
the population of Qulayra itself in times of siege.
Moreover, a group of towers linked the different
Today the walls can be visited starting from the Torre
de la Reina Mora or Santa Anna, and following a trail
that runs along the old walled perimeter.
PARISH CHURCH OF LOS SANTOS JUANES
In the old town, or more precisely in the plaza
Patio de la Iglesia is the Santos Juanes Church.
The present church dedicated to the Saints Johns
was built in 1692 on the foundations or remains
of an earlier church dating from between the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Recent
archaeological excavations have shown that the
bell-tower, despite its medieval appearance,
was built in the sixteenth century – the same
period to which the shield of the Crown of
Aragon which stands above the entrance to
the tower also belongs - over a 14th century
parish churchyard. In the centre of the plaza is a
replica of one of the tombstones decorated with
the Cross of Malta which was found in these
excavations.
The church, which was the headquarters of the
only parish in the town from 1248 to 1953, has
a single nave and is named after the two saints,
John the Baptist and John the Evangelist,
who preside over the altar. Inside, interesting
features include the altarpiece and the mural
painting of the Baptistery, which are works of
Rafael Cardells, the rich imagery of the side
chapels and, above all, the Baroque ceramic
plinth in the Communion chapel, dated between
1740 and 1760 and recently restored, with an
average height of 1.70 meters, an surface area
of 40 square metres and about 700 pieces. A
representative set of Valencian tiles that is well
worth a visit.
Until 1950 this was the only parish in Cullera.
Calle Patio de la Iglesia (Can be visited by
appointment with the parish).
Historical Centre
CASA CONSISTORIAL (GUILDHALL)
The building has a single floor, with three balconies
and three identical rectangular windows that match
the three lower entrances which are decorated with
arches - half point on the two sides and threecentred in the middle. The whole look is vaguely
reminiscent of the Italian palaces of the period - the
reign of Charles III is characterized by the abundance
of Italianate buildings throughout the peninsula and, at that time, of the eighteenth century mansions
in Lisbon later converted into luxury hotels. In fact,
the external structure of the Heritage hotel in Lisbon,
including the three-centred arch and the two side
entrances, plus the three higher balconied openings,
follows the same elegant pattern of lofty simplicity
despite its small size.
Consell or Presó de la Vila, represents a time
of splendour associated with agriculture and
which is highlighted in the original furnishings
of the 18th century, in the ornamentation of
the plenary hall and in the great altarpiece
dedicated, to Saint Anne, which came from the
former shrine of the same name, also called the
Torre de la Reina Mora. It also contains canvasses
by anonymous painters depicting Isabel II and,
above all, paintings by José Mongrell, a disciple
of Pinazo and Sorolla and an excellent painter
of portraits and genre scenes of purely Valencia
ambience.
The building, built over an existing building from
1321 in the same location, known as the Casa del
Plaza de España
Historical Centre
Can be visited by appointment.
THE MARKET AND THE CIVIL WAR AIR-RAID SHELTER
The municipal market, another good
example of the eclectic architecture of
Valencia, located very near the Santos
Juanes church, in the Plaza de la Virgen,
is a set of four blocks separated by a
floor in the form of a Greek cross. With
its two roads and interior gardens it
forms a delightful and picturesque area
while also being practical and useful for
the purchase of basic necessities and as
a resting place and cultural centre since
two of the blocks are used as centres for
cultural activities of various kinds. In fact,
in the Auditorium hosts concerts of local
symphony orchestras (Ateneo Musical and
Santa Cecilia) and in the Multifunction Hall
various other recreational and cultural
activities take place. The market, with its
gardens and its surroundings, is without any
doubt, the nerve centre of Cullera.
THE CAMINO DEL CALVARIO OR “REVOLTES NOVES”
It is worth climbing up to the Castle
along the Camino del Calvario, a
zigzagging Via Crucis, white and
bright, which starts from the oldest
district of Cullera, the Barri del Pou,
sit of the Qulayra of the Islamic
period.
The road’s construction dates from
the 19th century. Also recommend
is a walk along “les revoltes” with
the oratorios for the fourteen
stations of the Cross, which leads
to the Medieval Castle and the
Sanctuary. This road is the route
of the annual procession of the
Descent of the Pilgrim Image of Our
Lady of the Castle, which starts the
Saint’s Day Festivals.
The municipal market tradition dates back to
the reign of Jaime II and more specifically the
year 1320 when the king gave Cullera, a walled
town in those years, the privilege, which took
place on Friday of each week, of “awarding
safeguard to the traders who went there,
provided they were not criminals, bandits and
other such people”.
The present building, in three distinct sections
to cope with the slope of the land, erected
between 1896 and 1900, was designed by the
architect Louis Ferreres. The facades are made
of facing brick and triangular pediments top the
lintelled entrance to the halls. Together with
the pediments side terraces with pedestals are
arranged, with ledge and handrails. The four
buildings have a pitched roof supported on metal
blades held by cast iron columns. The grilles,
also cast iron, rest on brick pillars. After the
latest changes, the design maintains its large grid
structure crossed by the central walkways. Today,
two of the interior squares continue their antiseptic and healthy dedication to the sale of food
products: meat and fish, fruit and vegetables and,
as already mentioned, the other two are for leisure
and cultural purposes. The whole area has been
devoted, from time immemorial, to the spiritual
and emotional obsession of the people of Cullera
with the Virgen del Castillo, so that not only the
access road but the entire market is called Plaza de
la Virgen, a reference to the popular black Madonna
who is the patron saint of the town.
Moreover, under the above-mentioned royal
privilege, the market and its surroundings are the
site of a weekly market, which today has moved to
Thursdays, which has a clear local feel. Hence the
crowds of local people that tends to gather in this
place every Thursday of the year.
Under the two back halls of the Market, the
auditorium and multifunction hall, is the entrance to
the air-raid shelter built under the market itself and
consisting of two galleries. It’s actually one of four
that were built during the civil war in Cullera, due
to the threat of the frequent bombing suffered by
the neighbouring towns. In this case, despite being
unfinished and never having been used, Gallery I
has been renovated to tell, graphically and also in
a dignified and instructive manner, the historical
context of the period of the Spanish Civil War as
seen from perspective of the town. While Gallery
II is used for an exhibition on the construction of the
market and, more occasionally, for the installation
of touring exhibitions of photography and art.
Open for visits and is part of the Cullera museum
network.
Plaza la Virgen
Historical Centre
“ABRIC LAMBERT” CAVE PAINTINGS
The “Abric Lambert” (Lambert Shelter) owes its
name to its discoverer and inhabitant of Cullera
- Lambert Olivert.
SHRINES IN CULLERA
representations of animals and human figures,
all within the so-called “Schematic Art” that
chronologically developed in Valencia from the
early Neolithic to the Bronze Age.
It is a rock shelter with cave paintings located
on the north-western slope of the Cullera
mountain, a privileged place for human
settlement since ancient times.
Specifically, it appears that the Lambert Abric
paintings must date from between 3000-1000 bc.
In the rock shelter a panel has been identified
with several figures painted in dark red, based on
cruciform and pectiniform figures and different
vertical and horizontal lines, interpreted as
Site of Cultural Interest
Declared a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO
SANGRE DE CRISTO PARISH CHURCH
The Iglesia de la Sangre de Cristo (Church of the
Blood of Christ), built on a medieval chapel, dates
from 1614. From 1546 there is evidence of the
founding of a Brotherhood of the Blood of Christ
in this chapel.
It is a building in a Latin cross plan, with central
nave and side chapels between the buttresses.
The interior features a barrel vault and lunettes,
drum dome in the transept, which is covered with
blue glazed tiles on the outside. In the late 19th
century, the architect Luis Ferreres built, next to
the church, the Hospital de la Sangre, which
was converted into a military hospital during
the Civil War to care for the wounded who
arrived from the front.
The original level of the building is below the level
of the surrounding streets so access to its interior
is by means of steps and a side ramp. A sturdy bell
tower of blocks of stone and neoclassical portico
complete a simple but dignified external structure,
consistent with its interior.
THE BARRIO DEL POZO AND ITS UNIQUE ALLEWAYS
Separated from the Barri de la Vila by the gardens of
the market is the Barri del Pou. Its intricate streets
still retain the whitewashed houses decorated with
balconies lined with flowerpots. You can breathe the
peace and quiet in the steep streets and cosy little
squares.
Originally, this was the site of the ancient Arab
settlement of Qulayra, as is evidenced by the remains
of the Islamic Wall found under calle del Mar.
On entering the Barri you will be amazed by the
narrow streets and the traditional buildings adapted
to the particular topography of the mountain and the
various traditional Valencian tiled panels, dedicated
to different patron saints, which remain intact.
These enchanting narrow streets lead us to the
Torre de la Reina Mora.
Behind the Municipal Market
Cullera has many shrines dotted about
the district. The area’s rich heritage is
undoubtedly enhanced by the frequent
presence of these small and humble
buildings for popular devotion, which
are distributed throughout the Cullera
municipal area.
For its position and construction type we
must mention the Shrine of Santa Marta.
Its construction exploits the walls of a
rock shelter within which is located a
spring, and its roof is formed, in part, by
the ceiling of the cavity itself.
With its strategic location by the sea we
should also highlight the Los Navarros
Chapel. The name of the chapel is
due to its builder, Nazario Carriquiri,
a businessman from Navarre, as were the
workers that accompanied him, posted here
with the goal of building a port at this spot
on the bay of Cullera. The chapel, lovingly
restored, dates from the 19th century. Built
with masonry plastered and whitewashed,
its plan is of three tiled roofs with four
pitches and has a central body higher than
the sides with a high cornice decorated
with corbels. The lintelled entrance door,
is complemented by a semicircular-blinded
niche. The building is finished off with a
steeple above the eaves.
It may only be visited by appointment with
the Sangre de Cristo parish.
In the el Faro district – C/. la Ermita
THE CAPILLA DE SANTA ANA (SAINT ANNE’S CHAPEL)
Calle del Mar, narrow and secluded,
echoes with the murmur of
neighbourhood conversation. It
means that the very configuration
of homes, mostly on one level,
allows ongoing personal contact
between its inhabitants.
Indeed, it is in this street that
we find the first point of
interest: the shrine of Santa
Ana – a chapel according to
the tile above the entrance -a
17th century building that once it
is fully restored will be a place for
exhibitions and other occasional
uses. An external grille protects
the building that, outwardly, is
simple, of square appearance and
crowned by a steeple. Its interior
has a hall with diaphragm arches in
late-Gothic style.
MARENYET TOWER
A watchtower built in 1577 during the reign
of Philip II for control and protection of
the Mediterranean coast, which was being
frequently attacked by Barbary pirates. It was
part of the network of watchtowers that were
built along the coast of Valencia.
Strategically located, it was built near the mouth
of the river Jucar, in a marshy area, hence the name
“Marenyet.” The control and coastal surveillance
function was carried out by soldiers or “atalladors”
who communicated directly with the Cap del Far
Tower, the Alfandech Tower and the Gola de la
Albufera Tower, which have all now disappeared.
It has a tapered shape, and is made of rough stone. It
has a circumference of 10 meters in diameter and 15
meters high. It consists of a ground floor, two floors
and a terrace with battlements. Fully restored, it has
been declared a Site of Cultural Interest.
It is open for visits and is part of the Cullera
museum network.
Carretera del Marenyet
THE CULLERA LIGHTHOUSE
The Cullera lighthouse, built in the place
known as Punta del Faro, is one of only two
examples left on the coast of the province
of Valencia. The other is located in the town
of Canet d’En Berenguer. The lighthouse
is a circular building in the centre of which
stands the stonework tower, of conical section
and sixteen metres high. It has three exterior
openings and its lamp was lit for the first time
on August 1, 1858. Its focal plane rises 27.90 m.
above the sea.
The lighthouse’s current appearance is due to
projects and renovations carried out since the
sixties, although its appearance and structure
retain the outlines of the |original design. For
security reasons, it cannot be visited so we must
be content to observe it from the outside.
TOWER OF THE REINA MORA OR SANTA ANA
A 13th century Islamic tower located on the
camino del Calvario footpath which leads to the
Castle, it originally served as the gateway to the
second fortified enclosure, the “Albacar Nou”.
Square in plan, it consists of ground floor, upper
floor and terrace. The tower originally had a
similar structure to its current structure: The
ground floor had no internal communication
with the upper part, which had to be performed
on the outside. The top floor connected with the
walls through the parapet and could be accessed
with a vertical ladder.
In 1631 the tower was in disuse and the Chapel of
Santa Ana - also called San Rafael - was built on top
of it, through a renovation process that inserted a
spiral staircase and an altar, and also saw the tower
plastered. In 1640 the choir and the altar were
donated. In the chapel there was also the altarpiece
of Santa Ana, which is kept today in the Guildhall,
consisting of five canvases, author unknown.
Today in the tower there is an exhibition on the
history of the tower-chapel. It is open for visits and
is part of the Cullera museum network.
On the camino del Calvario
MUSEUMS
Cullera has a rich heritage that is reflected in an
outstandingly varies range of tourist and cultural
facilities, which are the ideal complement to
the popular sandy beaches and its wide range of
recreational and sporting activities.
MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY
Located in the Gothic Chapel of the Castle,
the Museum houses an interesting collection
of archaeological artefacts ranging from the
Prehistoric Period to the Middle Ages (amphorae,
coins ...). Highlights are, without doubt, the Cross
of the municipal border and the Shield of the
Mojón de Valldigna, which have been declared
Articles of Cultural Interest.
The journey through all the stages of history can
be made with interactive and audio-visual media,
and is suitable for those with both physical and
visual disabilities.
SERVICES
Guided tour services to provide better
understanding of the history of Cullera Castle.
Cullera Castle
Tel : 96 173 26 43
Fax : 96 173 07 52
[email protected]
www.cullera.es
THEMATIC MUSEUM: RICE MUSEUM
Unique in the Valencia region and occupying a
unique location: the old Ermita dels Sants of the
Pedra, San Abdon and San Senent, the patron
saints of crop protection.
ethnological collection of implements, tools
and clothing related to the ancient customs
and practices of rice cultivation transport us to
another time.
This is a building which was built in the 18th
century on a promontory from there is a splendid
view of the immense rice fields at all stages of
their cultivation and the Albufera Natural Park.
The chapel was completely restored, with
improvements to the accommodation of the
hermitage as a museum space to present the origin
and the traditional and historic process of rice
cultivation, a deeply-rooted product in the land
of Valencia. Old photographs, documents and an
SERVICES
Guided visit for better understanding of the
traditional cultivation of rice in its own environment.
Ctra.Nazaret-Oliva ( Ctra. del Saler )
Near to the Water Park
Tel : 96 173 26 43
Fax : 96 173 04 52
[email protected]
www.cullera.es
TOWER MUSEUM: MARENYET TOWER
A watchtower built in 1577 during the
reign of Philip II for control and protection
of the Mediterranean coast, which was
being frequently attacked by Barbary
pirates. The fully restored conical tower
is divided into a ground floor, two
floors and a terrace with battlements
accessed via a narrow staircase. It
has been declared a Site of Cultural
Interest. Inside is a sample audiovisual
exhibition on piracy off the coast
of Valencia and the defence role
exercised by the watchtowers.
SERVICES
Guided tour to learn more about the
operation of the coastal watchtowers
and piracy in the 16th century.
Carretera Marenyet
(Lago del Estany direction)
Tel : 96 173 26 43
Fax : 96 173 07 52
[email protected]
www.cullera.es
THEMATIC MUSEUM: PIRACY MUSEUM
“CAVE-MUSEUM OF DRAGUT THE PIRATE”
According to legend, on May 25, 1550, Dragut
the pirate, lieutenant to the pirate Barbarossa,
launched a surprise attack on the town of Cullera,
taking away a significant amount of booty and in
goods and captives. The incident sent shockwaves
through Cullera at the time and the town was
practically deserted for decades.
Incredibly, inside the cave, you can see a scale replica
of the attack ship in which Dragut reached the Cullera
coast, with special lighting and sound effects that take
us back to the era of the corsairs and are particularly
shocking in the room devoted to Inquisition torture
instruments.
The only piracy cave in Spain.
This unique museum, located in the district of Faro
de Cullera, in the so-called Isla de los Pensamientos,
Cabo de Cullera, a place of extraordinary charm, on
the cliff-edge, close to the Mediterranean Sea.
A tour of the cave-museum will awaken the curiosity
of children and adults alike, who can learn about the
lifestyle of the pirates in the Mediterranean in the 16th
century, and observe ancient nautical instruments,
artillery pieces, historical maps, clothing and coins.
SERVICES
Guided tour with audio-visual show.
Plaza Dr.Fleming (no number)
THE CULLERA LIGHTHOUSE
Tel : 96 174 67 00/ 605 99 27 12
Fax : 96 172 62 77
[email protected]
www.cuevadeldragut.com
MUNICIPAL MARKET SHELTER-MUSEUM
Access to the air-raid shelter is
built below the market itself
and consists of two galleries. It’s
actually one of a network of shelters
that were built during the Civil War
in Cullera, due to the threat of the
frequent bombing suffered by the
neighbouring towns.
In this case, despite being
unfinished and never having been
used, Gallery I has been renovated
to tell, graphically and also in a
dignified and instructive manner,
the historical context of the period
of the Spanish Civil War as seen
from perspective of the town. While
Gallery II is used for an exhibition
on the construction of the market
and, more occasionally, for the
installation of touring exhibitions
of photography and art.
TOWER MUSEUM: TOWER OF THE REINA MORA OR SANTA ANA
SERVICES
A 13th century Islamic tower located on the
camino del Calvario footpath which leads to the
Castle, it originally served as the gateway to the
second fortified enclosure, the “Albacar Nou”.
Guided visit to provide a
better understanding of the
operation of an air raid shelter
in the Civil War.
Municipal Market, Plaza de
la Virgen (no number)
Tel : 96 173 26 43
Fax :96 173 07 52
[email protected]
www.cullera.es
In 1631 the Chapel of Santa Ana was built on
the ruins of the tower through a renovation
process that included a spiral staircase and an
altar. Today, after a restoration process that went
back to the original structure but was respectful
of its earlier uses, it hosts an exhibition with
audiovisual displays on the history of the tower
and the Second Albacara of the Castle, of which it
formed a part.
SERVICES
Guided visit to provide a better understanding of the
operation of the towers of the Albacar del Castell.
Route up to the Castle (Camino Calvario)
Tel : 96 173 26 43
Fax :96 173 07 52
[email protected]
www.cullera.es
MUSEUMS