Discover Alaquàs: Castle, Cultural Routes and Festivals

Castell d'Alaquàs was declared a historic-artistic monument on 21 April 1918 and a cultural asset of special interest (Bien de Interés Cultural) on 1 December 1999. The complex has a square floor plan with a central courtyard and four corner towers with battlements.

Culture

The Iglesia de la Asunción in Alaquàs is a 16th-century religious building on Plaza de la Iglesia and is classified as a locally significant cultural asset (Bien de Relevancia Local). It is designed in the Churrigueresque style, has a single-nave layout without a dome, and two entrance doors. An outer and an inner arch connect the church with Castell d'Alaquàs. This connection allowed the lords of the castle to attend Mass without having to go outside.

Since 2003, the castle has been used as a cultural and educational venue and hosts activities such as exhibitions and conferences. The cultural routes include Las Acequias de Alaquàs, a cultural route along the irrigation channels Sequieta, Terç, Roller and Dijous. It conveys water-related heritage and its relationship with the everyday life of the population.

Another way to explore the area is the Ruta Los Nombres Antiguos de Nuestras Calles. This theatrically designed cultural tour is aimed at families; the meeting point for the start is Plaza de la Constitución. A guided visit to Castell d'Alaquàs lasts 1.5 to 2 hours and includes admission to the castle.

You can compare the different approaches according to your personal interests: architectural details, cultural and historical routes, a staged tour or a visit with a clearly defined duration. This leaves room to consider the cultural offerings in different sequences and with different emphases.

Traditions

Cordà del Crist de la Bona Mort has a history of more than 150 years and is a festival of provincial tourist interest. During the Cordà, fireworks are set off over a short period in an enclosed area. The Associació Amics de la Cordà d'Alaquàs promotes the necessary safety measures for this event.

La Carxofa has been considered a festival of provincial tourist interest since 2010 and has been classified as a locally significant cultural asset (Bien de Relevancia Local) since 2022. The Cant de la Carxofa is a musical composition from the 17th century that has survived, among other places, in Alaquàs. On the 8th and 9th of an unspecified month, it is sung by children.

For your personal selection, cultural events can be considered according to their form of expression, historical context and respective setting. The differences between a festival, musical heritage, tour and visit offer several distinct ways to engage with Alaquàs.

Other places:La Font D'en Carròs, Alginet, Gandía, Navarrés, Caudete De Las Fuentes, La Yesa, Ador, El Palomar

For the main travel overview: Valencia.