Bigastro

Bigastro
Municipality

Coat of arms
Bigastro

Location in Spain

Coordinates: 38°03′47″N 0°53′44″W / 38.06306°N 0.89556°W / 38.06306; -0.89556Coordinates: 38°03′47″N 0°53′44″W / 38.06306°N 0.89556°W / 38.06306; -0.89556
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Valencian Community
Province Alicante
Comarca Vega Baja del Segura
Judicial district Orihuela
Government
  Alcalde Rául Valerio Medina Lorente (2008) (PSPV-PSOE)
Area
  Total 4.10 km2 (1.58 sq mi)
Elevation 24 m (79 ft)
Population (2008)
  Total 6,761
  Density 1,600/km2 (4,300/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Bigastrense
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 03380
Official language(s) Spanish
Website Official website

Bigastro (Spanish pronunciation: [biˈɣastɾo]) is a district in the Valencian Community (Spain) situated in the south of the province of Alicante, in the comarca of Vega Baja del Segura. It had a population of 6,450 at the time of the 2005 census.

History

In La Loma there is an archaeological site dating from the Bronze Age. The district derives its name from the Lugar Nuevo de los Canónigos, a place of residence for the canons of Orihuela cathedral, which once had power over the area. In 1701, after some lawsuits with the settlers, the church made some allowances which permitted the foundation of Bigastro, starting with three estates, in which 24 families lived.

Economy

At the time of its foundation, agriculture was concentrated around flax and hemp; in the 19th century, the fall of the textile sector sparked interest in citrus fruits and products from irrigated fields. There is also industrial activity, mainly in the form of construction and manufacturing.

Demography

In 2005, Bigastro had 6,450 residents, 11.79% of which were foreigners. The most common nationality was British (22% of all foreigners).

Monuments

The young age of the town means that some landlord's homes survive, along with some farmer's dwellings dispersed throughout the area. One unique monument that must be mentioned is the Church of the Virgin of Bethlehem, where a sculpture of Saint Joachim of Salzillo.

Gastronomy

The typical dishes in the area are stew and rabbit with rice. Other important dishes in Bigastro come from the pastry shops: almojábanas, toñas, almendrados, monas and soplillos.

Twin towns

Festivals

Famous residents

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/24/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.