Chelva
Chelva’s centre retains the traces of the peoples who inhabited the area in the past. We are able to enjoy the Muslim quarter of Benacacira, which maintains the hidden, mysterious and secluded air that this culture created in its living spaces. Its narrow streets, the sound of water from its many fountains and its whitewashed houses, evoke a medieval city built on a rock and surrounded by walls to ensure its defence.
Gastronomy:
“Gazpacho”, “gachas” (porridge), “pucherico espeso” (stew), “sopas tostadas”, garlic soup, artisan sausages.
Places of interest:
Visitors cannot overlook a stroll through its streets, admiring the 18th- and 19th-century tiles, and visiting the square that was formerly occupied by the souk and the Muslim mosque, upon which the Hermitage of Saint George was built in 14th-century, and the current Hermitage of Solitude in the 18th-century. The Jewish Quarter of “El Azoque”, the original layout of which remains intact, has narrow streets and access porches. It is a space that is closed to the outside world and which retains its homogeneity and evokes the unity of the Jewish people. “Arrabal”, or the Moorish neighbourhood, reveals the concept of a Muslim city in the form of a crowded neighbourhood located outside the walls and which was home to recently-arrived Moors and Christians. In its centre stands the Benaeça Mosque, subsequently converted into the Hermitage of the Holy Cross. The 17th-century saw the construction of the Hermitage of the Forsaken which, according to the chronicles, was built on the site of the house of a “forsaken”, a Moor who was executed for murdering the Viscount, who was in love with a Moorish vassal.
The Water Route
The “Water Route” is a circular tourist route which combines nature and culture in a pleasant walk of about two hours. It starts in Plaza Mayor and it has signs and information boards. The route, which runs through the village’s four historical districts and the unique landscapes of the River Chelva, is an easy trail that is ideal for family outings.
