Almansa

Almansa (Spanish pronunciation: [alˈmansa]) is a Spanish town and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The name "Almansa" stems from the Arabic المنصف (al-manṣaf), "half way of the road".[2][3] The municipality borders with Alicante, Valencia and Murcia. Almansa is famous for its Moros y cristianos festival from celebrated from the 1st to the 6th of May.

For the municipality in León, Spain, see Almanza. For the Spanish wine region, see Almansa (DO).

Almansa
Municipality
Coat of arms
location in Albacete
Almansa
Location in Spain
Coordinates: 38°52′06.1″N 1°05′40.4″W
Country Spain
Autonomous communityCastile-La Mancha
ProvinceAlbacete
ComarcaAltiplanicie de Almansa
Judicial districtAlmansa
CommonwealthMonte Ibérico–Corredor de Almansa
Government
 • MayorFrancisco J. Núñez Núñez (PP)
Area
 • Total531.91 km2 (205.37 sq mi)
Elevation
712 m (2,336 ft)
Population
 (2018)[1]
 • Total24,537
 • Density46/km2 (120/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Almanseños
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
02640
Dialing code967
WebsiteOfficial website

Almansa is built at the foot of a white limestone crag, which is surmounted by a Moorish castle, and rises abruptly in the midst of a fertile and irrigated plain. About 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the town centre stands an obelisk commemorating the Battle of Almansa fought there on the 25 April 1707 during the War of Spanish Succession, in which a French, Spanish and Irish army under the command of duke of Berwick, a natural son of James II, routed the allied British, Portuguese and Spanish troops.[4] Annual reenactments of that battle have been formally listed in the Spanish cultural register.[5]

The Sierra del Mugrón is located within the Almansa city limits.

Main sights

The main sightseeing attraction is the 14th-century Castle of Almansa.

There are other important monuments, such as:

  • Church of la Asunción (16th-19th century)
  • Palace of Los Condes de Cirat (16th century), today the Town Hall
  • Church of the Agustinas Convent (18th century)
  • The Convent of San Francisco (17th century)
  • Clock Tower (1780)

8 km from the city is the reservoir of Almansa, built in 1584. This reservoir is the oldest one in Europe. 12 km from the city is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Belen (17th century).

La Asuncion church's bell tower.
Convent of San Agustin
Clock tower
The medieval 'Castle of Almansa'.
Facade of the City hall
Almansa in 1823 by Edward Hawke Locker

Camino de Santiago

Two pilgrim routes on the Camino de Santiago meet in Almansa. From the south comes the Camino de la Lana and from the east, the Camino de Levante. The Camino de la Lana joins Alicante with Burgos, and the Camino de Levante joins Valencia with Zamora.

See also

References
  1. Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. Asín Palacios, Miguel (1940). Contribución a la toponimia árabe de España. Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. p. 66.
  3. Celdrán, Pancracio (2004). Diccionario de topónimos españoles y sus gentilicios (in Spanish). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 54. ISBN 978-84-670-3054-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  4.  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Almansa". Encyclopædia Britannica. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 712.
  5. http://www.latribunadealbacete.es/noticia/Z35674381-C002-ECBC-98879F707C00D939/20130429/batalla/almansa/bien/interes/cultural
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