Bellús

BELLÚS A millennial heritage

Small but with a gigantic heritage wealth, with just over 300 inhabitants, Bellús is a municipality that treasures an ancient heritage, dating back to the first temporary occupations of the cave La Petxina between the years 130,000 to 35,000 BC by Christ by part of the Neandertal man. Its festivals, gastronomy, different panoramas, natural places, a World Heritage Site, sport fishing, hiking and climbing are sufficient reasons to visit this beautiful village. We wanted to highlight the Procession of the “Crist de la Bona Mort”, fishing and “l’Estret de les Aigües” as the three main reasons that you have to discover when you visit Bellús, if you have not already done so.

A very unique and colorful procession

The “Crist de la Bona Mort” (Christ of the Good Death), co-patron of the town of Bellús, has possibly one of the most unique and genuine processions of the entire Valldalbaidí territory. The feeling and faith of those who accompany Christ in his transfer from the Church of Santa Anna to the hermitage of the village, is mixed with colors, noise and spectacularity. Rocket shooters accompany the pattern of the bellussers throughout the procession, covering the sky with gunpowder and glare.

To finish the show, once Christ arrives at his hermitage, the bellussers fire a castle of fireworks to announce that their copatron is already at home. If you want to be surprised with this particular procession you have to come to Bellús during the patron saint festivities that take place the third week of September, celebrations in which the religious character and the playful come together and bring the whole town out to the Street.

The heritage of the inhabitants and their customs: “l’Estret de les Aigües”

Iberians, Romans, Muslims and Christians. Throughout history Bellús has been occupied by different civilizations that have left their mark on the whole term. One of the clearest and obligatory pass witnesses you will find in this Valldalbaidna village is the Estret de les Aigües, a Moorish construction, thanks to which Bellús supplied water to the neighboring town of Xàtiva. This Estret de les Aigües is the most important heritage that Bellús stores. The natural passage of the Albaida River through this strait has set up a place of high environmental, geological and heritage value. If you walk through this space you will observe alternating river forest with Mediterranean forest, and some endemics and rupícola species that have contributed to the presence of a very rich and diverse fauna. From a geological point of view, the limestone nature of the site has given rise to interesting formations such as caves and shelters. Some spaces where we will find shelter the first Neanderthal settlers in caves such as those of La Petxina or the Cova Negra, which are located within the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Arch in the Iberian Peninsula, declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco. The use of the waters of Bellús since time immemorial is evident in constructions such as the Canal de la Font de Bellús of Muslim times, with the vents that will accompany you for much of the tour. An ideal place if you like climbing, hiking and cycling.

If you are a fishing fan: Bellús Reservoir

If you like fishing you will find in Bellús a space where you can enjoy this sport throughout the year. The Bellús reservoir, built in 1995 (where the town’s spa used to be located) will undoubtedly meet your expectations of fun if you are one of those who dedicate their leisure time to fishing. The Bellús reservoir is a private fishing ground, where small carp can be found mainly, as well as other fish in the cyprinid family (a species that lives in freshwater, edible and even, as aquarium fish). Bellús has come to host national freshwater championships, where fishermen from different parts of the Spanish geography have competed to get the best piece.