My Spanish hometown -Polop de la marina

Introduction

Today I'm going to tell you all about my Spanish hometown or pueblo of Polop de la marina also known as Polop.

Polop is a small (4,850 residents in 2018) municipality in the marina Baixa area of the Alicante province in the Valencian community of Spain. It's residents are known as polopinos or polopinas.

History

The origins of Polop go back to the Iberian culture, there is evidence of this found with in its territory. Throughout its history Polop has stood out for its strategic position as a military enclave, this is all thanks to the castle that crowned the hill. In 928 the castle belonged to sheikh Mohammed Abdeerraman Alastimi.

In 1090 Polop was conquered by the Cid Campeador. 1258 there was the uprising In which the Arabs of Polop and there chief intervined and was ultimately defeated. He signed the surrender on the condition that his nephew Aliajar kept the castle with the approval of Don Jaime, Aliajar became the lord of Polop.

In 1263 the King donates the castle and the town to Abenhafar James, son of Aceit Abinhudey.

In 1256, once again forced by Castile and Aragon, King Pedro I of Castile seized Alicante going as far as Villajoyosa and Polop. After bloody fights with those of Aragon he seized all the forts on the coast reinforcing them for his own defences. He also seized and fortified the castle and town of Polop. This lead to an ancient Spanish hereditary if lordship.

The Barony of Polop and Benidorm existes in the kingdom of Valencia under the crown of Aragon. The 1st creation was in 1268, the second in 1271, the third in 1300, the 4th in 1335 and the 5th in 1429, since this 5th creation the Barony has been possessed by the Fajardo de Mendoza family and it's decendents.

However as stated earlier the origins of Polop date back to the 10th century,this was when the conquest of Hispania by the Moore's happened and when the fortress was first built and named Polop.

Geography

Polop is located in the la marina region, this extends from the Guadalest and Algar rivers to the end of Villajoyosa.this includes the beaches of Benidorm and Albir and inland borders of Callosa and Guadalest.

At present Polop is located in the eastern foothills of the Valencian prebetic and occupies the central area of the marina Baja.

Polops territory is rugged in its western part by monte Ponoig, it is drained by the salt and canet De Xirles ravines and the Guadalest river which also serves as a border between Polop and Callosa d'en sarriá.

The most important geological feature of Polop is the Sierra del Monte Ponoig (1181m) and the ravines that run to the East.

Ponoig is in the west of Polop, it is a rough and rocky mountain range with steep slopes, covered in scree with formidable cliffs and walls.

Monte Ponoig is oriented east to west and has the nickname of the sleeping lion due to how it looks from afar. The shady area is polopulated by pine forests and Holm oaks, it has and maintains a continuity with the Puig campaña moutain range.

Polop has a border with many towns these include, Benidorm, callosa, Finestrat, Guadalest and La Nucia. The economy has been traditionally based on agriculture, in the lower areas almond and olive trees are predominant and in the valleys citrus and níspero trees.