Abanilla

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**Abanilla**
Image:Abanilla.jpg
Organisation – Autonomous community – Province – Comarca	Murcia Image:Flag es-región de murcia 300.png Murcia Región Oriental
Location – Latitude – Longitude	38° 12' N 1° 3' W
Elevation – Mean – Highest – Lowest	201 m --- ---
Area	236.6 km²
Founded	11th-12th Century
Population – Total – Density	6,265 (as of 2005) 26.48 persons/km²
Resident	Abanillero
Mayor	Fernando Molina Parra (Partido Popular)
Post code	30640
Telephone area code	968 and 868
Twinned with	Villeurbanne (France)
Patron saint	San José and la Santísima Cruz
Website	www.abanilla.es

Abanilla is a Spanish municipality located in the province of Murcia in the Autonomous Community of Murcia. It lies close to the border of the province of Alicante in the Autonomous Community of Valencia.

1 Geography
2 Tourism
3 Politics
4 Demographics
5 Culture
- 5.1 Gastronomy
- 5.2 Festivals
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Abanilla occupies a surface area of 236.6 km² and is situated 222 metres above sea level. It lies on a natural foundation which has been degraded by the numerous quarries. Consequently, Abanilla is one of the least developed municipalities in Spain and features one of the most ill-equipped and windy road systems (see here for a plan of the C-3223). It contains the Quibas paleontological site.

[edit] Tourism

[edit] Points of interest

Points of interest in Abanilla include the Old Town (containing the monument to the Corazón de Jesús), the Fuente de Algarrobo (Fountain of the Carob Tree), the Santuario de Mahoya (Sanctuary of Mahoya), and the Iglesia Parroquial de San José (Parochial Church of St. Joseph). Other sights worth visiting include the source of the River Chícamo and the mountains of Abanilla and Quibas.

[edit] Monuments

Buildings of monumental significance in Abanilla include the La Isglesia de San José (the Church of San José) (18th Century), La Casa de la Encomienda, La Casa Cobrera, La Casa Pintada, and El Monumento a las Fiestas de Moros y Cristianos (the Monument to the Festivals of the Moors and Christians).

[edit] Local communities

Local communities within the Abanilla municiaplity include the following.

Barinas, a town located 11 km from Abanilla at an elevation of 379 m.
Macisvenda, located 10 km from Abanilla, a crossroads of the roads to La Algueña, El Cantón, Hondón de los Frailes and Hondón de las Nieves.
Other communities include Mahoya, El Cantón, Cañada de la Leña, El Partidor, El Tollé, Los Baños de Fortuna, Casa Cabrera, Casa Pintada, Los Carrillos, La Umbría, Collado de los Gabrieles, Ricabacica, El Algarrobo, Campules, Balonga, Mafraque and El Olivar.

[edit] Neighbouring communities

Neighbouring communities include Fortuna y Jumilla, in the province of Murcia, and Benferri, Orihuela y Pinoso, in the province of Alicante.

[edit] Politics

The mayor of Abanilla was Álvaro Gaona (Partido Independiente) from 1979 to 1983 and José Luís Cutillas Rivera (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) from 1983 to 1987. The last five terms (1987-1991, 1991-1995, 1995-1999, 1999-2003 and 2003-2007) have been dominated by Fernando Molina Parra of the Partido Popular.

[edit] Demographics

The population of Abanilla is 6,256 (INE, 2005), with a population density of 26.48 persons/km².

Image:Poblacion-Fortuna-Abanilla-1900-2005.png

Population levels
1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950	1960	1970	1981	1991	1996	2001	2004	2005
6,634	7,451	7,641	8,179	8,220	8,620	8,594	8,675	7,049	5,827	6,130	6,033	6,145	6,265

[edit] Culture

[edit] Gastronomy

Typical local dishes include home-made sausages, rice with rabbit and snails, gachasmiags and tortoise. In particular, desserts include fruit from the fertile orchards, including the region's renowned Damascus apricots. Traditional confectionery consists of doughnuts, sweetbreads, muffins and typical Christmas sweets. All this is enhanced by the high quality oil pressed in local mills in the ancient custom.

[edit] Festivals

The International Folklore Festival is an important event which takes place in the first week of August. Between 23 April and 9 May, the festivals of Santa Cruz take place, featuring parades of Moors and Christians. In addition, from June through to the middle of September, the various communities celebrate their own individual festivals.

[edit] External links

Official website of Abanilla
Discussion forum for Abanilla
Unofficial website for Abanilla
Information on Abanilla
International Folklore Festival in Abanilla
Knights and Damsels of Calatrava
Association of the Knights and Damels of Cid in the Town of Abanilla
Cabila Al'Bayada
Viva Murcia Photos & Information for the Murcia Province

edit	Municipalities of Murcia	Image:Flag of the Region of Murcia.svg
Abanilla \| Abarán \| Águilas \| Albudeite \| Alcantarilla \| Los Alcázares \| Aledo \| Alguazas \| Alhama de Murcia \| Archena \| Beniel \| Blanca \| Bullas \| Calasparra \| Campos del Río \| Caravaca de la Cruz \| Cartagena \| Cehegín \| Ceutí \| Cieza \| Fortuna \| Fuente Álamo de Murcia \| Jumilla \| Librilla \| Lorca \| Lorquí \| Mazarrón \| Molina de Segura \| Moratalla \| Mula \| Murcia \| Ojós \| Pliego \|Puerto Lumbreras \| Ricote \| San Javier \| San Pedro del Pinatar \| Santomera \| Torre-Pacheco \| Las Torres de Cotillas \| Totana \| Ulea \| La Unión \| Villanueva del Río Segura \| Yecla