Les Alqueries

Les Alqueries is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Castellón, part of the autonomous community of Valencia.Economy is based on agriculture, specializing in growing oranges. It became an independent commune from Vila-real in 1985.HistoryThe area where Les Alqueries is located has been populated since the Iberian era. Les Alqueries was formerly divided into three smaller villages called Bellaguarda, Bonastre and Bonretorn. Prior to 1609 most inhabitants of those villages were ethnically Andalusī Muslims. A new Christian population slowly occupied the properties left by Muslims after April 1609 ; many of these newcomers were peasants from nearby villages like Artana, Betxí, Nules and Vila-real as well as other settlers from the north of the Kingdom of Valencia . Seventy-two years after the expulsion of ethnic Muslims, monks from Caudiel built a little church which became a sort of meeting point for the inhabitants of this area. With the passing of time, this church led to the unification of the three former villages which became known as Les Alqueries, which means "the villages". After the Christian conquest in the 13th century, Les Alqueries became part of Vila-real municipality but it gained independence in 1985 after a decree issued by Generalitat Valenciana .