Sant Mateu

Sant Mateu (Spanish San Mateo ) is a municipality of the Province of Castellón (Castellón ) in the Autonomous Valencian Community, Spain. It is located in the comarca of Baix Maestrat ( Bajo Maestrazgo ) in the north of the region. Today it is the main town in the interior of the Lower Maestrat, in the Middle Ages it was even the capital of the entire Maestrat ( Maestrazgo ).

The place is located in a wide valley that. Caused by agriculture, especially olive is marked and at its edges, the mountains rise to about 800m There are some medium-sized enterprises, including the furniture industry.

History

Sant Mateu is on the Roman Via Augusta and finds from the Roman period indicate that the time already was a settlement at this point.

Even before the Reconquista Sant Mateu found in 1195 as a Sancto Matheo first written record. The town was conquered by James I and initially handed over to the Knights of St. John. Beginning of the 14th century, Sant Mateu, which belonged from the coronation year of James II in 1319, the territory of the Order of Montesa, at times, a home of the Cathars.

In the time of Montesaordens It enjoyed its first heyday. He became a seat of the Order and the capital of their dominions, the Maestrat and were exported wool as the main export items to Tuscany. Sant Mateu has been the venue of several meetings of the Estates General of the Kingdom of Valencia and was visited several times by famous people of their time. These included the later canonized Dominican friar Vincent Ferrer, the anti-pope Benedict XII. , Popularly Papa Luna, and King Philip II of Spain. The most significant event in Sant Mateu was announced in the Erzpriesterkirche Sant Mateus on August 15, 1429 waiver Clement VIII, the successor of Papa Luna, on the Holy See, a prerequisite for overcoming the Western Schism.

The Order of rule ended in 1587, Sant Mateu was henceforth report directly to the Spanish crown in the person of King Philip II. Under the Habsburgs received the region, as is usual, a certain autonomy, the ruler appointed for this purpose until 1784 Plenipotentiary for the Maestrazgo / Maestrat. The led on the Habsburgs following the Bourbon dynasty, during the period of the War of Succession, it was also in Sant Mateu battles, however, continued during the 18th century, more and more of them known from France centralization of the state, which is also the abolition of the office.

Between 1810 and 1813 the site was occupied by French troops during the First Carlist War, and there was greater destruction.

Attractions

In addition to some other religious and secular, mostly reaching back to the Middle Age buildings, the Erzpriesterkirche is not least because of its historical significance (see story), the main architectural attraction Sant Mateus.

For nature lovers, the administration has posted four circular walks of varying lengths and levels of difficulty, one of them is the route of the ancient olive trees and the above-mentioned distance route Via Augusta today serves as a service road and can be explored on foot or by bike. On the territory of the small neighboring community Tirig located on the edge of the gorge Valltorta prehistoric rock carvings, including a museum.

The most important celebrations in the annual calendar, the Holy Week with their processions and the patron saint festivities in the second half of August.

Personalities

  • Sergio Aragones, a cartoonist
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