Sella (Alicante)

Sella is a Spanish municipality on the Costa Blanca, in the Alicante province of the Autonomous Valencian Community.

Sella is a touristy little -serviced mountain village in the Sierra de Aitana. The nearest large town is 16 km away Villajoyosa on the Mediterranean coast. Other towns of interest include Benidorm and Alicante.

History

The first buildings Sellas built around a Moorish fort. It formed a settlement of Moriscos, who were subject to the Count of Cocentaina. Before the expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609 by King Philip III. counted the 115 settlement houses. Chroniclers complain that whole areas devastated by this expulsion.

Majorcan immigrants were settled on driving the country gentlemen in Sella then. Our own church received Sella in 1574th

In the twentieth century Sella lost due to migration to the coast steadily inhabitants. From 1856 to 1887, the population dropped to 1,410 in 1930, 1,260 in 1960 and 566 in 1991. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the population is increasing due to the influx of northern and central European residents and Spanish holiday home owners again. The immigration rate in 2005 was at 14 percent, among the foreign citizens are British and German the largest groups.

Economy

Most important economic activities are agriculture, especially the cultivation of almonds, and, increasingly, tourism. Sella is becoming a recreational destination for the metropolitan areas of Alicante and Benidorm.

Worth seeing

Sella is the starting point for hikes through the mountainous region of Sierra de Aitana, the highest peak Pico de Aitana reaches a height of 1,558 meters.

In the center, the Santa Bárbara Castle, a former mill and the traditional washing place of the village are ( lavadero ). The narrow, mountainside streets of the village are popular for photos.

In the first week of October, the village festival Divina Aurora is celebrated.