Bocairent history

continued
An oil painting representing the Crucifixion hangs on the left and on either side oil paintings of Saint Eloy and Saint Barbara. Once we have visited the Hermitage of Saint John , we head towards Pont de Darrere la Villa, one of the longest standing bridges of Bocairent which already in 1563 the famous historian Viciano described as the largest and highest bridge of the reign. It consists in a single span arch and is made of masonry stone, its sturdy construction and long standing making it a monumental attraction. The layout of the stone, aligned horizontally and forming tall shapes is worth highlighting. Once we cross the bridge we go up a stony path that takes us to the Convent of Saint Bernadine and as we return from this we experience an overhead view of the medieval quarter and the Moorish orchards, which grow from the base of the gully and grow up the containing walls until reaching the base of the houses.

It is here that we end our first route, returning through the Calle Mosen Hilario where we are able to see a magnificent view of ´Les Covetes dels Moros´, (The Moorish Caverns), the 'Ermita del Santo Cristo' (the Hermitage of Christ), the bridge with this same name, the ´Coves Rotges´ (Red Caves) and the gully 'El Barranc de la Fos'. From here, walking upwards, we reach the starting point.

Itinerary through the medieval quarters (2)

Taking off from the Town Hall Square, we take the Arch on our second route.
Originally this was a single span, masonry arch that was used as an aqueduct to carry the flow of the water from the Villa to the houses, but at the beginning of this century it was restyled and given its current Moorish style. If we look back at this point, we see a pretty panoramic view of the square with its Church and the belfry in the background. Once we cross the Arch and turning to the left, we go up a steep slope, commonly known as the 'New Barrier' and enter the medieval quarter.

In medieval times, one of the old access doors to the district was located in this very place, although after the Moslem era it was known as the 'Door to the Villa'.
We go up this slope until reaching the square of 'Saint Thomas of Villanueva', previously known as 'Plaza de la Almoina' (Square of Alms) because it was where alms were collected for the most forsaken. In one of the houses we can see a tiled altarpiece that gives credit to the saint having lived there in 1546 and on one side of this square we can also see one of the many narrow dead ends that characterize the old quarter.

Following our route along a slight widening of this echeloned street we reach the 'Érmita de la Mare de Déu dels Desampartas' (the Hermitage of the Mother of the Forsaken).