Valencian Country, Castellon de la Plana - - Pictures
Castellón de la Plana, capital city of the province of Castellón on the eastern coast of Spain. Castellón de la Plana lies 6 km (4 mi) inland from the Mediterranean Sea, and 64 km (40 mi) northeast of Valencia. The city is on the Barcelona-Valencia railway and is also connected with the harbor of El Grao de Castellón by another railway.
Although Castellón de la Plana is partly surrounded by the ruins of old walls, it is orderly, spacious, and modern in appearance. Of interest are the Gothic church of Santa María, which is flanked by an imposing tower about 50 m (about 150 ft) high, and a 14th-century church that contains a painting by baroque artist Francisco Ribalta, who was born in the city about 1555. Also of note are several ancient convents. The modern city of Castellón de la Plana was founded 3 km (2 mi) from old Castellón, a Moorish town on a hill. Because the modern city was founded in the lowlands at the base of the hill, de la Plana (of the plain) was added to its name. King James I of Aragón, who had taken Castellón from the Moors in 1233, was responsible for the relocation of the city in 1251. Population (1998 estimate) 137,741.
