Albox

Village situated in the basin of the river Almanzora, to the north of the province, in a landscape conditioned by the shortage of water. For this reason there is a sharp contrast between the areas irrigated from the streams and the orchards and the surroundings made up of dry hills, steppes and a few almond tree groves.

The village has been a local commercial centre since the XIX century, which confers upon it a special personality and at the same time has given it a certain lordly air and an appearance of wealth and prosperity. A sign of this are a few bourgeois-looking houses and a an evidently well-looked after physical appearance. The Parish church is the most outstanding building and the Monastery of the Virgin of the Saliente is nearby.

History

Both its name and its foundation are of Arabic origin, although the population of the area goes back to Neolithic times.

The presence of the Phoenicians is due to the search for minerals, above all silver. Subsequently, the presence of the Romans and the Islamic race is made evident by the abundance of archaeological remains found in the area.

In 1436, the governor of Murcia took the town by storm with his troops and razed the castle to the ground. After the Christian conquest, it belonged to the Marquis of los Vélez.

It played an active role during the war of Independence. After the war, hunger and banditry were rife.

The era of greatest economic prosperity was during the XIX century, thanks to its textile mills and the craft pottery industry.

At the beginning of the XX century, Albox developed an increasing economic activity which permitted important economic growth. Its weekly market and its livestock fairs turned it into the trade centre of the area.

Eminent citizens
Bartolomé Marín Fernández, artist.