History
The area was first inhabited in prehistoric times, 30,000 years
ago by cave dwellers on Montgó. Subsequent residents have included
Stone Age, Romans, Greeks, Phoenicians, Visigoths, Germanic,
Carthaginians and Moors, Bronze-age peoples.
Roman fishing boats used the port, and there is evidence that
dates the Roman occupation of Javea to the 2nd century BC, making
Javea the oldest known Roman site on the coast with a commercial
port for fish and minerals. In the 6th century AD.
Christian Visigoth monks came to Javea and founded the
monastery of Sant Martí, now gone but probably gave its name to the
Cap San Martí. Hermenegild, son of the Visigoth
King Leovigild of Toledo, sought refuge in the Monastery
after angering his father by marrying a Christian girl. When his
father's troops arrived to arrest him all but one monk fled to
Portichol - but Hermenegild and the old monk were killed.A
number of locals with Visigoth names can be found even today.
There is little left of the Moors other than some
inscribed gravestones and ceramics, although they were here from
about 714AD until being expelled from Javea in 1609.
Also alongside the Montgó is the 14th century hermitage of
Popol, most likely on a very ancient sacred site, possibly built
over an underground stream as were many religious buildings.
The second Punic war, from 219 to 201 BC, began with the
conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by the Romans. At this time,
agricultural production was the main economic activity, possibly
centred around the vine cultivation. There were plenty of workshops
which made the amphorae vinaria in which the wine was decanted for
export.
There is plenty of archaeological evidence from the 10th century
showing the presence of Muslims, although there isn't much evidence
from the eighth century as well as the first conquest. The oldest
known fragment comes from 1199 AD.
In 1244, Denia capitulated to the King James I of Aragon and Pere
Eiximén Carrot, who led the conquest by the Navy, and between the
two of them they divided the area. But any repopulation was slow
and ineffective until completion of Muslim riots in Al-Azraq in
1279.
The first documents that mention Jávea in terms of the King James
II, was as a result of the need to strengthen the lands in the
south because the advent of two major conflicts in the fourteenth
century: the war with Castile (1296) and the raids of Granada
(1304-1308), with the help of the Moorish population of the
kingdom.
The fifteenth century begins with the recovery from the wars and
the increase in the population, and with a clear idea of the
planning process for the town of Javea. During 1502 fever outbreaks
were relatively common, but it seems that Javea was not much
affected as evidenced by the demographics we have. The population
in 1510 was about 930 people, which was the largest of the region,
a century later it stood at 1800 inhabitants.
The major concern of the monarchy in the sixteenth century was
the "Morisco question," a problem that ended during the reign of
Philip III with the expulsion of the Moors in 1609, shrinking the
population in the interior valleys of the region.
Frequent attacks from marauding pirates forced the inhabitants of
the town to retreat two kilometres from the coast into a walled
enclosure which was maintained until 1877. This place is the
historic core of Javea, centred around the Gothic Church of St.
Bartholomew with its whitewashed houses, iron grilles and
lintels.
Jávea participated in the Succession War (1702-1713) on the
Bourbon side, so in return it received a series of privileges that
proved to be a demographic and economic boost over the century,
ahead of the rest of the region. Along with honorary titles,
important merchants in Javea obtained concessions for the port to
export the goods and products of the country. This, together with
the fact that Javea is sheltered from storms and capacity for
vessels of large tonnage to enter, the Port become the activator of
the local economy, first with the import of wheat and then with the
passing trade. The economy of the main population was mainly
agricultural and based on rainfed crops: wheat, almond, vine, carob
and olive trees. Wheat was the most important, both local and
imported from Sicily.
Between 1810 and 1812 saw the Independence War with many different
raids on the town of Javea by the troops stationed in the Castle of
Denia.
During the second half of the 19th century, modernization began
with the sharp increase in the demand from northern European and
American markets, leading to the emergence of the local commercial
bourgeoisie. During the 20th century, especially in the decade of
the 60s, Javea was next to Mallorca and Marbella as one of the most
popular areas for the tourist elite.
Religion
One of the most significant monuments in Javea was the building
of the church of St Bartholomew which is in the centre of town. The
church dates from the 16th century. The Belfry stands well above
the village and can be seen from all over the region. There are
several points along the Alicantan coastline which serve as lookout
towers. These towers have been replicated up and down the coast and
were mainly used to alert the townspeople of raids by the Berber
pirates. There are currently two towers which are in perfect
condition. One tower is located in the Portitxol and the other is
in the Ambolo (although this one is on private property and
therefore closed to the public).
There is a second church in the port, which is known as the
virgin of Loreto. This church is a modern building but really comes
from an old church that was built in the port area. This church is
very unique in that the shape is the same as the keel of a boat.
And then there is the monastery of the Virgin of the Angels,
"Virgen de los Angeles". This monastery is from the order of
Jeronimos and is run by a single monk who performs weddings,
masses, and attends the sick and dying. In the summer the monastery
acts as a refuge for travellers and in July there are great
celebrations for the feast of the Virgen de los Angeles with plenty
of festival food.