Although traces of several past civilizations have been found across the district of the former castle of Nules - in Tossal, Benicató, Alcudia, Torre Motxa and Sant Bárbara - no record exists of the name of this town from La Plana until 1178, when the phrase "Cum suis nullis terminis" appears in a document for the endowment of Tortosa Cathedral.
In 1238 the Arabs of Castillo de Nules surrendered to James I, who subsequently authorized the establishment of the villages of Nules and Moncófar. In 1273 James I granted privileges that allowed water to be brought to the district from the river Mijares, enabling large areas in the district to be transformed into crop lands and, consequently, facilitating the establishment of a large group of settlers.
Due to the large amount of influence possessed by Gilabert de Centelles y Montcada, who is considered the founder Nules, in the court of Peter the Ceremonious, the lord of Nules obtained for the district the rights to water and to have a market, as well as the privilege of having a pier on Nules beach and the holding of an annual fair, lasting a fortnight.
In 1375, during the war against Peter the Cruel of Castile and the great danger in which the whole of the La Plana region found itself, having been invaded by the Castilians, Peter the Ceremonious approved the fortification of the town of Nules.
In the mid-16th century, Nules's town council, alongside those of Moncof, la Vila Vella and Mascarell, towns that made up the Barony of Nules, took action against the counts of Oliva and the lords of Nules, in order to gain Royal jurisdiction; this was achieved in 1582, Nules thus becoming a Royal town (Villa Real), with the naming of a Royal judge (Baile) and justice, who held and upheld civil and criminal power throughout the Barony.
With the expulsion of the Moors, the Barony of Nules lost nearly a third of its population, which served as an excuse to return the Barony to the jurisdiction of their former masters, under the title of Marquess of Nules.
During the War of Succession, Nules was one of the few towns in the former Kingdom of Valencia who supported the French "candidate", tolerating the occupation of the Bourbon army, for which reason Felipe V granted it the title of Loyal and Faithful Town.
The cultivation, sale and handling of oranges is the main force driving the municipality's economy. The agricultural world has always been the pillar of the town's economy, with the interaction between large and small landowners, who have gradually incorporated the latest irrigation techniques.
Oranges are grown all over the district, except for certain specialized areas dedicated to summer crops, such as melons, watermelons and certain vegetables. There are around 25 places dedicated to the storage and handling of citrus fruits, in charge of exporting products from Nules into various European markets. To be specific, over half of the town's labour force have worked, at least on a temporary basis, in these warehouses, many combining this occupation with other seasonal jobs.
This structure only serves to illustrate just how important the world of agriculture is for Nules's economy, marking the mood for financial transactions throughout the municipality.
However, in recent years a remarkable diversification of the town's economic sectors has taken place, thanks to the implementation and boosting of the industrial sector, especially in the area of ceramics, as reflected in the nearby industrial parks, which house many large companies with vast influence in the market.
Nules is a Mediterranean coastal town in the province of Castellón, located in the La Plana Baixa region. The nearest capitals of Castellón and Valencia are 18km and 55km away respectively. This privileged location facilitates the flow of visitors, since it offers easy access, both via the motorway and other main roads and via train. What is more, Nules is just 35 minutes from Manises Airport (Valencia), and less than 20 minutes from the site of the future Castellón Airport.
On the other hand, we have the ruggedness of the Espadán mountains. The first elevations in the mountain range (Sierra) of the same name, relatively modest in altitude, but with pronounced slopes and drops, owing to the proximity to the sea. The Puntal de Nules is the first prominent peak in the mountain range, both because of its height and because of the steepness of its slopes. It is the highest point in what is in fact a small mountain range, rising up at 631 metres.
In 1238 the Arabs of Castillo de Nules surrendered to James I, who subsequently authorized the establishment of the villages of Nules and Moncófar. In 1273 James I granted privileges that allowed water to be brought to the district from the river Mijares, enabling large areas in the district to be transformed into crop lands and, consequently, facilitating the establishment of a large group of settlers.
Due to the large amount of influence possessed by Gilabert de Centelles y Montcada, who is considered the founder Nules, in the court of Peter the Ceremonious, the lord of Nules obtained for the district the rights to water and to have a market, as well as the privilege of having a pier on Nules beach and the holding of an annual fair, lasting a fortnight.
In 1375, during the war against Peter the Cruel of Castile and the great danger in which the whole of the La Plana region found itself, having been invaded by the Castilians, Peter the Ceremonious approved the fortification of the town of Nules.
In the mid-16th century, Nules's town council, alongside those of Moncof, la Vila Vella and Mascarell, towns that made up the Barony of Nules, took action against the counts of Oliva and the lords of Nules, in order to gain Royal jurisdiction; this was achieved in 1582, Nules thus becoming a Royal town (Villa Real), with the naming of a Royal judge (Baile) and justice, who held and upheld civil and criminal power throughout the Barony.
With the expulsion of the Moors, the Barony of Nules lost nearly a third of its population, which served as an excuse to return the Barony to the jurisdiction of their former masters, under the title of Marquess of Nules.
During the War of Succession, Nules was one of the few towns in the former Kingdom of Valencia who supported the French "candidate", tolerating the occupation of the Bourbon army, for which reason Felipe V granted it the title of Loyal and Faithful Town.
Economy
The cultivation, sale and handling of oranges is the main force driving the municipality's economy. The agricultural world has always been the pillar of the town's economy, with the interaction between large and small landowners, who have gradually incorporated the latest irrigation techniques.
Oranges are grown all over the district, except for certain specialized areas dedicated to summer crops, such as melons, watermelons and certain vegetables. There are around 25 places dedicated to the storage and handling of citrus fruits, in charge of exporting products from Nules into various European markets. To be specific, over half of the town's labour force have worked, at least on a temporary basis, in these warehouses, many combining this occupation with other seasonal jobs.
This structure only serves to illustrate just how important the world of agriculture is for Nules's economy, marking the mood for financial transactions throughout the municipality.
However, in recent years a remarkable diversification of the town's economic sectors has taken place, thanks to the implementation and boosting of the industrial sector, especially in the area of ceramics, as reflected in the nearby industrial parks, which house many large companies with vast influence in the market.
What to see
Nules is a Mediterranean coastal town in the province of Castellón, located in the La Plana Baixa region. The nearest capitals of Castellón and Valencia are 18km and 55km away respectively. This privileged location facilitates the flow of visitors, since it offers easy access, both via the motorway and other main roads and via train. What is more, Nules is just 35 minutes from Manises Airport (Valencia), and less than 20 minutes from the site of the future Castellón Airport.
Landscape
The landscape is characterized by the combination of different types of land; we can see how as we approach the coastline, the colour of the earth gets lighter, while it gets darker the nearer you get to the reservoir. This is the area formerly devoted to rice fields until the arrival of the great orange boom. The area also contains Nules's four beaches, which stretch out by the warm, blue Mediterranean Sea, with its clean and clear waters, which are much prized by those who come to enjoy them.On the other hand, we have the ruggedness of the Espadán mountains. The first elevations in the mountain range (Sierra) of the same name, relatively modest in altitude, but with pronounced slopes and drops, owing to the proximity to the sea. The Puntal de Nules is the first prominent peak in the mountain range, both because of its height and because of the steepness of its slopes. It is the highest point in what is in fact a small mountain range, rising up at 631 metres.
