Viver | |
Settlement Type: | Town |
Pushpin Map: | Spain |
Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Viver within Spain |
Coordinates: | 39.9208°N -0.5953°W |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | Spain |
Subdivision Type1: | Autonomous community |
Subdivision Name1: | Valencian Community |
Established Title: | Founded |
Established Date: | 193 BC |
Government Type: | Mayor-council |
Governing Body: | Ayuntamiento de Viver |
Leader Party: | PSOE |
Leader Title: | Mayor |
Leader Name: | María Nieves Simón Campos |
Area Total Km2: | 44.9 |
Elevation M: | 559 |
Population Density Km2: | auto |
Population Demonym: | Viverense |
Timezone: | CET |
Utc Offset: | +1 |
Timezone Dst: | CEST |
Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
Postal Code: | 12460 |
Area Code: | +34 (ES) + 964 (CS) |
Blank Name Sec1: | Patron Saints |
Blank Info Sec1: | Francis of Paola Michael (archangel) |
Viver is a town in the Castellón province of Valencian Community, Spain. It is in the comarca (region) of Alto Palancia.
The municipality has an area of . It is crossed by the river Palancia, and an area in the south is part of the Calderona mountain range. However, no part of the municipality is in the Sierra Calderona National Park.
The town centre is located at a height of, on a rocky promontory along the San Roque Mountain. The population has settled in the opposite direction, staggered along the slope of the hill.
In the municipality of Viver, there are four population centres:
Surrounding Viver are: Teresa, Torás, Barracas, Pina de Montalgrao, Benafer, Jérica, all localities in the province of Castellón.
There is evidence of human settlements during the paleolithic period in the cave of El Sargal.
The first historical data documented for Viver is that the Roman Marco Poncio Catón founded this locality, with the name of Belsino, in 193 BC. Later, he changed the name to Vivarium, from which the present name was derived.
Around 1237–1239, King Jaime I conquered Viver from the Arabs. On 24 April 1244, the King granted to the population the title of "Real Villa" (royal estate), and 12 April 1367 the Puebla Letter is granted to him by Juan Alonso, Sire of Jérica.
Later, this villa was given back to the King and finally sold to the Duke of Calabria, Virrey of Valencia, in 1537. The Duke died on 26 October 1550, bequeathing his estate to the monastery of San Miguel of Reyes in Valencia,(which was founded by him), and the monks took possession of Viver.
During the Spanish Civil War, Viver underwent serious deterioration. In 1945, the Parochial Church was recovered, and many of the houses were reconstructed.
The current mayor is Patricio Gómez Gómez of the Socialist Party of Valencian Country, part of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. He was elected to office in 2011.
Traditionally, the viverense economy has been based mainly in the primary sector, the agricultural, stressing the vine, but as a result of the scourge of phylloxera in the late 19th century, the almond and olive had become more important. Destacable is the production of olives of high quality. Lately, rural tourism has been growing, through the construction of several farmhouses.
The simplest access route by road is via the Sagunto to Somport autopista A-23. The town is 69km (43miles) from Valencia, 70km (40miles) from Castellón de la Plana, 40km (30miles) from Sagunto, and 70 km from Teruel.
The town can be accessed by rail with a station (Jérica-Viver) at 2km (01miles). The town is on the C-5 del núcleo de cercanías de Valencia Valencia-Caudiel that connects Valencia and Castellón de la Plana.