What to See
Palatial Home of Marquis of Fontalba
The Palatial home is a magnificent two-story building, which facade is orientated towards the garden, and stands out the central body that has a portico and an ornamental top in shape of balustrade. The decorative, austere style, it is of tiles rollers with purist thematic. Very functional as for the design, the house presents a ground floor with a lounge of reception and other lounges of playtime, dining room, kitchen, guests' rooms and the dependences of the servants, whereas in the first floor are the bedrooms of the Lords of the house together with splendid bathrooms realized in marble.
Nowadays, the Palatial home is a private ownership and, therefore, cannot be visit.
Garden and Pine Forest of Marquis of Fontalba
The gardens and the forest of pines occupy an extension of two hectares. The garden is of rectangular plant and with neoclassic, Arabic and Renaissance elements. Upon entering by "the Gate of the Lions" it is possible to contemplate an avenue of slender palms (reply of another place typical of the municipality as The "Path of the Palms"). Between many points of interest stand out the cave of the Virgen de la Almudena, made with sea rocks; a sundial; a small animal house with birds; the numerous statues and fountains that are distributed by the garden; some pavilions, summerhouses and columns; the swimming pool and the hut of the old guards restored.
The vegetable predominant species in the garden are the palms (Phoenix dactyliphera, Phoenix canariensis, Washingtonia robusta), the numerous orange trees (Citrus sisnerensis) and lemon trees (Citrus lemon), slender Auricarias excelsa, magnificent Pitosporum tobira, Lignustrum and a great quantity of bushy species. In the back part of the Palatial home there is a small forest of stylized pines.
Church of Ntra. Sra. del Belén
The church dedicated to Ntra. Sra.de Belen, patron saint of Jacarilla, is sober building and neo-Gothic style. The most peculiar of the temple are the aristocratic vestiges saved due to its origin as familiar oratory of the Marquis, among which are the exclusive box next to the main altar and the heraldic motifs of stained glass windows.
Local Festivities
The festivities in honour of the Patron Saint of Jacarilla, Nuestra Señora de Belén, are held during the first week of September that end on day 8, day of Patron Saint of the village. In these festivals are remembered traditions that have been lost, such as "ribbon race," its beautiful holiday queens, colourful parade of coaches, offering of flowers to the Virgin, Procession and Holy Mass, in which the whole village is overturned. At midnight, a serenade full of songs, poems and praises to the Virgin and the culmination of the hand-kiss.
The tradition tells that at the beginning of the 19th century the image of the Virgin was found in a patch of its garden, and the farmers and villagers wanted that she not leave the village despite the authorities tried to move her to Bigastro. As there were moving away the carriers from the place of discovery, the image became heavier, preventing them finally move forward, with what they had to desist their efforts to take her and theVigin remained in Jacarilla to exercise her patronage.
Another significant Holiday is that of San Antonio Abad, Patron of the village, on January 17, with Mass, procession of the Saint and benediction of the animals, and the ancient raffle of both pigs last Sunday of the month. There are typical the rolls and San Anton’s balls.
Holy Week
The acts of celebration of the Holy Week in Jacarilla begin with the Besapiés on Friday of Palm Sunday’s week.
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno is the first Confraternity of Jacarilla, it was founded in the year 2000 by Finita Ortuño and his image realized by the sculptor Víctor García Villagordo from Torrevieja. In the Besapiés, public and confreres assembled in the Parochial Church, are the hosts of the new confreres, to whom the medallion of the Confraternity is put on them. Later a Holy Mass takes place in representation of all of them, to finish with the Besapiés to the image of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno.
During the Holy Week, the Good Friday is the procession of the Confraternity, dresses with tunic of purple velvet, golden cord and carrying candles. Finally, the Easter Sunday, very early the "Meeting" takes place, between Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and the Dolorosa Nuestra Señora de Belén.
More InformationThe Rosary of the Dawn
All the Sundays’ dawns of October sing the Auroros the "Despertá" giving step to the Procession of the Rosary of the Dawn, since it is traditional in the Vega Baja.
Company of Theatre of Jacarilla
This theatrical group was formed in 1998 on the occasion of Jacarilla's local Festivities. It is composed by 30 persons between actors and ballerinas.
They have represented their works in the Pilar de la Horadada, Algorfa and Redován.
The topics of theirs works are orientated towards the Musical Comedy. Between them we can stand out: Ballroom, ¡what a madness of consultation! and Casting.