Xàtiva, also known as , is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the province of Valencia, on the right (western) bank of the river Albaida and at the junction of the ValenciaâÂÂMurcia and Valencia Albacete railways, in the north of the Central comarques and serves as the capital of the Costera comarca. It holds the distinction of having the highest number of enclaves in Spain, totaling twenty-six. It is located 25 km west of the Mediterranean Sea. During the Al-Andalus Islamic era, Arabs brought the technology to manufacture paper to Xàtiva. In the 12th century, Xàtiva was known for its schools, education, and learning circles. Islamic scholar Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi's last name refers to Xàtiva where he lived and died. After the Reconquista by Northern Christian kingdoms and the following Christian repopulation, the city became the cradle of one of the most powerful and controversial families of the Renaissance, the House of Borgia, which produced Popes like Callixtus III (Alfonso de Borgia) and Alexander VI (Rodrigo de Borgia).
Historically, XÃÂ tiva was a prominent town in the Kingdom of Valencia, rivaling Valencia and Orihuela during the foral period. It is the birthplace of the Borgia popes and preserves a rich artistic heritage, despite suffering significant destruction in 1707 by Bourbon troops during the War of the Spanish Succession. In 1822, it briefly served as the capital of the Province of XÃÂ tiva, which was dissolved in 1833 following the 1833 territorial division of Spain. In the late 1970s, XÃÂ tiva was proposed as a potential capital for the Valencian Community due to its historical and geographic significance, avoiding tensions between Alicante and Valencia. The city's population is approximately 30,378 (2024). Together with nearby municipalities, it forms an integrated urban area with around 61,000 inhabitants in 2023.
Xàtiva is one of the few Spanish cities to retain a pre-Roman toponym. The Iberians knew it as Saiti, which evolved into Saitabi or Saetabis in Latin. Under Muslim rule, it was called (madënat à  ÃÂá¹Âibat), leading to the Valencian Xàtiva. In 1707, Philip V of Spain renamed it San Felipe. The Cortes of Cádiz restored the name in 1811 as the Castilianized Xátiva, which was later adapted to the academic spelling Játiva. It officially reverted to its Valencian form Xàtiva by a decree of the Valencian Council on January 7, 1980.
Xàtiva (Saetabis in Latin) was famous in Roman times for its linen fabrics, mentioned by the Latin poets Ovid and Catullus. Xàtiva is also known as an early European centre of paper manufacture. In the 12th century, Arabs brought the technology to manufacture paper to Xàtiva ( ShÃÂá¹Âiba).
It is the birthplace of two popes, Callixtus III and Alexander VI, and also the painter José Ribera (Lo Spagnoletto). It suffered a dark moment in its history at the hands of Philip V of Spain, who, after his victory at the Battle of Almansa during the War of the Spanish Succession, had the city besieged then ordered it to be burned and renamed San Felipe. In memory of the insult, the portrait of the monarch hangs upside down in the local .
XÃÂ tiva was briefly a provincial capital under the short-lived 1822 territorial division of Spain, during the Trienio Liberal. The Province of XÃÂ tiva was revoked with the return to absolutism in 1823.
Evidence of settlement in XÃÂ tiva dates back to the Middle Paleolithic, as shown by findings at Cova Negra. The city originates from the Iberian culture, known as (with variants Ibi or Tibi). Due to over 2,300 years of continuous settlement in the same area, ancient remains are scarce, as materials were reused repeatedly, explaining the paucity of Iberian artifacts. The original settlement is identified at the site of the current Minor Castle.
Romanization began in the 2nd century BC, with Saitabi flourishing and minting its own coins, featuring a three-pointed star at 8, 12, and 4 o'clock, resembling the modern Mercedes-Benz logo. It was elevated to a Roman municipium named Saetabis Augusta in honor of Emperor Augustus. During the Roman Empire, XÃÂ tiva was a key commercial hub along the Via Augusta, renowned for flax production and textile manufacturing. The Roman poet Catullus mentions the lintea or sudaria Saetaba ex Hiberis, gifts from his friends Veranius and Fabullus, in his poem 12 (Catulli Veronensis 'Carmina' Henricus Bardon, ed. Bibliotheca Latina Teubneriana, 1973: p. 15.). Few Roman remains are visible, as stones were reused for later constructions, and the site saw intensive agricultural use. Over a dozen cisterns remain. In the Late Roman Empire, Saetabis became an episcopal see, with its bishops attending the Councils of Toledo during the Visigothic period (6th and 7th centuries). In Visigothic Spain, it was an under the Archdiocese of Toledo, part of the Roman province of Carthaginensis in the Diocese of Hispania.
Following the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in 711, the city was named Medina (madënat à  ÃÂá¹Âibat, generally transcribed as Medina Xàtiba). It became a fortified stronghold, praised by the 12th-century geographer Al-Idrisi for the beauty and strength of its castles. It belonged successively to the Taifa of Toledo, Taifa of Córdoba, Taifa of AlmerÃÂa, Taifa of Dénia, and Taifa of Murcia. In 1094, it served as a refuge for Almoravid troops defeated by El Cid in the Battle of Cuarte. This link to El Cid includes Xàtiva in the Camino del Cid. By the early 13th century, it was the capital of a small Muslim state dependent on Valencia, stretching from the Júcar River in the north to Biar in the south. Xàtiva was a pioneer in paper production in Western Europe.
After conquering Valencia in 1238, James I of Aragon besieged Xàtiva in 1240 but lifted the siege after a truce with the Muslim governor. Conflicts between the governor and the Castilians prompted James I to intervene again, capturing the city in 1244, shortly after signing the Treaty of Almizra with Alfonso X of Castile. Upon surrender, James I preserved the mosque, which stood until the 16th century. The expelling of the Muslim population was bitterly resented and recounted by the 13th-century historian and contemporary Ibnul Abbar in his book âÂÂAl-Hulla Siyaraaâ in which he described the expulsion as a âÂÂblatant breach of the former agreementâÂÂ. Under Christian rule, as Xàtiva, it became the second most important city in the Kingdom of Valencia, though it did not regain its episcopal status. It led a homonymous governorship. The Morisco population was expelled from the walled city and resettled in rural areas and the San Juan suburb, while the Jews retained their juderÃÂas near the Santa Tecla gate. The castle and walls were strengthened between 1287 and 1369, and water supply improved with the Bellús and Agua Santa aqueducts. In 1347, King Peter IV of Aragon granted it city status.
By the late 15th century, Xàtiva had around 8,000 inhabitants and was at its peak. It administered a vast municipal term, now corresponding to 37 municipalities, and a governorship spanning from the Júcar River to Caudete, Biar, Castalla, Xixona, and Villajoyosa, covering 4,750 kmò. Beyond administrative roles, it had military significance (its castle was the strongest in the Kingdom of Valencia), and economic and commercial functions. The expulsion of the Moriscos led to the loss of nearly half the governorship's population, depopulating over 100 settlements. This demographic crisis, coupled with economic decline and 17th-century plague epidemics, further reduced the population.
During the War of the Spanish Succession, XÃÂ tiva supported Archduke Charles, enduring harsh sieges by Bourbon troops led by Asfeld. The city was heavily damaged, looted, and much of its population massacred or exiled. Traditionally, it is said to have been burned for a year, earning its residents the nickname socarrats ("scorched ones"). A plan to demolish much of the city and rebuild was abandoned due to technical and property issues. The greatest affront was the dismemberment of its governorship, loss of civic functions, and renaming to Colonia Nueva de San Phelipe, or simply San Felipe.
Throughout the 18th century, Xàtiva recovered, with 12,655 inhabitants by 1787, prompting new urban works. However, the 1748 earthquakes caused significant damage, destroying the Santa Tecla church and leaving the castle nearly abandoned. The economy declined by the late 18th century, as the new Royal Road from Madrid to Valencia bypassed the city by 4 km (roughly the current A-35 and A-7 route), begun in 1776. In 1811, the Cortes of Cádiz restored the name Xàtiva, largely due to the efforts of JoaquÃÂn Lorenzo Villanueva. Economically, the city suffered a major setback between 1810 and 1830 with the near-total collapse of its flax and silk textile industry, leaving about 1,300 people jobless. From 1822 to 1823, it served as the capital of the Province of Xàtiva, though this was not confirmed in the 1833 territorial division (Trieno Liberal), when it was included in the Province of Valencia. The railway's arrival in 1858, with the opened on December 20, 1854, boosted connectivity, between Valencia and . However, this did not halt demographic stagnation, exacerbated by , which emptied convents, and the abolition of seigniorial rights, prompting the exodus of about fifty noble families. The population declined until 1910, when immigration spurred growth, which continued slowly from the 1960s due to rural exodus and Xàtiva's specialization as a service city.
During the Spanish Civil War, XÃÂ tiva remained loyal to the Second Spanish Republic until the war's end, hosting some war industries. On February 12, 1939, it suffered a bombing by Italian aircraft of the Aviazione Legionaria, targeting the railway station and surroundings. The attack killed 129 people and injured over 200, many of them women and children at the station awaiting a military convoy.
Located in La Costera comarca, Xàtiva is 62 km from the city of Valencia. The municipality is crossed by the A-7 Mediterranean Motorway, the regional roads CV-620 (formerly N-340 between km 838 and 847) and (AlziraâÂÂXàtiva), and local roads connecting to Vallés, Novelé, Genovés, Barxeta, Llocnou d'En Fenollet, L'ÃÂnova, Manuel, and Llosa de Ranes.
The municipality lies in the strategic Montesa corridor between the basins of the and its tributary, the . Its perimeter is highly irregular, with several territorial enclaves resulting from historical segregations of its once-larger municipal term, which included over sixty villages.
The terrain features four distinct units. In the north, the Santa Anna range, a Triassic outcrop, reaches 230 m. South of this range, between Llosa de Ranes and Xàtiva, lies a broad, nearly flat valley at 80âÂÂ100 m, covered with Quaternary sediments and irrigated by the , Carnissers ravine, and , which waters Xàtiva's fertile orchards. East of the Albaida stands the Puig hill (309 m), topped by the ruins of the Our Lady of Puig hermitage. South of the orchards, the terrain becomes rugged with the Bernisa range, an anticline with near-vertical limestone walls reaching 454 m. South of this lies the valley, colored by albariza soils, and further south, the Serra Grossa forms the boundary with the Vall d'Albaida, reaching 498 m.
Altitudes range from 498 m in the southwest (Serra Grossa) to 50 m along the . The city itself is situated at 120 m above sea level, at the foot of the castle hill, with some houses extending up its slopes and others spreading into the flatter valley.
Xàtiva has a Mediterranean climate (Csa in the Köppen climate classification). Winters are mild, while summers are very hot, with maximum temperatures occasionally exceeding 40 ðC. Frosts are rare, and snow is extremely rare. In autumn, the cold drop can occur.
Xàtiva has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSh) with mild winters and hot to very hot summers. September is the wettest month of the year as a result of cold drop episodes that occur mainly in autumn. Despite being located inland, its lower altitude means that temperatures below are rare, while in summer it is common for temperatures to approach or exceed . Summer nights are warm, often hovering around . Xàtiva also recorded the highest temperature ever in peninsular Spain in a month of March, on 23 March 2001 which registered .
XÃÂ tiva has a population of approximately 30378 (2023). Its residents are known as setabenses or socarrats ("scorched ones"), a reference to the 1707 burning by Philip V of Spain. About 9.0% of the population is of foreign nationality.
In 1887, XÃÂ tiva's population increased with the incorporation of the former municipality of Anahuir.
The original Iberian city was located where the Minor Castle now stands. After the Roman conquest, the center shifted to the plain, occupying the now-empty space between the current city and the castle, where the churches of San Félix and San José stand. Remains and records of Andalusian buildings indicate the city expanded beyond the Roman-Visigothic walls. The Islamic medina likely covered most of the current medieval city, with the Aljama (in Montsant) and the main mosque on the site of the current collegiate church. Water was supplied via the Villa acequia. After the Christian conquest, the city's urban layout was renewed with new buildings. From the late 13th century, residents began abandoning the upper city for more accessible areas with running water, turning the old enclosure into a large albacar (livestock pen) and later farmland. The city then remained within the walls' limits, though suburbs expanded, and numerous buildings were constructed until the economic crisis following the Morisco expulsion.
The 1707 Bourbon sieges left the city heavily damaged, but recovery began in the 18th century with the creation of the Market Square and palaces along Corretgeria and Moncada streets. In 1822, the first public lighting with oil was introduced. During the First Carlist War (1837âÂÂ1847), the walls were reinforced for the last time. The 19th-century demographic stagnation limited urban expansion, but key projects included the Station descent in 1860, the parallel Carmen descent, a new route to Valencia, and the urbanization of the Alameda in 1882, after demolishing much of the walls in 1874. These axes shaped the early 20th-century expansion. Growth first filled the space between the medieval city and the railway, then extended westward along Reina street. A 1934 expansion plan, revised as an Alignment Plan in 1944, guided growth until the 1960s. The 1988 General Urban Development Plan aimed to expand beyond the railway, requiring two underpasses and one overpass. In 1995, access to the A-7 was improved with a new bridge over the .
The service sector dominates XÃÂ tiva's economy, particularly tourism and commerce. Industry is also a key economic driver. Commerce attracts customers from the comarca and neighboring areas. The XÃÂ tiva Functional Area includes 38 municipalities, with a population of 113,427 in 2009 (2.2% of the regional total), due to its strategic location and excellent infrastructure connectivity.
While 40% of the population worked in agriculture in 1950, this fell to 5% by 2001. Industry employed 20% of the workforce, and construction 12%. XÃÂ tiva has specialized as a service city, with over 63% of its active population in this sector.
The following roads pass through XÃÂ tiva's municipal term:
The in the urban core offers Renfe Operadora services, including long-distance (, Trenhotel), (, connecting to Alcoy), and CercanÃÂas Valencia (Line C-2). The station is equipped for high-speed AVE MadridâÂÂValencia (via Albacete) trains, currently under construction.
Xàtiva has a bus station with lines connecting to nearby towns and cities, operated by companies like Chambitos, La Concepción, and Travicoi. The lines include:
The urban bus service, managed by the municipality, connects various city points with the LluÃÂs AlcanyÃÂs Hospital.
Currently, in addition to the municipal capital, the following population units are located within the municipal term, ordered by their population in 2015:
The city of XÃÂ tiva is divided into twelve neighborhoods, reflecting both its historical structure and modern growth:
XÃÂ tiva's historic center was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1982, housing most of the city's heritage. Within its municipal term lies the Cova Negra natural site, centered around a Middle Paleolithic site with Neanderthal remains.
XÃÂ tiva is built on the margin of a fertile plain, and on the northern slopes of the Monte Vernissa, a hill with two peaks crowned by Xativa Castle.
The Collegiate Basilica, dating from 1414, but rebuilt about a century later in the Renaissance style, was formerly a cathedral, and is the chief among many churches and convents. The town-hall and a church on the castle hill are partly constructed of inscribed Roman masonry, and several houses date from the Moorish period.
Other sights include:
The most traditional dishes are rice-based, particularly the casserole of (arrós al forn), also known as rice with tanda (arrós amb tanda) or walked rice (arròs passejat). Other typical dishes include brothy rice (arròs caldós), (arròs amb fesols i naps), and white rice (arròs blanquet), a baked rice dish made from the broth of .
Among desserts, the ' and ', of Arab origin, stand out, made from pumpkin and almonds.
XÃÂ tiva is twinned with Cocentaina, in Alicante, and Lleida, in the Province of Lleida, Catalonia.