History and Tradition
Alpera is located in the eastern part of the province of Albacete, within the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha. It has a population of 2,261 inhabitants.
HISTORY
The town of Alpera is located in the eastern part of the province of Albacete, within the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha. Located at 850 meters above sea level, it has an area of 180.15 km2, which includes the districts of Casas de Don Pedro, Las Fuentes and La Laguna.
Its municipal district is bordered to the north by Alatoz and Carcelén, to the south by Bonete and Almansa, to the west by Higueruela, all of them towns of Albacete, and to the east by Ayora, corresponding to the province of Valencia.
Its economy is based on agriculture and the footwear industry. In agriculture, the cultivation of the Garnacha Tintorera grape variety stands out, of great quality thanks to its color and grade; to a lesser extent we find the cultivation of cereals, wheat and barley.
As for the footwear industry, being so close to Almansa, a major industrial center of footwear, it is not surprising that part of the population works in this sector.
As points of interest, we will relate the parish church of Santa Marina, built in the eighteenth century, a baroque building with three naves of Jesuit type. In it is conserved a Lignum Crucis, Santísima y Vera Cruz de Alpera, patron saint of the town, to which the alperinos show great devotion. This Lignum Crucis was brought to Alpera by D. Pedro Alejandro Villaescusa, in 1749.
The Cueva de la Vieja, one of the most important rock art stations in the eastern sector of the peninsula. It is a shelter of remarkable dimensions in which painted motifs representative of two prehistoric arts are preserved: Levantine Art and Schematic Painting.
Another point of interest is the hermitage of San Roque, also built in the eighteenth century, severe and simple construction, which is located at one end of the population.
As colophon we can make reference to an industrial construction whose state of conservation, in spite of the passage of time, is quite good. The Pocico de la Nieve, ice factory with which our ancestors refreshed warmer populations.
In addition to all this, it is worth mentioning that Alpera, together with the towns of Almansa (capital of the region), Bonete, Caudete, Chinchilla de Montearagón, Corral-Rubio, Higueruela, Hoya Gonzalo, Montealegre del Castillo, Pétrola and Pozo Cañada, is part of the Monte Ibérico Corredor de Almansa Community of Municipalities.
TRADITION
Also of great importance are its traditions, with customs such as Carnival, the August festivities in honor of San Roque and, fundamentally, the May and September festivities in honor of the Santísima y Vera Cruz, patron saint of the town, whose most solemn act takes place on May 3rd with the singing of the Hymn of Alpera during the morning and the distribution of rollicos in the pilgrimage that is celebrated in the afternoon. On the other hand, on September 14 takes place the Exaltation to the Santísima y Vera Cruz in pilgrimage, celebrated this one by the streets of the town.
A broad cultural legacy that extends to its typical gastronomy, with elaborations such as egg roll or Tortas with sardines and ham, and dishes such as Gazpachos, rice with pig’s foot and, its specialty, sausage and grilled meat.
However, the product par excellence ‘Gold’ is its appellation of origin wine, repeatedly awarded and which enjoys an enviable position in the wine market, the result of the knowledge acquired from generation to generation.
MANCHEGAS DE ALPERA
The manchegas are danced in honor of the patron saint, the Santísima y Vera Cruz. The costume consists of a multicolored sash, black doublet, black apron and typical Manchegan handkerchief. Formerly, only the upper class owned this typical regional costume because of its great economic value.
Nowadays they are danced at the door of the church on the day of the offering of flowers to the patron saint.
It is known that in the 40’s the group of dances of Alpera won the first prize at national level in Calanda.
