Xàtiva

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 Valencia–Murcia 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, Xàtiva 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 Xàtiva, which was dissolved in 1833 following the 1833 territorial division of Spain. In the late 1970s, Xàtiva 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.