Xativa Places to Visit. Sightseeing in Xativa
Xativa/Jativa has plenty to offer; history, modern cafés, bars and restaurants, commercial centres, theatres, cinemas and parks.
Xativa Castle - The Castle of Xativa is a famous Spanish castle located in the city of Xativa near Valencia.
More on Xatica Castle HERE
Museums in Xativa
Almodi museum - The ‘Museu de l’almodi’ is divided into two sections, archaeology and Fine arts. The first one, besides several ceramic objects, has a masculine Iberian bust dating back to the IV century B.C. An
Arabic sink, unique in its genre because of its decorative human and animal motifs, funeral inscriptions and fragments of Roman marble sculptures complete the collection. In the Fine arts section, the emphasis is on painting, with the altarpiece of the ‘Transfiguración’ and the ‘tabla de
Saint Nicholas y San Dionysus’, three altarpieces by Cristóbal Llorenç and another three by José de Ribera, from the XVII century. Visitors can also find the famous portrait of Philip V, hung upside down for being the monarch who decreed that the villa be destroyed by fire.
Cova Negra (Black Cave) - The nearby Cova Negra (Black Cave) revealed relics over 30,000 years old and an intact Neanderthal skull. In the 11th century the Muslims built Europes first paper manufacturing plant here. After the Reconquista, Xativa became Valencias second largest
city. The ‘Cova Negra’ has the honour of being one of the first Valenaian archaeological deposits to be found and investigated. The importance of this large cavity, open to the river Albaida, is in its long history and the good condition of the human remains.
Colegiata Basílica de Santa María o la Seo - Santa María or “la Seo” Collegiate Basilica. A monument that is in an excellent state of conservation, with a marked
Renaissance character about it. It is called La Seu and has a strong Renaissance character. It was built between 1596 and 1916. The main entrance is Baroque and the High Altar corresponds to designs by the architect
Ventura Rodríguez. The collegiate church is dedicated to the Asunción de Nuestra Señora. In its interior is a porch consisting of Roman columns of pink marble, an elegant Romanesque facade and diaphragmatic arches of exceptional width. There are also paintings from the XIV to XVI century.
Museo de la Colegita The Collegiate Museum has an important collection of Sacred Art, and is an example of the historical and religious importance that the municipality has had. Pictorial pieces exhibited are the altarpieces of Santa Elena and San
Sebastián, Santa Ana and Pope Calixto III. Religious objects include “la Cruz Mayor” from the XIV century, the Chalice of Calixto III, the "Lignum Crucis" and a “custodia” from the XV century in gilt silver, a present from Pope Borja Alejandro VI.
