CASTELLON DE LA PLANA

castellon de la plana, the capital of the province described above, on the barcelona-valencia railway, 4 m. from the mediterranean sea. pop. (1900) 29,904. the broad and fertile plain in which castellon is built is watered artificially by a moorish aqueduct, largely cut through the solid rock, and supplied by the estuary of the mijares, 5 m. south-east. the town is partly encircled by ancient walls; and, although most of its public buildings are modern, it contains several convents of early foundation, a curious old bell-tower, 150 ft. high, and a parish church chiefly noteworthy for a painting in the interior by francisco ribalta, who was born here in the middle of the 16th century. castellon has a brisk trade, its manufactures comprising porcelain, leather, silk, linen, brandy and cork goods. its harbour, el grao de castellon, about 4 m. east, is annually entered by some 200 small vessels. a light railway, which traverses the numerous and profitable orange plantations on the south-west, connects it with the towns of almazora, villarreal, burriana and onda. under its moorish rulers castellon occupied a hill to the north of its present site; its removal to the plain by james i. of aragon (1213-1276) gave the town its full name, "castellon of the plain."