Ontinyent

The presence of the textile industry has marked the appearance and given personality to the capital of the administrative region of the Vall d’Albaida. The metamorphosis of an agricultural society with industrial presence into a fully-industrialised society took place in the 1950s. The life of the city has always depended on water, and the abundance of surrounding springs. Ontinyent, as a demographic entity, is explained mainly by the existence of its extensive agricultural land, one of the ten most important agricultural areas in Valencia. The abundance of water and the use of the local waterfalls for energy explain the formidable concentration of manufacturing and fulling mills, as well as wool and paper plants, dating from the 18th century.