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The Tranquil Dayas - Daya Vieja
Contributor / 2006-04-10 15:52:43
Having visited Daya Nueva just off the A-37 about one kilometre from San Fulgencio last week, this week Diana Bridle visits the neighbouring village of Daya Vieja, the second village of the tranquil Dayas.
Even though some of the history of the village is remote, documents have been recovered from other areas which shed more light on what has happened since the village was under Arab domination. Following the conquest by the King of Murcia it was taken by D. Alfonso X de Castilla with the help of his son-in-law Jaime I of Aragon. The history of the village, as far as is known, dates back to February 1296 and it has been taken and re-taken many times with each conquest leaving the various facets which make up the character of today's village.
Daya Vieja, in common with many of the villages of the Vega Baja, had to be re-built following the earthquake of March 1829 when the village was almost completely destroyed. Several years later work to rebuild the village started on the 4 April 1855 and ended on the 2 October 1857 a total of two and a half years to complete. On the 12 October 1857 there were great celebrations and the Senor Obispo of Orihuela, with the help of officials and the village elders, provided the benediction and inauguration of the new village.
Perhaps Daya Vieja's most glorious age was between 1871 and 1928 a time when a grand nobleman refurbished a derelict palace and restored it to its original grandeur. Symbolising this historic and happy time a stone column topped by a statue of a crowned lion was erected and still stands in the Plaza del LeÏŒn heralding the days of the Counts of the Pinohermoso (beautiful pines).
Whilst the column is original the lion was stolen and has had to be replaced by a hand crafted copy. The work was so detailed that photographs were taken at each step of the reconstruction and they can be seen in the Ayuntamiento.
The Church of Our Lady of Monserrate is a relatively new church, the old church having almost literally fallen down due to the fact that it was built on marshy ground, although the original foundation stone still exists. The former church was very large and grand with a huge domed roof, the church today is smaller but beautifully exquisite and it still houses the grand upholstered pew which was used by the Count of Pinohermoso and his family. It also houses some truly beautiful statues, some of which are paraded through the town on the various feast days and festivals.
The church stands in the Plaza del LeÏŒn where you can also see the Lion colonnade and a peculiarity of which the villagers are very proud; there are six magnificent palm trees, all extremely tall and all growing from a single root, which puzzles the inhabitants. The trees have to be secured with tree belts due to their height and close proximity to the nearby houses.
The village is criss-crossed with narrow streets and it is a pleasure to walk through the centre, with its small shops, bars and restaurants. However, there is also a park and on 21 May this year (this festival always takes place in May) there will be a grand procession when the statue of the Patron Saint San Isidro will be carried from the Church through the narrow streets to the Park where after the Mass there will be great feasting and celebrations. However, to witness the whole event means an early start as the procession begins at 8.30am. The other regular fiesta days of the village are in September.
Whilst there is some new building, with the inevitable cranes soaring into the sky, it is a minimal amount and doesn't detract from the prettiness of this delightful village. A journey to the tranquil Dayas will not be disappointing and if you are interested in the local history of the villages you visit then these two villages in their individual ways will provide you with plenty to see and think about.
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