La Pobla de Benifassà is the centre of the former domain of the Cistercian monastery of Santa María de Benifassà, founded in 1233.
The monastery and the district
In Muslim times the area revolved around the castle of Beni-Hassan. In 1233 monks from Poblet founded the monastery of Benifassà, the first Cistercian foundation in the Kingdom of Valencia. On 15 March 1236 Blasco de Alagón made a first resettlement of El Bojar and Fredes. By 1250 the monastery was already one of the great Valencian church lordships. On 11 January 1261 Abbot Berenguer de Concavella granted the founding charter of La Pobla, over the hamlets of Belloc and Albari, and on 4 May 1269 that of El Mangraner.
Depopulation
In 1463 El Bojar was left depopulated by the Catalan Civil War; Fredes was also abandoned in that war. In the 19th century Fredes was Carlist-controlled ground. The population peaked in 1910 with 748 inhabitants, and in 2021 it had 213.
Timeline
- 1233
- Monastery of Benifassà founded.
- 11 January 1261
- Founding charter of La Pobla.
- 1463
- El Bojar depopulated.
- 1910
- Population peak: 748.
Text written by Zona Zero TV from public sources; early dates vary between authors. Sources: Puebla de Benifasar (Hispanopedia, basado en Wikipedia, CC BY-SA).
Checked on 1/11/2026.
