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Vilanova d'Alcolea, in the Plana Alta, has Iberian and Roman remains, and the Via Augusta crossed its territory. It was resettled by Calatrava in 1244.
The earliest traces are Iberian settlements at Puig Pedró and abundant Roman remains, such as Els Gastells and the Masía del Señor. The Via Augusta crossed the area from north to south and in 1992 remains of the Roman station of Ildum were discovered. The present town centre coincides with a small Arab fortified settlement, Alcolea («Al Calaf», little castle).
It was reconquered on 11 May 1235 and fell to Blasco de Alagón. It then passed to the Order of Calatrava, which resettled it and granted a charter on 13 February 1244. In 1293 the Templars tied it to Peñíscola castle, gave it town status and the name Villanueva de Alcolea. After the Templars' suppression it passed to Montesa and in 1324 it switched from Aragonese to Valencian jurisdiction. In the 16th century it belonged to the Duke of Segorbe, and the 1911 census recorded 2,081 inhabitants.
Text written by Zona Zero TV from public sources; early dates vary between authors. Sources: Villanueva de Alcolea (Hispanopedia, basado en Wikipedia, CC BY-SA). Checked on 2/11/2026.
