Benicàssim
{{about|the municipality|the international music festival|Festival Internacional de Benicàssim}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Benicàssim
| settlement_type = Municipality
| official_name = Benicasim / Benicàssim {{No bold|(official)}}
| native_name = {{Native name|ca-valencia|Benicàssim}}
{{Native name|es|Benicasim}}
| image_skyline = Benicassim Torreón (37241068051).jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Aerial view of Benicàssim
| image_flag = Bandera de Benicàssim.svg
| image_shield = Escut de Benicàssim-2.svg
| nickname =
| motto =
| image_map = {{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=y|frame-width=285|frame-height=180|frame-align=center|frame-coordinates={{Coord|39.5|N|3.7|W}}|zoom=4|type=point|title=Benicàssim|marker=city|type2=shape|stroke-width2=2|stroke-color2=#808080|text=Interactive map of Benicàssim.}}
|map_caption = Location of Benicàssim
| pushpin_map = Spain Valencia #Spain
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Spain}}
| subdivision_type1 = Autonomous community
| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Valencian Community}}
| subdivision_type2 = Province
| subdivision_name2 = Castellón
| subdivision_type3 = Comarca
| subdivision_name3 = Plana Alta
| subdivision_type4 = Judicial district
| subdivision_name4 = Castellón de la Plana
| seat_type =
| seat =
| coordinates = {{coord|40|03|19|N|0|03|51|E|region:ES_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 15
| elevation_min_m =
| elevation_max_m =
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 36.1
| established_title =
| established_date =
| population_as_of = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
| population_total = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
| population_demonym = Benicense
Benicassut/da
| population_note =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| blank_name_sec1 = Official language(s)
| blank_info_sec1 = Spanish and Valencian
| timezone = CET
| utc_offset = +1
| timezone_DST = CEST
| utc_offset_DST = +2
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = 12560
| area_code_type = Dialing code
| area_code =
| leader_title = Alcalde
| leader_name = Francesc Colomer Sánchez (2007)
| leader_party = PSOE
| website = {{official website|http://www.benicassim.org}}
| footnotes =
}}
File:Sale in Benicassim 1824 Edward Hawke Locker (cropped).jpg]]
File:Platja dels Terrers (Benicàssim).JPG
Benicàssim ({{IPA|ca-valencia|beniˈkasim|lang}}; {{langx|es|Benicasim}} {{IPA|es|benikaˈsin|}}); officially Benicasim / Benicàssim){{cite web | url=https://ceice.gva.es/DGPAGVFOTOSCGI/BASIS/TDGPA/WWWFOTOS/CAT/EDW?W%3DM650_fotografia%3D%22BIEN+DE+INTERES+LOCAL%22%26M%3D109%26R%3DY | title=Patrimoni cultural/Patrimonio cultural - Generalitat Valenciana }} is a municipality and beach resort located in the province of Castellón, on the Costa del Azahar in Spain. The Desert de les Palmes mountain range further inland shelters the town from the north wind.
Benicàssim is located 13 km north of the town of Castellón de la Plana, at the north end of the Valencian Community. The town has a population of 18,991 (2021). Its economy is largely based on tourism; the town is well known for its beaches and its music festivals such as Festival Internacional de Benicàssim (FIB) and the Rototom Sunsplash.
Placename
The placename has an Arabic origin, consisting of a compound name using the characteristic Arabic base feature beni ('sons of'; < beni-Qasim).{{Cite web|url=https://cvc.cervantes.es/el_rinconete/anteriores/junio_03/27062003_01.htm|journal=Rinconete|publisher=Centro Virtual Cervantes|date=27 June 2003|title=La Comunidad Valenciana y sus topónimos (II)|first=Jairo J.|last=García Sánchez|issn=1885-5008}} The name is derived from the Banu Qasim tribe, a segment of the Kutama Berbers that settled the area during the 8th century Arab conquest of Spain.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
Geography
=Beaches=
File:Playa de la Almadraba (Benicasim-Benicàssim).JPG
Benicàssim has 6 kilometers of sandy beaches linked by a promenade. The five beaches in this stretch of coast are named
- Almadrava Beach (Platja de l'Almadrava)
- Heliopolis Beach (Platja Heliòpolis)
- Els Terrers Beach (Platja dels Terrers)
- Tower of Saint Vincent Beach (Platja de la Torre de Sant Vicent)
- Voramar Beach (Platja de Voramar): This beach is famous for its villas along a beach front promenade.{{Cite web |last=Caro |date=2017-10-11 |title=The Villas of Benicassim Castellon Spain |url=https://tasteofsavoie.com/2017/10/11/villas-benicassim/ |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=Taste of Savoie |language=en-GB}}
=Desert of the Palms=
{{Main|Desert de les Palmes Mountains|Desert de les Palmes Natural Park}}
Just inland from Benicàssim lies the Desert of the Palms (Valencian: Desert de les Palmes; Spanish: Desierto de las Palmas). The area is not a literal desert, but a protected natural area and a small mountain range with a maximum elevation of 729 meters (at the peak of Mount Bartolo). The Columbretes Islands are visible from the top of the range on clear days.
Festivals
Green Way
The Via Verda or Vía Verde (Green Way) is a 5.5 km long cycle and walking path along the rugged coast between the resort towns of Benicàssim and Oropesa del Mar (Orpesa).
Notes
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050324080606/http://www.benicassim.org/en/index.htm Benicàssim town council]
- [http://www.spainted.com/costa-del-azahar/benicassim/ Benicassim Costa Azahar]
- [http://www.hyrlagenhetspanien.com/benicassim.html Benicassim Description]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084141/http://mabe.es/ Muestra de Arte de Benicàssim MABE]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140325102250/http://xn--benicssim-u1a.net/benicassim-town/ Benicassim culture]
{{Commons}}
File:Platja d'Heliòpolis (Benicàssim).JPG
File:Platja de la Torre Sant Vicent (Benicàssim).JPG
File:Platja dels Terrers (Benicàssim-Benicasim).JPG
File:Castell de Benicàssim.JPG
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