Rafol De Almunia

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Historical Outline:
El Ràfol D´Almúnia has Arab origins. It belonged to King Taifas of Denia but under the conquest of Jaime the first, control passed to the crown of Aragon and their local ruling families, first the Murs, then the Sapenas and more recently the Almúnia. In 1535, it was elevated to a fully fledged parish with the appointment of the first parish priest D. Antonio Aringo whose control also encompassed the sub-parishes of Benimeli, Sagra, Negrals and Zeneta. After the expulsion of the moors, El Ráfol was repopulated in 1610 by 123 inhabitants occupying 26 houses. In 1800 it had grown to 80 houses with 429 inhabitants. The parish church of San Francisco de Paula, was served by a priest and an assistant whose ministry also took in Benimeli, Negrals, Sagra, Sanet and Tormos. In the XVII century, El Ráfol lay at the centre of the area now known as the Rectoria, and also at the heart of the territory ruled by the Marquess of El Ràfol D´Almúnia. In 1693, Rafol’s neighbour, Francesc Garcia, acquired fame through his oppression of feudalism in the Marina Alta.