Located in the westernmost part of the Biar valley, in the wide glen that joins it to the basin of Villena, the municipality of Cañadense is rich in aquifers. Due to this, at the end of the seventeenth century scattered houses began to multiply in the valley near the irrigation ditches and orchards until the end of the seventeenth century set the departure of the Cañada from several groups of scattered houses as “El Portell “,” La Solana “or” El Pinaret “.

All this water richness contributed by the passage of the Vinalopó river has allowed Cañada to enjoy an excellent agriculture, in which the main crop is the olive and the vineyard, as well as the almond, plum, cherry and apple trees. At present, Cañada has recovered and restored all its hydraulic architectural heritage with the aim of preserving the history of the municipality

This settlement is the oldest reference in Canada, corresponding to a relevant town of the Bronze Age that dates back more than 3,000 years. Contrary to what happened in other settlements where the inhabitants previously prepared the land, in this they adapted to the irregularities of the surface to be built, manifesting an incipient urbanism.

On July 9, 1800, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Valencia created the parish of Cañada and instituted San Cristóbal as patron and owner of the new parish. From that date began the construction of the church that today holds the municipality.

Located next to the main square of the town and recently restored throughout the building dating from the nineteenth century, the Parochial Church of Cañada is one of the most special in the province of Alicante because it houses inside the painting painted by the Valencian teacher Joaquin Sorolla entitled “San Luis, King of France” and which was restored in 1991 by Ángel Barros Montero.

Also, the greatness of the Parish Church of San Cristóbal is also appreciated in every detail of its interior, as in the high altar, recently restored to its original state.

Hermitage of Our Lady of the Carmen Erected in 1891 on a hill in the slope of the Sanmayor mount of Cañada in honor to the employer of the town, Our Lady of the Carmen, this small hermitage consists of a plant of unique ship in the form of Greek cross, vaults of cannon in the arms and blind dome on pendentives in the cruise.
The hermitage is located in a fenced area with a well-kept garden. On the outside of the hermitage stands the door, an elliptical oculus on it and the bulrush made of solid brick. This hermitage was built thanks to the dedication of the then village priest, José Molla Planes, a Discalced Carmelite known by the name of Padre Salvador, whose effort is recognized in several inscriptions of the hermitage.

On the façade of the chapel stands the door, an elliptical oculus above it and the bulrush made of solid brick.

The bell has the name “Carmen ¡Cruz Salvadora!” She was baptized by Father Salvador before being placed. During this christening, a coplilla was sung to reflect the work of Father Salvador:

“CARMEN SAVING CROSS!
They put the bell
They took her to the hermitage
After being baptized
And the one who baptized her
PADRE SALVADOR, they call him ”

“With the Virgin in Cañada,
forever the Father Salvador ”
Translation 7-7-85

This chapel is located on the way up to the hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Carmen. It was impelled by the parish priest Rafael Oliver Gomar, who constituted the Congregation of the Sons of San Luis Gonzaga to gather the young people in the moments of prayer and coexistence. The hermitage, in the form of a rotunda with a bench, was planned and directed by the master builder Vicente Castelló Ferrándiz. All the young people of the town collaborated in its construction, who selflessly contributed and carried materials for its construction.

The Cooperativa San Cristóbal de Cañada has a store-museum called “La casa del aceite”, which is dedicated to the dissemination and dissemination of olive oil production in the municipality. For this, the museum has models, explanatory panels on the history of this type of oil, as well as teaching material aimed at children and young people, and video projections. Among the offers of the store-museum highlights the organization of group visits in addition to
practical workshops.

Contact information
Calle Biar, s / n 03409-CAÑADA
(Alicante) Telf .: 965 820 079
E-mail: info@lacasadelaceite.es
Web page:
https://www.lacasadelaceite.es/