It can be reached from the town centre of Mislata, first by the Carrer (street) Séquia de Favara, then straight on to the Quint's trail, and finally following the rural path of the alqueria (farmhouse) dels Tarongers.
In good condition despite the last repairs that have covered the bottom and side of the irrigation canal of the two braços (arms) and the divisor itself with concrete. However, it continues to operate in the open air and with its original dimensions.
Islamic era, 11th-12th centuries.
According to Guinot and Selma (2005, forthcoming) and Selma (2014), the origins of this divisor are from the Islamic period, prior to the conquest of València by King Jaume I (James I) in the 13th century, as it forms part of the basic design for the distribution of water from the Mislata irrigation canal among the different districts and alqueries (farmhouses) in its territory. It is located on the braç “dels Moros” (Moorish arm), which comes from the municipal district of Quart de Poblet, and it continues from the side of the divisor in a straight line to the east and parallel to the course of the Túria River, while the Franco braç (arm) begins on the right, turns 90º to the right and passes in front of the alqueria (farmhouse) dels Tarongers. The names of the two braços (arms) refer to the double population of the city of Mislata during the late Middle Ages and early Modern times until 1611. Specifically, the name of the “Moros” (“Moors”) refers to the Mudejar and Moorish community that lived until that year in Mislata. They had part of their irrigated land, which is still known today as the “horta del Quint” (“the irrigated land of the fifth”) because they paid a fifth or 20% of the harvest annually to the feudal lord of Mislata. On the other hand, the name “Franc” refers to the canal that watered the part of the Mislata irrigated land that had been cultivated by its Christian neighbours since the 13th century. The latter did not pay any taxes or income for this crop and were therefore “francs” of theirs. The history of these tongues of land is quite simple as they have always been the property of the Town Council of the owners of the Mislata irrigation canal, which managed and repaired them for centuries, even today, as they are still in operation.
According to Guinot and Selma (2005, forthcoming) and Selma (2014), these tongues of land have the usual and traditional physical structure found in all of them, although it should be noted that despite its modern partial repair made with concrete, it is one of the best at maintaining its original shape. It consists of the spur in the centre of the irrigation canal of the “Moros” braç (arm), continued by a long and narrow central spike to separate the two new irrigation canals. It is built with masonry and tiles, all plastered with mortar. The spur is a single stone block, 92 cm (36.2 in) long by 125 cm (49.2 in) high and 45 cm (17.7 in) wide. Meanwhile, each side milestone is also built from a single block of stone with a vertical groove on the front face to allow for the sliding of a slope or wooden board that facilitates rotation between the two canals. Regarding the mouths or gorges of each irrigation canal, they have an opening of 105 cm (41.3 in) each, which is equivalent to the size of Al Andalus of two Egyptian elbows. The basic part of the divisor is built with very old stone blocks, although both, the central and lateral breakwater, have been covered with concrete in recent times, as have the two ditches that derive from it.
- Plan de Acción Territorial de Protección de la Huerta de Valencia. Versión Preliminar. Memoria de Ordenación. Anexo. Fichas de Elementos de Arquitectura Hidráulica. Índice de Fichas, (dir. Arancha Muñoz), Generalitat Valenciana, 2008, Element EPH_10.10, p. 173.
- Pla d’Acció Territorial d’Ordenació i Dinamització de l’Horta de València (PAT de l’Horta). Generalitat Valenciana, 2018. Catàleg annex. Element EPH_10.05. Llengües del Franc/moros, pp. 447-448.
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GUINOT, E., SELMA, S. (2005, informe inèdit): Les séquies de l’Horta Sud de València: Rovella, Favara, Mislata-Xirivella, Benàger-Faitanar i Quart. València, Conselleria d’Agricultura-Generalitat Valenciana.
SELMA CASTELL, S. (2014): Paisatges històrics, patrimoni i didàctica (les séquies i les hortes del Tribunal de les Aigües de València). Tesi doctoral, Castelló, Universitat Jaume I, pp. 316-317.
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GUINOT, E., SELMA, S., LLORÍA, R. (2003): El patrimoni hidràulic de les séquies del Tribunal de les Aigües de València. Informe elaborat per a la Direcció General de Patrimoni de la Generalitat Valenciana, Conselleria de Cultura, València.
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Photos: Càtedra L'Horta de València - Google Earth
