Historic Xàbia

The typical riuraus and naies are highly representative elements of Xàbia’s rural architecture. These are rectangular masonry buildings made of common stone and “tosca,” with large arches or “ulls” and usually with a reed roof, intended to house grapes spread on reed mats to dry. One of the largest is the Riurau of the Català d’Arnauda. It has a rectangular plan and a double-pitched roof with 14 arches on each side. The building materials are local, highlighting the voussoirs and pillars of the arches made with local “tosca.” The roof is formed by wooden beams, reed, and Arabic tile.