Mil·lènia olive tree is chosen Spain’s Best Monumental Olive Tree 2021 (6/2021)

The olive tree is of the Farga variety, grafted on wild olive, and is located in Godall (in the Catalan part of the Sénia Territory), very close to the ancient Roman Via Augusta. Its trunk perimeter at 1.30 m from the ground reaches 7.04 m, being the largest in the village and one of the largest in Catalonia. According to the dating carried out by the Polytechnic University of Madrid, its year of origin is 1018, so it is now 1,003 years old.

The candidacy has been presented jointly by the owner, Alexis Albiol (also Mayor of Godall), together with the Mancomunidad Taula del Senia, the Territorio Sénia Association and the Godall Cooperative, who already joined forces in 2015 to condition the estate as an Area of millenary olive trees of Godall, being one of those of the Territorio Sénia that can be visited.

In the municipality of Godall (Montsià, Tarragona) there are a total of 188 millenary olive trees and this olive tree is the largest of all of them. The total number of olive trees that exceed 3.50 m in trunk perimeter at 1.30 m from the ground in the Catalan part is 2,668 (42% of the total existing in the Sénia Territory), being all of them protected thanks to the Law approved in 2020 by the Parliament of Catalonia, which is pending regulatory development in all matters relating to the aid provided.

The current population of Godall is 600 inhabitants, its municipal area is 34 km2 and the olive grove occupies 40% of the surface, being all of it rainfed. Hence the great importance of the Agricultural Cooperative, to which almost the entire population belongs, and which is clearly committed to promoting the value of these trees and their oil. The MIL·LÈNIA olive tree, along with most of those in the municipality are used to produce the Làcrima Olea Mil·lenària certified oil by the Agricultural Cooperative of Godall, within the Millenary Farga Oil Guarantee Brand of the Mancomunidad and the Association.

After the dating in 2017 by the University, the following year an Anniversary party was organized by the institutions that made the Area and also by the Music Band. After the musical performance, there were speeches, a 1,000 years anniversary cake and a meal under the olive trees. Also for the European Heritage Days, a poetic-musical walk was organized, with the participation of the local Band and poets who performed at various points. Arrived at the Area, recital of poems (many of them about these olive trees) and musical performances, with the participation of about 150 people.

Finally, the origin of the name of the olive tree "Mil·lènia" was explained. One of the awards won by the Territori Sénia Millenary Olive Trees has been the European Heritage Stories that, with the collaboration of municipalities and schools, has allowed to carry out an activity to raise awareness of this heritage among the youngest in 14 villages. After explaining in class the millenary olive trees, their conservation and enhancement, the students chose the name of a very outstanding olive tree and made a visit to the olive tree, where they practiced measuring and tasted bread with oil. It ended with a group photograph next to the olive tree. Obviously, in Godall the name chosen was "Mil·lènia".

The Territori Sénia informs that this AEMO Award for the Best Monumental Olive Tree in Spain 2021 is the 6th received by the millenary olive trees of the Territori Sénia. The previous ones were awarded in:

• 2006 - to the olive tree La Farga del Arión located in Arion's Museum, in Ulldecona (Tarragona)
• 2011 - to the olive tree Mater also located in Ulldecona (Tarragona)
• 2014 - to the Olivo de las parejas that is in the "Pou del Mas" museum, in La Jana (Castellón)
• 2016 - to the Olivo de las 4 patas located in "els Rajos", in Canet lo Roig (Castellón)
• 2018 - to the Olivo de Sinfo, located in Traiguera (Castellón)
• 2021 - to the olive tree Mil·lènia, located in Godall (Tarragona)