Carmona - Sevilla

The municipality of Carmona, the second area of the province of Sevilla, is located in the centre of it, part of the regions of the countryside and the Vega. In 1996 it had 25,266 inhabitants, most of who resided in the main core. Guadajoz entity also belongs to Carmona´s municipality.

Carmona is one of the main cities of historical ancestry of the province. Its different names touting the city's role in the various invasions. Its name has a Semitic root "KAR" meaning city and is explained by its probable Phoenician foundation. The Romans called it "CARMO" and Arabs "QARMUNA."

The fertility of the land and its privileged location on top of a hillock easily defended Carmona made an inhabited since "prehistoric times." Although there are remains of the Palaeolithic, are much more abundant in the Neolithic including the magnificent "bell-shaped vessels" of Acebuchal.

From a Turdetano area, it was developed a major Carthaginian colony, retained some remains of walls of this stage in the Puerta de Sevilla.

In the year 206 BC , Carmona was conquered by the Roman Empire, was intensely Romanized and became one of the most important towns of Andalusia, with the name "Carmo".

Carmona obtained the privilege of minted "money" and was surrounded by a "mighty walled" Julius Caesar cites in his "De Bello Civile" obtained "a municipality", belonging to the convent Legal Asitigitana (Écija), and its inhabitants being assigned to the tribe "Gallery."

The layout of the city, which took place over the Carthaginian town, still recognizable in the present Carmona, especially the Cardo Máximo, that was from the "Door of Seville" to the on of  "Córdoba".

This time, the architectural and sculptural remains are a large category, highlighting the impressive Necropolis.

It also retains the remains of the Visigoths. Its importance declined in the Muslim period, and became the capital of one of the Taifa kingdoms in the XI century. The Arabs reformed the defensive system, and embellished with noble palaces, mosques and other important buildings, of which there are still remains.

The conquest was taken by Fernando III "the Saint" in 1247, starting with recruitment. He was granted a charter of its own. Its boundaries of the territory by Alfonso X the Wise. It was favoured by Pedro I "the Cruel", who often lived in it, and enlarged and transformed the Gate Citadel de Marchena, for a royal residence. In the XV century, the struggle between supporters of Ponce de León, Mr. Arcos and Marchena, and Guzmán, Count of Niebla and Dukes of Medina Sidonia, lashed tightly to the city.

In 1630, Philip IV granted it the title of "City."

Monuments

Town Hall
Church of El Salvador
Church of San Bartolomé
Church of Santiago
History Mueseum Casa Palacio Marqués de los Torres
Roman Necropolis
Alcázar de la Puerta de Sevilla
Church of San Pedro
Prioral de Santa María de la Asunción and its Exposición Permanente

Gastronomy

Carmona's cuisine is renowned for the quality of its raw materials such as vegetables with which they can cook excellent and varied dishes of the countryside. We can highlight the gazpacho, tomato soup, spinach with chickpeas, asparagus and eggs are set, boronías, among others. As well as the partridge, with thistles stew, pig's feet, yellow potatoes with cod, crumbs and pea soup.

As for the pastry Carmona included the English cake, pastries oil, almond cakes, rice pudding, homemade candy polvorones typically made in convents.

How to get there

By road
From Madrid and Córdoba: by IV or E5 highway, it is located to 30 kilometres before reaching Sevilla.
From Granada and Málaga: Take the motorway A 92 until you reach Arahal, where it joins the SE Highway 216 which leads directly to Carmona
From Badajoz: on National Highway 630 to reach Azuaga, where we turn to take the N432 road that takes us to Llerena road where it joins the EX 200 that leads to Guadalcanal, Alanis, Constantina, Lora del Río, where once passed through the town take the A457 road to Carmona.
From Sevilla take the IV or E5 highway, it is located 30 kilometres from Sevilla.

Distances