Gorafe

Gorafe can be found in the Comarca of Guadix ( Granada ), and can be reached via the A-92, with a short detour of about 10 km from Guadix, in the direction of Murcia.

It is an arid area where the river Gor has cut a fertile valley. The town lies at the foot of the valley, at the bottom of the eastern slope.

Although early prehistoric findings were thought to be middle Paleolithic (between 30,000 and 50,000 years), 6,000 years ago the Gorafe valley was occupied by tribes characterized by their burials in collective tombs, built of huge blocks of stone: dolmens. (a megalithic culture the Middle Neolithic era).

Gorafe today is the town around which can be found the greatest concentration of dolmens in Europe, 198 in the 10 cemeteries scattered around the area.

Around 1900 BC C settlers arrived in the region, from the Argar culture (Bronze Age), the archaeological remains from this period are remarkable for their number and variety, around the village of Culantrillo.

Around 1,000 BC the Iron Age began together with the appearance of the Iberian culture (IV-II century BC), the best representation of this stage being the town of Montealegre, occupied until the Roman era.

The Muslim invasion of 711 brought about the permanent settlement of people in the present location. The Arabs introduced one of the hallmarks of the area: habitat in cave houses, the best of which are in the urbanization of "The Algarve”, of the origin of Almohade (XII century).

In September of 1451 the Catholic Monarchs gave with thanks the jurisdiction and income of the village to don Alvaro de Bazán y Quiñones, who became the first Lord of Gorafe. In the years after 1600 irrigation and cultivation of the plain, strongly led by the Arabs, became the most important factor in the present appearance of this fertile region.

In the early nineteenth century there was a strong demographic decline in Gorafe, the situation recovered somewhat towards at the end of the century, a period in which immigrants came from Almería due to the closure of mining in that province. From this period there was a greater economic development, as a result of the commercialisation of Esparto and the rise in agricultural prices.

Gorafe currently has about 600 inhabitants. The town's economy is based on family farming, temporary migration, and rural and cultural tourism, the latter encouraged by the creation of a theme park based around the megaliths, holidays in the cave houses, and especially the unusual and majestic landscape.

Monuments

Iglesia Parroquial (Parish Church XVI century), of Mudejar style.

Archaeological Sites
Archaeological Zone (Dolmen).

Town planning
Many cave dwellings.

Gastronomy

Good quality local olive oils are used for many dishes, migas, jaleos, roast lamb and kid, andrajos and stewed partridge and tarbinas of fine wheat flour: water (1 / 2 litre, more or less) a pinch of salt. 1 teaspoon anise fried croutons a little sugar for dusting In a casserole dish with a little oil, fry some bread cubes until golden brown, set aside, and pour on water with a pinch of salt, add flour, stirring with wooden spoon until you have a stiff soft smooth mixture, aniseed is added while stirring. These tarbinas can be taken with a little milk.

Directions

Leave Granada . Take the A-92 heading to Guadix - Almeria - Murcia. Take the exit towards: Exit 276 - Diezma . Turn left: GR-NE-21.  Pass Diezma, into Darro. Exit Darro towards Huélago. Leave Huélago and follow signs to Gorafe.

Distances