Huécija
Huécija is a municipality in the province of Almeria which has 563 inhabitants and is 30 km from the capital. The municipality of Huécija has an area of 19.02 km2.
The village is located at 36th 58 'North Latitude and 2o 36' west longitude to 411 metres above sea level.
has an aristocratic and monastic history in the region, having been the area capital for over four centuries.
The meaning of the name is obscure in its origin, whether Latin or Arabic, but it appears that in the Muslim period it was called Guacimora, Güecixa and Güécija, and the name remains the same in the Arab/Andalusian periods.
In the late ninth century, the Yemeni Huécija colonized the area and farmed a larger area called Urs al-Yaman. Later, in the Moorish period it was part of the taha de Marchena.
In 1489, the Catholic Monarchs ceded the Marchena taha to Don Gutierrez de Cardenas and Chacon. His son would be named the first duke of Maqueda.
Before the War of the Alpujarras (1568-1570), Huécija had 138 households, two ovens, three mills, five olive oil mills, a tavern and two churches. This data gives an idea of the importance of this large farmhouse and land. After the war and the subsequent expulsion of the Moors from the Kingdom of Granada, repopulation was begun with 50 residents from Western Andalusia and Levante.
There was a gradual increase in population during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It is noteworthy that during these two centuries great importance was given to this town because of the annual fair of horses and other domestic animals, a tradition that would continue until the nineteenth century.
The nineteenth century was characterized by the abolition of the feudal system in 1835, which brought the legal-administrative independence as a municipality. As in many other municipalities in the province, the Ohanes grape monoculture spread in the second half of the century. By 1910 the municipality had grown to 1,138 inhabitants, however the activity of a grape monoculture came to an end in the 1960’s
This activity ended due to the successive crises of the twentieth century.
Monuments
The Church of the Convent of the Augustinians built in the 16th century and rebuilt in the eighteenth century.
The Church of Our Lady of the Incarnation, the 16th century in the Mudejar style, later additions were baroque and neoclassical.
Tower Fortress with the Imperial Sheild of the Emperor Charles I.
Archaeological Sites
Explore the extraordinary archaeological wealth of the area that amounts to thousands of sites.
Cerro de Marchena.
Roman Villa
Town planning
Irrigation system through the streets.
Gastronomy
Not to be forgotten are the famous hornazos of San Marcos - a typical traditional recipe belonging to many regions in Spain. The hornazos are small loaves of bread made with oil and garnished with egg. This hornazo was served to young men and women working in the fields on April 25th –the day of San Marcos to "scare the devil" who was thought to be responsible for bad weather and pests that ruined crops. According to tradition the egg had to be broken on the head of the most confused in the village.
Other regional dishes
Lenten soups with codfish balls followed by fried Roscos (twisted dough rings) and bunuelos (doughnuts) served with anis. Alpujarreña fry; sausages; lamb stew. Cocina marea, which literally means “kitchen tide”; turnip potwithbeans, pork cheeks, sausage, ham and saffron. Onions with pork liver; tabirnas colores, which is a potato stew with red peppers; onions and garlic and kid with garlic.
Sweets:
Roscos -a sweet twisted bread roll especially for Easter but popular anytime.; soplillos -small puffs of egg and almonds; honey muffins ; rosquilla- a different type of doughnut to bunuelas and of course abundant grapes and oranges.
Directions
Exit Almeria in theHuércal direction, continue on highway 340. Follow direction: Almería - E-15 - N-340 - Nijar - Murcia. At the roundabout, take exit 1 Continue: A-92A in the direction: A-92 - Benahadux - Guadix. Continue along: A-92A, follow signs to Benahadux. Take Benahadux exit towards Alhama de Almería. Once Alhama you will find Alicún and Huécija.
Distances
Almería 30km
Gádor 15km
Instinción 9.5 km
Alsodux 15km
Alhabia 14km
Galan 10km
Bentarique 9.5 km
Illar 7.5 km
Benahadux 18km |
