Huéscar

Huescar is a town standing 953 metres above sea level, in a fertile valley at the foot of the Sierra de La Sagra.

The region of Huéscar borders Jaén, Albacete, Murcia and Almeria. The municipalities comprising the district are: Huéscar, Castilléjar, Castril, Galera, Orce and Puebla de D. Fadrique.

The valley follows course of several rivers, along which many different civilizations have left their unmistakable mark throughout prehistory, and forward to more modern times.
Neolithic cave paintings, together with human remains dating from the Bronze Age and several Iberian burial grounds have been discovered in the area, these attest to the presence of settlements throughout time.

From the second century on the impact of Romanization spread throughout the Huesca plateau, the region becoming, according to the division of Augustus, conventus carthaginiensis. The inhabitants of the region came to Cartagena from Huesca to settle their legal disputes.

The municipality of Tútugi, in Galera was the biggest urban area town of the region, at that time Huéscar did not exist as a proper town, rather only a collection of Roman villas.
In Huéscar three Roman inscriptions have been preserved and the remains of some Roman monuments were used to build a tower in the old Arab area.

Since medieval times, which were characterized by the alternative occupation by Muslims and Christians, little remains of what was the Muslim Mezquita. What is more representative of this period are the watchtowers constructed in strategic places as testament to the troubled medieval history of this land.

In 1495 Huéscar and the surrounding lands were granted to Don Luis de Beaumont, Count of Lerin and in 1513 were passed into the hands of the second Duke of Alba. In this way, and with the Christian repopulation after the expulsion of the Moors, the city changed its appearance, replacing the images of the Muslim town with the symbols of the new ruling power, mainly with regard to urban planning, religious buildings (churches and convents) and the stately homes of the new Christian families.

Monuments

Colegiata de Santa Maria la Mayor (Collegiate Church of Santa Maria, sixteenth century, Renaissance and late Gothic).
Antigua Convento de Santa Domingo (Convent of Santo Domingo, XVI century, was converted into a theatre in the late XIX century).
Iglesia de Santiago (Church of Santiago, late fifteenth century).
Ermita de San Sebastián.
Ermita del Angel.
Canal Carlos III.

Archaeological Sites
Remains of the keep of the old Moorish castle. Puente de las Animas. Pictographs.(Los Letreros) Cortijo Torralba. Fuentes del Guardal. Several old watchtowers.

Urbanism
Caserio del casco urbano. Parque Rodriguez Penalva. Fuencaliente. Marmolance. Plaza de Toros (Bullring). Cave-dwellings.

San Clemente Dam

Gastronomy

The cuisine of Huéscar is based on local produce: beef, pork, award winning lamb segureño, traditional sausages, pulses, vegetables and olive oil.

Directions

Leaving Granada. At the roundabout take the 2nd exit Continue along: E-902 / A-44 heading to Armidale - Motril. Follow the direction: Exit 118 - A-92 - Almeria - Murcia - Malaga - Algeciras - N-432 - Cordoba - Airport. Follow directions Almeria - Murcia. Continue along: A-92. Take the exit towards: Exit 295 - Baza - Murcia. Take A-92N. Take the exit towards: Exit 356, A-330, A-4302 - Cullen - Huéscar - Puebla de Don Fadrique. Turn left: Carretera de Baza to Benamaurel, direction: C-3329 - Cullen - Huéscar - Puebla de Don Fadrique. Through Cúllar Baza, Continue: A-330. Continue to Huesca.

Distances