La Calahorra

The municipality of La Calahorra is part of the Natural Park of the Sierra Nevada. In a privileged situation near the port of Ragua, between the north and south slopes of the Sierra Nevadas, lies La Calahorra, and from any point within a radius of several kilometres, you can appreciate the singular beauty of its white terraced houses on the mountainside, the church and the last medieval style castle in Spain. This curious fort was built in the early sixteenth century, has been declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument, and is preserved for its magnificent Renaissance style courtyard, decorated with Italian marble, the outside of which shows the style of a wartime military construction, typical of earlier periods. With the threat of uprisings and revolts by the Moors who inhabited the surrounding area towards Sierra Nevada and the southern slopes of the Alpujarras, the Christian rulers decided to build an impregnable fortress, which also served as jail cells, the cellars where insurgents were kept are still retained to this day.

La Calahorra is bordered to the north by Aldeire and Charches (region of Valle del Zalabí), to the south by Aldeire , to the east by Ferreira and Huéneja , and to the west by Alquife and Lanteira .

The origins of this town date back to prehistory, as is evidenced by the archaeological remains found in the area. It was occupied by the Phoenicians and became a part of the former province of Bastetano, one of the regions called Arcilacis, which later became known as Alcala Horra or Castle of the Rocks. The Visigoths also occupied the area, later to be followed by the Muslims. In 1489 it was given to the Catholic Kings, but later, in 1568, the town supported the uprising of the Moors against the Crown. The uprising was brutally suppressed and the Moors were expelled from the municipality. Later it was repopulated by settlers from other regions.

After the conquest, the land was granted to the Marquis of Zenete, Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar y Mendoza, who was the eldest son of the Grand Cardinal Mendoza. Interestingly, Queen Elizabeth, having a stricter moral code, agreed to this. Rodrigo's name reflects the commitment of his father to the lord El Cid, he inherited el Condrado del Cid in Jadraque  (Guadalajara). The first Marquis of Zenete was feckless and had violent reputation. He married, but being widowed, fell in love with and married a fifteen-year-old girl who had been kidnapped from a convent. Despite all obstacles, Rodrigo had the castle-palace of La Calahorra built for his beloved wife.

Monuments

Castillo-Palacio de La Calahorra (Renaissance, XVI century).

Iglesia Parroquial (Parish Church XVI century).
Ermita de San Gregorio (convent)

Archaeological Sites

Cerro Foncanal.

Town planning

Palace/house Alamo Plaza.

Gastronomy

Standing out among local stews is an estofada called ‘sustento’, cooked with potatoes, ribs, garlic and chorizo. Today, the Moorish influences can also be found in the classic cuisine of the area such as Rin-ran, a dish of bacalao (cod) of which there are many variations. Also to be found are excellent artisan-produced cheeses and pork sausages.

Directions

From the A-92 direction Granada - Almería , past the towns of Guadix, Exfiliana and Alcudia (Exit 312) through to the A-337. Head towards Almería-Granada, (Exit 312) just after the towns of Huéneja and Dolar.

Distances