Ogíjares

This pretty village lies on the banks of the river Dílar, situated geographically in the area known as La Campana granadina, a region formerly alluded to as lands under the jurisdiction of a parish, or looked at with a more romantic view, it has been said that La Campana territory covered the entire Granada region where they could hear the ringing of the bell of the Torre de la Vela of the Alhambra. That reference to the proximity of the city of Granada demonstrates either  of the two interpretations, amply fulfilled in the case of Ogíjares: located between Sierra Nevada and Granada, only 5 kilometres from the city of the Alhambra.

It borders the municipalities of Armilla, Granada, La Zubia, Gójar and Alhendín .
Although the origins of Ogíjares are in the Arab settlement composed of two cortijos (farmsteads) only about a kilometre apart, traces of objects, tools and burials from the Neolithic, Bronze Age and the Visigothic era have been discovered, corroborating the theory of a previous existence.

Its name comes from the Latin word Hortum Sacrum that is translated into Arabic as Ortexica, and later as Oxijar. After the rebellion of the Moors and the Christian reconquest, the two hamlets were called Ogíjar Alto and Ogíjar Bajo and were joined together in what is now known as the municipality of Ogíjares. From this point development and growth has been gradual. Like many nearby towns, Ogijares has experienced a more marked increase in recent decades, becoming a ‘dormitory town’ for nearby Granada.

Monuments

Iglesia Parroquial de Santa Ana (Parish Church of Santa Ana)
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza (Church)
Conventos de Carmelitas Descalzas y Dominicas
Remains of Cerro San Cristobal
Remains of Barranco Hondo or of Ricla

Gastronomy

Sopa Granadina, lamb chops, rabbit and beef rolls.Guisantos finos a la granadina (a pea dish) Casseroles of beans and wheat and ham roast.

Directions

At just 7km south of Granada, following the ring road, after a few turnoffs to Armilla, towards Motril, you will find the exit towards Ogíjares and Armilla (and when the ring road becomes 2 lanes), then you come to a roundabout where Armilla is reached (first exit), Urbanization Lomalinda (second exit) and Ogíjares centre directly (third exit).

Distances