Serón

Serón is a beautiful town on the northern slope of the Sierra de los Filabres, excellent irrigated land of vineyards and orange trees.

The Almanzora River crosses a region that, continuing towards the North, is connected with Sierra de las Estancias and extends in a triangle towards the foothills of Sierra de Baza in the province of Granada and going to the West arrives the Mediterranean Sea.

The terrain is rugged and the orogenic core is composed of secondary limestone with substrate of Paleozoic slates, finding clay-like, marly and conglomerate sediments deposited on the seabed that occupied this area during the Tertiary, and with the continental contributions of the Pliocene and Quaternary, that the agents responsible for the erosion brought from the nearby mountains.

Place of settlements since the Prehistoric times, in its municipality are found several caves. Perhaps the most important findings are the existence of the bell-shaped glass. The Argaric cup that occurs along the river Almanzora and spreads throughout Europe. The present town dates from the XIV century, formed the nucleus of population around a fortress.

In Roman times, it was named Serius and during the Visigoth rule was part of Teodomiro kingdom passing to Muslim power in the late VIII century.

The town and its fortress were conquered in 1489. After the capitulations, the Catholic Monarchs gave it in dominion to the caudillo Bastetano Mahomat Haçen and after the expulsion of him to Barbary, it became to the property of D. Diego López Pacheco, Marquis de Villena.

The Moorish revolt of 1568 was particularly violent in Serón. In July 1569, the Moors took over the fortress and the town and killed its inhabitants unless children under twelve years and women that led to the Alpujarras. In 1570, Don Juan de Austria suffered his only loss to the Moors and was about to die. In the Cuesta de la Matanza, 6.000 Moors sent by El Maleh and El Habaquí attacked Don Juan de Austria’s troops. Lost Serón, it was lost the whole valley of Almanzora. Then they were protected themselves in the castle with abundant supplies. After the war, the Moors were expelled. The repopulation was carried out with neighbours from outside the Kingdom of Granada.

In the XIX century it will also be affected by mining fever. In 1845 a nitre farm was discovered in El Angosto, where there were built three factories. The mining exploitations would take place throughout the XIX century. In our century, between the years 1920 to 1930 the process was reversed bringing a prolonged crisis and thus the drop in population due to emigration.

Monuments

Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la Anunciación, XVI century.  Renaissance style. Inside we can observe a baptismal chapel from the XVIII and XIX centuries and the Mudejar armour.

Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, XIX century. Neoclassical style.

Archaeological Sites

Castle, XIII century.  Only one wall is preserved and some stretches of wall. In the XIX century a tower of neoclassical style was built.
Cave of La Sarna. There were found traces of copper weapons and objects made of stone.
Cueva del Palo. There were found arrowheads and pottery.
Cueva de la Morciguilla. There were found traces of copper weapons, pots and human remains.

The Marchal.   Bronze I. Necropolis of the megalithic culture.

Town Planning

Urban Area.

Plaza de Arriba.
Las Menas de Serón.
Old mining town with typical English, German or Belgian buildings.
Molino de Agua.it is the only one left running.
Casa de la Cultura (Municipal Arts Centre).                                                                                Inside we can find the municipal library, exhibition halls, youth information office and senior centre.
Neighbourhoods. Serón has in the municipal area 26 neighbourhoods among which are: Los Zoilos, Los Angostos, La Jauca, El Valle, Las Menas, El Reconco and La Estación.

Gastronomy

Excellent ham, besides the sopicaldos (thin soups) and other condumios (plenty of food) that with the wine shaped the reputation until the mid-nineteenth century. Since then, the town specialized in the management of old recipes for salting, seasonings and sausages.
There is a special skill with flours, with delicious dishes such as: porridge, the gurullos with hare, partridge or rabbit, the hormigos, the andrajos, cakes and porridge crumbs.

How to get there

You have to exit Almería. Take the road of Granada. Cross Huércal de Almería and continue in A-92A. Alleyway of Benahadux. In the roundabout, take the salida 3 and continue in: A-92, then take the exit towards Salida 362 - Gérgal Este - Olula de Castro - Bacares - Las Menas - Serón - A-339. Alleyway of Las Menas and follow the sign until you get Serón.

Distances