
The Alpujarra (, ) is a
natural and
historical region
History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...
in
Andalusia, Spain, on the south slopes of the
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...
and the adjacent valley. The average elevation is above sea level. It extends over two provinces,
Granada
Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...
and
Almería
Almería (, , ) is a city and municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of Almería, province of the same name. It lies in southeastern Iberian Peninsula, Iberia on the Mediterranean S ...
; it is sometimes referred to in the plural as "Las Alpujarras". There are several interpretations of this Arabic-origin name: the most convincing is that it derives from ''al-basharāt'' (),
[entry fo]
بشرات
in almaany.com meaning something like "sierra of pastures". The administrative centre of the part in Granada is
Órgiva, while that of the part in Almería is
Alhama de Almería.
The
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...
runs west-to-east for about 80 km. It includes the highest mountain in mainland Spain: the
Mulhacén at . The term ''sierra nevada'' implies the existence of a
snow field, an accumulation of permanent snow and ice. However, in the Alpujarras most of the snow melts in the spring and summer, allowing the southern slopes of the Sierra to remain green and fertile throughout the year, despite the heat of the summer sun. Water emerges from innumerable springs; human intervention has channeled it to terraced plots and to the villages.
Olives are grown on the lower slopes, and in the valley below which extends from Órgiva to Cadiar, through which flows the Guadalfeo river. The plentiful water, milder climate, and fertile land favour the cultivation of grapes, citrus, and other fruit. There is also a developing production of wine on the hills between this valley and the sea, and almond trees thrive on its southern slopes. The eastern end of the Alpujarra, towards Ugijar in the province of Almería, is much more arid.
Historical background
The terracing and the irrigation of the hillsides (the "Alpujarra alta") was the work of local Spanish Muslim people of
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...
, who inhabited this area for hundreds of years after the initial
Moorish conquest of 711 AD. They also created villages on the hillsides in the style to which they were accustomed in the mountains of North Africa: narrow, winding streets and small flat-roofed houses.
The Catholic "
Reconquista
The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...
" of Spain progressed to the extent that by 1462 only the
Emirate of Granada
The Emirate of Granada, also known as the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, was an Emirate, Islamic polity in the southern Iberian Peninsula during the Late Middle Ages, ruled by the Nasrid dynasty. It was the last independent Muslim state in Western ...
– including the Alpujarras – was left in Muslim hands; and in 1492 the city of
Granada
Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...
fell to the "
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs were Isabella I of Castile, Queen Isabella I of Crown of Castile, Castile () and Ferdinand II of Aragon, King Ferdinand II of Crown of Aragón, Aragon (), whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of ...
". Their attempts to force Christianity on the Muslim inhabitants led to successive revolts, the
Rebellion of the Alpujarras (1499–1501) and the
Rebellion of the Alpujarras (1568–1571). The revolt of 1568 was a civil war, with the Spaniards deploying large forces against this rural population and with much cruelty on both sides. The revolt ended with the death of the last Spanish Muslim leader in March 1571. The revolt marked the end of
Mudéjar
Mudéjar were Muslims who remained in Iberia in the late medieval period following the Christian reconquest. It is also a term for Mudéjar art, which was greatly influenced by Islamic art, but produced typically by Christian craftsmen for C ...
style accommodation in Spain between and the Spanish monarchs saw as only way to deal with the
Moriscos by complete Christianisation of what they felt to be an utterly alien element within the political body.
Thus, the Spanish Monarchs ordered the expulsion of the entire Muslim population from the territory of Granada, who were taken in forced marches to other parts of Spain. Only a few, considered to have genuinely converted to Christianity, were allowed to remain, so as to teach the new inhabitants the silk industry (which they were unable to maintain).
Starting in 1571, settlers were brought in from all over Spain; many came from as far away as Galicia. Though they were given various financial incentives, the re-settlement proved difficult. The population of the Alpujarra, estimated at 40,000 before the final revolt, was only about 7,000 by the end of the century.
The isolation of this mountain region caused it to remain poor and backward, until during the 20th century it was gradually opened up by improved roads. The
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
of 1936–1939 was disastrous, as the opposing Nationalist and Republican forces fought over the area. Some villages changed hands more than once, and each time the victor exacted retribution over the vanquished. Even after the Nationalist victory in April 1939, guerrilla fighters in the mountains continued their struggle against the Guardia Civil and a locally recruited militia (
Somatén) based in the villages. This conflict did not end until 1942 when the guerrilla leader was captured.
The Alpujarra today
The high villages have lost population as younger people seek work in the cities, in Spain and elsewhere in the European Union. Tourism has developed as the natural environment of this area has become better known. Visitors include day-time or weekend visitors from Granada and longer-term tourists from northern Europe. There are bus connections with Granada and Motril; as the motorway extends along the coast, the airports of Malaga and Almeria are brought closer in time.
There are also numerous foreign residents, who have also brought income and employment to the area. The villages have good-quality accommodation and shops for tourists.
Serrano ham, cured in Trevélez and other high-altitude villages, is a major local product. Mountain biking and walking is provided for, and the
GR 7 /
E4 European long-distance footpath passes through the region.
The Sierra Nevada and most of the Alta Alpujarra is protected under various national and international schemes, ensuring that the rural and the urbanistic features are preserved. The priority now is to promote "
sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for Impacts of tourism, economic, social, and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists' experiences and addressing the needs o ...
" and as far as possible to extend the tourist period.
Bibliography
Pedro Antonio de Alarcón was the first modern writer to describe a visit to the Alpujarras: "La Alpujarra: sesenta leguas a caballo precedidas de seis en diligencia" (1874). In English, 'The Alpujarra: sixty leagues on horseback preceded by six in stagecoach'.
Gerald Brenan
Edward FitzGerald "Gerald" Brenan, CBE, Military Cross, MC (7 April 1894 – 19 January 1987) was a British writer and hispanist who spent much of his life in Spain.
Brenan is probably best known for ''The Spanish Labyrinth'', a historical wo ...
described his seven-year stay in
Yegen in the 1920s in ''
South From Granada'' (1957).
Chris Stewart's best-seller ''Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucía'' (1999), later ''An Optimist in Spain'', is set in La Alpujarra.
Michael Tracy's ''Bubión - the story of an Alpujarran village'' (Hermitage Books, 2013, ) provides historical background, description of local customs, discussion of current issues, and an extensive bibliography. Follow-up comments of the author are found at https://web.archive.org/web/20130516195101/http://alpujarrabubion.net/ (retrieved 2014-08-18).
Elyse Byskof's ''On Foot in Andalucía: 40 Hiking Excursions in Southern Spain (Granma with a Vengeance) (Volume 1)'' (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014, ) contains much on the Alpujarras.
References
Sources
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External links
*
Las Alpujarras Tourist informationVisit – Alpujarras.eu: active holiday guide, travel information and rural accommodation
{{Authority control
Geography of the Province of Granada
Geography of the Province of Almería