Juviles is a village and municipality in the central
Alpujarras, in the province 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 ...
in
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. The village is located at 36° 57' north and 3° 13' east, and stands at an altitude of 1,255 metres, on the road from
Trevélez to
Ugíjar. The municipality has an area of 12 square km, and its population in 2003 was estimated at 160.
Although traditionally agricultural, the area under cultivation in the municipality is now only 35 hectares. However, like Trevélez it is known for its air-cured
ham. In
Moorish times it was a centre of the
silk
Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
industry.
A fortress was established in Juviles in the 8th century, though the origins of the village are probably older. It acquired strategic importance during the Middle Ages, often serving as a refuge for local people in times of civil strife. In 913 it was conquered by
Aberramán III. From the 12th to the 16th century the village served as the administrative centre of a "taha" of 12 settlements with 23 smaller hamlets associated with them. Following the 1500
morisco rebellion,
Fernando the Catholic destroyed the fortress as a measure against further revolts; its ruins can still be seen. In 1572, as in other Alpujarran areas, the remaining morisco population was replaced by Christians brought from
Castile.
See also
*
List of municipalities in Granada
Province of Granada, Granada is a provinces of Spain, province in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain, which is divided into 174 Municipalities of Spain, municipalities. Spanish census, Granada is the ...
References
External links
Information about Juviles
Municipalities in the Province of Granada
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