Utrera () is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in south-west

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 ...

. It is in the

province of Seville The Province of Seville () is a province of southern Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It borders the provinces of Málaga and Cádiz in the south, Huelva in the west, Badajoz in the north and Córdoba in the ...

, in the autonomous community of

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

. As of 2018 it has a population of 52,617. The town is of great historical interest. It was occupied by

Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

in the 8th century and was not finally incorporated into the

kingdom of Castile The Kingdom of Castile (; : ) was a polity in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. It traces its origins to the 9th-century County of Castile (, ), as an eastern frontier lordship of the Kingdom of León. During the 10th century, the Ca ...

until 1340. Records about the town date back to the 13th century, when

Alfonso X Alfonso X (also known as the Wise, ; 23 November 1221 – 4 April 1284) was King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1 June 1252 until his death in 1284. During the election of 1257, a dissident faction chose him to be king of Germany on 1 Ap ...

overran Utrera as part of his conquest of

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

, located 30 km to the northwest. However,

archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

work shows people have lived on the site since pre-

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

times. Today the town's five

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

s,dating from the 14th to 18th centuries, churches and 14th century

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

are popular

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beaut ...

s for visitors to Andalusia. Archeologists have recently discovered that a building dating to the 14th century, most recently used as a bar, was actually built as a synagogue more than 600 years ago. The discovery is evidence of a Jewish community in Utrera prior to the expulsion of Spain’s Jews in 1492 and is one of five still standing medieval synagogues in Spain. Utrera is considered the cradle of the fighting bull and the

flamenco Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...

, and there are many cattle farms in its municipal district. The area is known for numerous festivities, particularly the

fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Fairs showcase a wide range of go ...

, which is celebrated during the days before and after the day of Utrera's

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

: the Virgin of Consolación. This fiesta attracts many people from all over

and

as a whole. Utrera is also known for the mostachón, a kind of small flattened

cake Cake is a flour confection usually made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients and is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elabor ...

made with sugar and cinnamon.

Climate

Utrera's climate is characterized by the annual alternation between a dry period, which lasts more than four months and has high temperatures, and a humid season in autumn and winter with mild temperatures. The monthly distribution of rain corresponds to the one typical of the Mediterranean climate; the rainy season takes place during the autumn and the winter. During summer the absence of rain prevails, except for very occasional summer storms. About 40% of rainfall occurs during the autumn. The average annual temperature is 17.5 °C. The average absolute maximum temperature is 41.9 °C. The coldest month is January and the average absolute minimum temperature is 0.8 °C. Sunny days with cloudless skies are predominant year round.

Leisure time and festivities

* Procession of the

Three Wise Men 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious and cultural significance in many societies ...

on 5 January. The Three Kings and characters from tales and movies are depicted on floats, from which sweets and trinkets are thrown to the children. On this day it is very typical to eat a

called "roscón de Reyes", which comes with a little gift inside. *

Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...

, celebrated at the end of February. There is a contest organized by city hall featuring elaborate dresses, and prizes are awarded to those judged the winners. * Andalusia Day & 'Bicycle day on 28 February. Andalusia Day commemorates the day when Andalusia's Statute of Autonomy was approved. Bicycle Day, in which groups of people ride around the city on bicycles, is celebrated the same day. There are raffles and performances after the ride. *

Holy Week Holy Week () commemorates the seven days leading up to Easter. It begins with the commemoration of Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednes ...

(

Semana Santa Semana Santa is the Spanish for Holy Week, the final week of Lent leading to Easter. In Spanish speaking cultures as well as Holy Week in the Philippines, the Philippines this becomes an annual tribute of the Passion of Jesus Christ celebrated by ...

). The different brotherhoods of Utrera walk through the city carrying images of

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

, the

Virgin Virginity is a social construct that denotes the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. As it is not an objective term with an operational definition, social definitions of what constitutes virginity, or the lack thereof ...

, and scenes of Christ's Passion in procession from the churches. These are followed by musical bands and "nazarenos", i.e., people doing penance and giving thanks for special events in their lives. It is similar to

's Holy Week. *

Tapas Tapas () are appetisers or snacks in Spanish cuisine. They can be combined to make a full meal and are served cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as , which are battered, fried baby squid; or , spicy potatoes). In some bars ...

Fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Fairs showcase a wide range of go ...

, celebrated in March since 2000. Various

tapas Tapas () are appetisers or snacks in Spanish cuisine. They can be combined to make a full meal and are served cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as , which are battered, fried baby squid; or , spicy potatoes). In some bars ...

from all over

are prepared and served; these are sold at a low price and usually consumed with beer. * National Painting Contest "City of Utrera" in May * The crowning of the

of Consolación on 1 May. The

of Consolación is Utrera's

. Many people from different parts of

make a pilgrimage to this

sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred space, sacred place, such as a shrine, protected by ecclesiastical immunity. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This seconda ...

to pray for the saint's intercession or give thanks for events such as a recovery from illness. * Pilgrimage of the Virgin of Fátima around 13 May * Corpus Christi, May or June * Feast of St. John' on 24 June. Figures and caricatures representing stand out events and celebrities of the year are burned as part of a very old tradition imported from other parts of

. * Potaje Gitano on the last Saturday of June, a

festival * Castle's auditorium: July and August, with programmed cinema, theatre, music and dance showings and performances * Consolación Fair around 8 September. The Utrera

is well attended, attracting attendees from other localities in the

and

. Very similar to the

Seville Fair The Seville Fair (officially and in , 'Seville April Fair') is held in the Andalusian capital of Seville, Spain. The fair generally begins two weeks after the , or Easter Holy Week. The fair officially begins at midnight on Monday, and runs six ...

, but less crowded, it and Holy Week are the most notable annual events in the city. Many people go dressed in typical

Sevillanas ''Sevillanas'' () are a type of folk music and dance of Sevilla and its region. They were derived from the Seguidilla, an old Castilian folk music and dance genre. In the nineteenth century they were influenced by Flamenco. They have a relati ...

and

costumes. In the afternoon, the people usually have a typical Andalusian meal for lunch. Afterwards many of them ride horses in organized Sevillanas contests. At night various kinds of music are performed, while people drink and dance until dawn. * Activities at the "Casa de Cultura" (House of Culture) from October until June. * Municipal Theatre " Enrique de la Cuadra", season from October until June.

Transportation

Railway

*C-1 line of

Cercanías The commuter rail systems of Spain's major metropolitan areas are called ''Cercanías'' () in most of Spain, ''Rodalia'' () in the Valencian Community, ''Aldiriak'' () in the Basque Country and ''Rodalies'' () in Catalonia. There are twelve ''C ...

(the regional rail)

*Stop: ''Andalucía Exprés'' and Altari

Bus

*Utrera - Los Palacios y Villafranca - Las Cabezas de San Juan - Lebrija -

Trebujena Trebujena is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality located in the province of Cádiz, part of Andalusia in southern Spain. The area is known for its labor movement and its vineyards. Population and geography As at 1 January 2015 it had ...

Sanlúcar de Barrameda Sanlúcar may refer to: * Sanlúcar de Barrameda, a city in the Province of Cádiz, Spain * Sanlúcar de Guadiana, a village in the Province of Huelva, Spain * Sanlúcar la Mayor, a city in the Province of Seville, Spain *Sanlúcar de Albaida, forme ...

Chipiona Chipiona is a town and municipality located on the Atlantic coast in the province of Cádiz, Spain. According to the 2012 census, the city has a population of 18,849 inhabitants, but this amount increases greatly during the summer holiday perio ...

''(Los Amarillos)'' *Utrera - Los Palacios y Villafrancabr>
''(Los Amarillos)'' * Jerez - El Cuervo - Las Cabezas de San Juan - Utrera -

Marchena ''Marchena'' is a genus of jumping spiders only found in the United States. Its only described species, ''M. minuta'', dwells on the barks of conifers along the west coast, especially California, Washington and Nevada.Maddison, Wayne. 1995. ...

- Arahal -

Écija Écija () is a city and municipality of Spain belonging to the province of Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is in the countryside, 85 km east of the city of Seville. According to the 2008 census, Écija had a total popula ...

br>
''(Los Amarillos)'' *Utrera - Hospital Tomillar -

Dos Hermanas Dos Hermanas (, "two sisters") is a town and municipality in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. It is part of the Seville metropolitan area, lying south of the city of Seville. With a population of 140,430 as of 2024, it is the second ...

- Hospital Valm

''(Los Amarillos)'' * Coripe - Puerto Serrano - Montellano - El Coronil - Los Molares - Utrera -

Alcalá de Guadaíra Alcalá de Guadaíra () is a town located approximately 17 km southeast of Seville, Spain, Seville, Spain; in recent years the expansion of Seville has meant that Alcalá has become a suburb of that city. Alcalá used to be known as ''Alcal� ...

Sevilla Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Seville ...

br>
''(Casal)'' *Utrera - El Palmar de Troya - Guadalema de los Quintero - El Torbiscal - Trabajo - Sacramento - Las Cabezas de San Juanbr>
''(Hermanos Cuchares)'' *Utrera -

br>
''(San Roque)'' *Utrera - Los Molares - El Coronilbr>
''(San Roque)'' *

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

- Arahal - Utrera - Jerez -

El Puerto de Santa María El Puerto de Santa María (), locally known as El Puerto and historically in English as Port Saint Mary, is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain located on the banks of the Guadalete River in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia. , the c ...

Cádiz Cádiz ( , , ) is a city in Spain and the capital of the Province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean separated fr ...

- San Fernandobr>
''(Socibus/Sercobus)''

Roads that pass through Utrera

* A-362: Utrera - Los Palacios y Villafranca * A-375: Utrera - Los Molares - El Coronil - Montellano - Puerto Serrano * A-376: Sevilla - Utrera * A-394: Arahal - A-4 * A-8030: A-4 - Utrera * A-8100: Utrera - Carmona

Notable people

* Dani Ceballos, footballer *

Juan Muñoz Muñoz ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. The name is of Hebrew origin and has the meaning "God has been gracious." It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking countries around the world and in the Philipp ...

, footballer * Joaquín Caparrós (born 15 October 1955), football coach * José Antonio Reyes (1 September 1983 - 1 June 2019), footballer * Pepe Mena, footballer * José Matos, footballer * Luis Pérez Maqueda, footballer * Álvaro García Rivera, footballer * Moisés Delgado, footballer * Rubén Cruz, footballer * Carlos Valverde, footballer * Israel Bascón, footballer * Rodrigo Caro, historian, archeologist, poet and writer. * :es:Rafael de Utrera, flamenco singer * :es:Fernanda de Utrera, flamenco singer * :es:Bernarda de Utrera, flamenco singer * :es:Pepa de Utrera, flamenco singer * Carmen Luna Alcázar, anarchist and feminist

References

External links

Utrera in Pueblos de España websiteUtrempresa.com - Utrera's informative portal.

Club de Rugby Utrera's Website - CRUUtrera's tourism website.

{{authority control Municipalities of the Province of Seville