Alpujarras
The Alpujarras ( Arabic البشرات al-bušarāt ), in Spanish, the singular form is La Alpujarra familiar, are mostly in the province of Granada in the autonomous region of Andalusia in Spain located mountainous region . The western part forms the southern slope of the Sierra Nevada , while the eastern part extends into the province of Almería .
geography
The Alpujarras consist mainly of steep valleys, which are criss-crossed by watercourses coming from the Sierra Nevada. Together with the warm climate of the nearby Mediterranean, this ensures very fertile vegetation and good conditions for agriculture.
Well-known settlements in the Alpujarras are the larger towns of Lanjarón , Órgiva and Ugíjar , Trevélez , famous for its ham and tourism , and the three towns of Capileira , Bubión and Pampaneira , which are characterized by their idyllic location .
history
Reports about the Alpujarras have been there since the Arab settlement from 711 onwards. In particular, migrating Berbers shaped the country through the terracing of the mountains and the development of a sophisticated irrigation system. In the 9th / 10th In the 19th century, Umar ibn Hafsun led an uprising against the emirate of Cordoba . From the 11th century, at the time of the Taifa kingdom of Almería, the Alpujarras developed into a center of silk production . In 1228 there was another uprising against the ruling Almohad dynasty . In the 13th century, the Nasrid rulers, now ruling from Granada, divided the region into large municipal districts called “Tahas” and fortified them with castles and towers.
Morisk riots and expulsions
The relative isolation of the region after the conquest of Granada by the Catholic Monarchs in 1492 meant that many Muslims moved here. The last Nasrid emir Muhammad XII. , called “Boabdil”, had his last refuge there for a short time after his surrender on European soil, before he retired to Fez in Morocco .
Little was left of the religious tolerance proclaimed in 1492. The Spanish feudal rule created tensions in the Alpujarras, which erupted in violent uprisings as early as 1500 .
With the reign of Philip II . The repression of the Islamic population intensified, including the ban on Islam and the Arabic mother tongue. In the second half of the 16th century, this led to a revolt of the Muslims who had been forced to convert to Christianity, known as the Moriscos . Abén Humeya took over the leadership of the Morisken. He was proclaimed king on February 27, 1568 and crowned a little later in Cádiar . In April 1569, Juan de Austria , the half-brother of the Spanish king, received command of the Spanish troops and gradually crushed the uprising. In October 1569, Aben Humeya fell victim to a family conspiracy. His successor Abén Aboo suffered the same fate. In October 1570, the last 300 insurgent moriscos were defeated. This was followed by the expulsion of the 80,000 or so surviving Moriscos, mostly to Western Andalusia, La Mancha or Castile. Of around 400 places, 270 were repopulated, with farmers from Galicia, León, Asturias and Castile. The other villages fell into disrepair. However, the new residents could not continue the Arab irrigation system. Agriculture fell into disrepair and the region was largely forgotten in the centuries that followed.
Spanish Civil War
In the Spanish Civil War from 1936, the eastern and central parts of the Alpujarrras initially remained under Republican control, while the Franquists controlled the area from Granada to Lanjarón and Orgiva was between the fronts.
present
Nowadays there are many foreign residents and “dropouts” living in the area.
economy
The Alpujarras are an extremely rural area with little economic power . In the area viticulture and agriculture (especially almonds ) are practiced. However, the main products are likely to be the Lanjarón mineral water produced in Lanjarón and the local ham (especially the Jamón de Trevelez ). Tourism , which has become an important industry, benefits from its scenic charm . In addition to day tourists from the nearby city of Granada or from the Mediterranean coast, hikers visit this area in spring and autumn.
traffic
For several years now, a motorway has been running south from Granada . It also leads past the western edge of the Alpujarras and has a connection directly to Lanjarón . From here the whole area is accessible on very winding and steep roads. There is also a regular bus service from Granada. Other access points are from the south and from the northeast.
tourism
Tourism is becoming more and more important in the Alpujarras. The main attraction here is Trevélez , the highest town in Spain. But the three villages Capileira , Bubión and Pampaneira, which are very close to one another, are very scenic below the Mulhacén and are known for their white buildings. From these places in particular, there are many opportunities for hiking , mountaineering and mountain biking , especially in the adjacent Sierra Nevada National Park.
literature
- José MR Pascual: La Alpujarra. Madrid ISBN 84-378-1615-7 (German text)
- Gerald Brenan : South of Granada. 3rd edition, ISBN 3-928172-51-4
- Wolfgang Bauer and Petra Neukirchen: Travel Know-How Andalusia. 5th completely updated and expanded edition, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8317-1612-8
