Aracena

Aracena municipality
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Andalusia
Province :	Huelva
Comarca :	Sierra de Huelva
Coordinates	37 ° 54 ′ N , 6 ° 34 ′ W Coordinates: 37 ° 54 ′ N , 6 ° 34 ′ W
Height :	732 msnm
Area :	184.45 km²
Residents :	8,107 (Jan 1, 2019)
Population density :	43.95 inhabitants / km²
Founding:	III milenio adC
Postal code :	21200
Municipality number ( INE ):	21007
administration
Official language :	Castilian
Mayor :	Manuel Guerra González
Address of the municipal administration:	Plaza Marquesa de Aracena s / n - Tel .: +34 637835550 -959 126.276
Website :	aracena.es
Location of the municipality
Huelva Province;

Aracena

Aracena is a municipality in the Spanish province of Huelva . It has 8,107 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2019) and is about 100 km from the provincial capital Huelva . Aracena is commonly referred to as the capital of the mountains . The town is best known for its stalactite cave Gruta de las Maravillas and the remains of the old castle. Nearby is the Aracena reservoir , which plays an important role in the water supply of Huelva and the strawberry production of Lepe and Palos de la Frontera .

history

The first settlements in the area can be traced back to approx. 3000 BC. The occurrence of minerals leads to a permanent settlement and great importance through the millennia and rulers. Due to its strategic location, it is also a hotly contested and important place in the Spanish-Portuguese and Spanish-Moorish wars. Thanks to its appointment as a tourist site in 1956, Aracena has been spared uncontrolled growth, which is why the town still exudes its very original character.

politics

Historical development in the municipal council of Aracena
Political party	2011		2015
Political party	Be right %	Seats	Be right %	Seats
PP	24.00%	3	-	-
PSOE	45.14%	7th	-	-
IULV-CA	24.49%	3	-	-
Source: Spanish Ministry of the Interior

Population development

The municipalities of Aracena also include Carboneras, Castañuelo, Corterrangel, Jabuguillo, La Umbría and Valdezufre.

Source: INE archive - graphic processing for Wikipedia

climate

Aracena reservoir

Despite the location in the south of Spain, the climate is humid and mild. The water-rich clouds from the Atlantic rain in the region ( Sierra de Huelva ), so there is no lack of water. A network of reservoirs uses this property to supply the coastal cities and the provincial capital with drinking water. The location in the Mediterranean zone is particularly evident in the distribution of precipitation, which is concentrated in the winter months. The temperatures are pleasant all year round.

Economy and tourism

Aracena is a small town characterized by agriculture and extensive animal husbandry. Fruits are grown in small vegetable fields and the export is dominated by Spanish ham , a regional specialty. Another mainstay is tourism. The province's only 4-star hotel outside the provincial capital is located in Aracena. It forms the starting point for tours through the mountains.

Attractions

In addition to the historical center, which is relatively well preserved, Aracena offers a variety of churches in the Mudéjar style (from Muslim to Christian churches). Of particular note is the Iglesia Prioral de Nuestra Señora del Mayor Dolor (Monastic Church of Our Lady of the Greatest Sorrows), which was built between the 12th and 15th centuries on the remains of the castle of Aracena (Muslim castillo , destroyed in the 12th century). The castle ruins are accessible again today, but only consist of wall remains (most of the stones were used by the inhabitants to build their houses over time). In addition to the Mudejar style, the church also has strong Gothic features that are atypical for this region . Another church worth seeing is the Iglesia de Santa Maria de Asunción (Church of the Assumption) from the 16th century ( Renaissance style).

The tourist highlight are the miracle caves ( Grutas de Maravillas ). A complex of stalactite caves around 2100 m long, of which 1200 m is accessible . Discovered in 1886, it has been open to tourists since 1914. The largest hall is over 50 m high and another 50 m below the surface. Entry for a 45min. Guided tour (only in Spanish) € 9 (as of July 2017).

Casino Arias Montando

Other attractions are

the geological museum,

the ham museum

the Teatro Sierra de Aracena theater

as well as the Casino Arias Montando .

Festivals

As in other Andalusian cities and villages, Holy Week ( Semana Santa ) is the highlight of the annual festivities. 6 brotherhoods are litigating in Aracena, the largest of them being that of the Vera Cruz brotherhood , which has roots back to the 16th century.

The feria de mayo (May Fair) arose from the tradition of the cattle breeders , which is held every year on the third weekend in May and consists of events related to meat products (especially Jamón Ibérico). A similar festival is held at the end of October.

Individual evidence

↑ Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).

Web links

Commons : Aracena - collection of images, videos and audio files

[1] Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).