Priego de Córdoba

Municipality of Priego de Córdoba
The town hall of Priego de Córdoba
coat of arms	Map of Spain
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Andalusia
Province :	Cordoba
Comarca :	Subbética cordobesa
Coordinates	37 ° 26 ′  N , 4 ° 12 ′  W Coordinates: 37 ° 26 ′  N , 4 ° 12 ′  W
Area :	288.28 km²
Residents :	22,408 (Jan 1, 2019)
Population density :	77.73 inhabitants / km²
Postal code :	14800
Municipality number  ( INE ):	14055
administration
Mayor :	Encarnación Ortiz ( PSOE )
Website :	www.aytopriegodecordoba.es

Priego de Córdoba is a city in the province of Córdoba in the Spanish province of Andalusia . Priego is an autonomous municipality and the capital of a judicial district. The city belongs to the Comarca of Subbética.

The city of Priego is called Ciudad del agua , City of Water, because of its many fountains , and Joya del Barroco Cordobés , jewel of Cordobes baroque, because of its many baroque buildings .

geography

Geographical location

View from the Balcón de Adarve over the landscape east of Priego

Priego is located in the southeast of the province of Córdoba at 652  msnm in the Sierras Subbéticas on the touristic Ruta del Califato. The distance to the provincial capital Córdoba is around 100 km. The municipality borders the province of Jaén to the east and the province of Granada to the west .

Neighboring municipalities are Fuente Tójar , Alcaudete and Luque in the north, Alcalá la Real , Almedinilla and Montefrío in the east, Algarinejo and Iznájar in the south and Rute and Carcabuey in the west.

The judicial district of Priego includes the Parque Nacional de las Sierras Subbéticas National Park , with an area of ​​315.7 km² and a remarkable landscape, flora and fauna. In the southeast lies the Sierra de Horconera with the highest elevations in the region, the 1570 m high Tiñosa and the 1476 m high Pico Bermejo . In the south are the mountain ranges of the Sierra de Priego , the Sierra de la Tiñosa and the Sierra de Rute . In the north a wide plain opens below the town.

Settlements

The majority of the eight villages and 17 hamlets (Diseminados) of the Priego judicial district are located on the plain north of the city, which is dominated by olive cultivation.

The villages are called Campo Nubes, La Concepción, El Cañuelo, Castil de Campos, El Esparragal, Las Lagunillas, Zagrilla and Zamoranos. The hamlets are called Las Angosturas, Azores, El Castellar, El Collado, Genilla, Las Higueras, Jaula, Las Navas, Navasequilla, Las Paradejas, El Poleo, La Poyata, Los Ricardos, Salado, Solvito, El Tarajal, La Vega and Los Villares .

In these settlements you will find country estates typical of the region with spacious white houses, large courtyards and terraces.

traffic

In earlier times the city was located on the former main road N-321, which led from Úbeda via Jaén to Málaga . Today, however, Priego is off the main traffic routes. The N-432 road, the shortest connection from Granada to Córdoba, runs 15 km northwest of the city past Alcalá la Real and Alcaudete. The two roads A-333 and A-339 cross on the northern edge of the city, via which the city can be reached from the four cardinal points.

Waters

The Genilla stream in the western municipality, which flows to the Rio Zagrilla, is bordered by a meadow landscape. Quince plants , which are irrigated with its water, thrive near the shore .

The embankments of the Rio Salado, which rises in the city center, are partially free of vegetation. The excessive agricultural use has caused severe erosion damage.

climate

Until the recent historical past, Priego was favored by a maritime-influenced mild climate with adequate rainfall. In recent years, combined with an increase in annual average temperatures, a change towards extremes has been observed: more changeable weather conditions in winter, with more frequent frosts than before, and hot, much drier summers with temperatures of up to 44 °.

population

On January 1, 2019, Priego de Córdoba had 22,408 inhabitants.

Population development of Priego de Córdoba
1860	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950	1960	1970	1981	1991	2001	2009
14,777	16,904	17,691	19,000	24,501	25.181	27.093	25.168	21,229	19,485	20,823	22,378	23,513

economy

Agriculture

Agriculture in the area is dominated by olive growing. The Priego de Córdoba olives are protected by controlled designation of origin. Grains, fruits and vegetables are grown to a lesser extent.

Industry and commerce

Industry and commerce are characterized by small and medium-sized companies. The once flourishing textile industry shrank sharply in the 1970s and focuses on ready-made clothing.

tourism

Due to its historical heritage, its baroque cityscape, the local sights and the surrounding landscape, Priego is a destination for culturally interested tourists and nature lovers who want to get to know the quieter side of Andalusia in addition to the tourist hotspots of the region. The Provincial Government of Andalusia (Junta de Andalusia) has declared 30 historic buildings in Priego as national cultural heritage.

media

The Periódico Adarve is a magazine founded in 1952 that appears every 14 days. The local television station Tele Priego can be received via cable.

history

Early history and Roman times

The first indications of settlement in the area date from the Mesolithic around 90,000 - 30,000 years ago. Stone tools and arrowheads were found in the Cholones cave, in the village of Genilla and on the Cerro de las Viñás.

From the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD, the region belonged to the Roman Empire, to the Pagus of Ipolcobulcula, today's Carcabuey .

Moorish era

During the Moorish period from the 9th century the place was called " Medina Bahiga ". He grew and became one of the territories of Al-Andalus during the capital . He played an important role in the armed conflicts of the emirs of Cordoba, in which numerous citizens of the city took part. In 889 Priego became the center of a survey led by Ibn Mastana, who called himself Lord of Priego and Luque.

After the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba , the city first became part of the Zirid Empire and, at the end of the 11th century, the Almorávid Empire , which was replaced by the Almohads in the 12th century .

Reconquista

As early as 1225 Ferdinand III conquered . of Castile the place and gave it to the order of Calatrava . However, Priego fell back to the Nasrid Emirate of Granada . Only in 1341 was Priego by the troops of Alfonso XI. finally conquered for the Christian Reconquista .

After the conquest, he had the walls of the castle rebuilt. He promoted the repopulation of the city by granting it tax privileges. In 1370 the city was ceded by Henry II of Castile to Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, head of the noble house of Aguilar.

In 1502 the Catholic Monarchs named Don Pedro Fernández de Córdoba the first Marquis of Priego. During this time the city flourished; the city council house, the dungeon, the warehouse (pósito) and the slaughterhouse were built. The Chapel of San Nicasio was rebuilt and the Church of San Esteban, now San Francisco, was rebuilt.

17th to 19th century

In the 17th century, the Moriski population, who had previously mainly inhabited the quarter at the Puerta de Granada, was expelled. Around 3000 people had to leave the city, which led to economic decline. This was made worse by the fact that sales taxes called Alcabalas were introduced at the beginning of the 17th century . By virtue of a treaty signed with King Philip III. closed and ratified by Philip IV in 1617 , the city acquired the right to raise the Alcabalas for 130,000 ducats.

The city suffered a plague epidemic in 1650 and 1680 .

In the War of the Spanish Succession , Priego took part in the fighting for Gibraltar in 1705 . In 1711 it came under the rule of the Duke of Medinaceli. An epoch of economic prosperity followed, because one of the centers of Spanish silk production established itself in the area. Taffeta and velvet from Priego were sold to large parts of Spain, Portugal, France and overseas.

During this time, under the influence of the school of the architect Francisco Hurtado Izquierdo , the magnificent baroque churches and townhouses that characterize today's cityscape were built. New buildings were also necessary because of the damage caused by the earthquake in Lisbon , which affected Priego in 1755.

At the end of the 18th century, however, under the pressure of competition from cotton fabrics from England and Catalonia , silk production collapsed. An epoch of economic depression followed in the first half of the 19th century, also due to the French occupation and the wars of independence against Napoleon and the political turmoil and struggles in Spain in the 19th century.

Despite this crisis, industrial textile production emerged on site later in the century. The population grew to 27,000 people. In 1881 Alfonso XII appointed Priego to the City (Ciudad).

20th century

The textile industry continued to grow in the 1920s. In the 1970s, fabric production became uneconomical; to a lesser extent, a ready-made goods industry was established on site.

coat of arms

The original city arms showed a castle in gold on a green field. The current version dates from the 18th century. The lettering under the coat of arms reads: Very noble and very glorious .

Attractions

Castle

The city castle is an originally Moorish complex from the 13th and 14th centuries, a functional military building with a strict appearance with several rectangular towers and a round tower. One of the towers, the Torre del Homenaje (Homage Tower ), rises 30 m above the ground. The castle was listed as a historical monument in 1943.

Barrio de la Villa

On Calle Real

The Barrio de la Villa district already existed in Moorish times. In 1972 it was listed as a Conjunto histórico-artístico . The architecture of the white, two to three-story houses and the long, narrow streets are comparable to that of other districts in Andalusia, for example the Albaicín in Granada or the Judería in Córdoba. What is remarkable in Priego is the exuberant flower arrangement that oozes from almost all balconies and lattice windows. The flowers are cherished all year round.

Adarve balcony

On the northeastern edge of the Barrio de la Villa , the Balcón de Adarve rises 55 m above the plain. Three regularly arranged wells fed by natural springs donate water continuously. The balcony offers a wide view of the plain, the olive groves and the surrounding mountains.

Fuente del Rey

The Fuente del Rey

The baroque fountain was built by Remigio del Mármol in 1803. Before that, there had been some predecessor wells that used the natural spring at this point since the 15th century.

The facility consists of three curved basins, which are supplied by a total of 139 gargoyles. The fountain sculpture in the middle basin was designed by the classicist sculptor José Álvarez Cubero. It represents the sea god Neptune and his wife Amphitrite . They stand on a cart that is pulled through the water by seahorses. In the upper basin, a lion is fighting a snake; this sculpture is by Remigio del Mármol.

As a result of drought and as a result of illegal wells excavation of wells in the recent past has about ² / ₃ lost its former bulk amount (as of 2007).

Royal slaughterhouse

The building, which served as a slaughterhouse and market hall, was built between 1576 and 1579 by the Jaén architect Francisco del Castillo . It is characterized by a Mannerist facade in the Italian style. The pillars at the front have a triangular pediment. The floor plan is square, with a central courtyard with towers at the corners, surrounded on all four sides by an arcade balcony on columns. A spiral staircase leads down to the basement where the cattle were slaughtered.

Churches

Parroquia de la Asunción

• The Parroquia de Nuestra Senora de la Asunción (Parish Church of the Assumption) was built in the Mudejar style in 1525–1575 . Numerous side chapels were added in the 17th century and the baroque vaulted ceiling in the 18th century . and the octagonal Capilla del Sagrario side chapel, built by Francisco Javier Pedrajes, with its fan vault, which is decorated with rich rococo stucco.
• The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias (Church of the Sorrowful Mother ) is a major work of the 18th century in Priego. The architecture of the building and its decoration with stucco ornaments and colorful paintwork harmonize with one another in pure rococo style.
• The rococo church Iglesia de la Aurora y San Nicasio was built on the foundation of an old mosque.
• The Iglesia de San Francisco .
• The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen .
• The Iglesia de las Mercedes .
• Hospital and Church of San Juan de Dios in baroque style.
• The baroque church Iglesia de San Pedro .
• The Ermita del Calvario (Calvary Chapel) , built before 1593 .
• The Ermita de la Sagrada Familia de Belén chapel, built in 1747 .
• the Parroquia de la Santísima Trinidad ( Holy Trinity Parish Church ).

Calle del Río

The Calle del Rio leads from the Fuente del Rey into the city. A row of palazzi that were built by wealthy families in the 18th century stand close together. One of them was the home of Niceto Alcalá Zamora , the first President of the Second Spanish Republic .

Bullring

The bullring, built in 1892, can seat 7000 spectators.

Museums

• The Museo Histórico Municipal shows a collection of archaeological and historical finds from Priego and the surrounding area.
• The Casa Museo Don Niceto Alcalá-Zamora y Torres provides information about the life of Niceto Alcalá Zamora
• The Museo Adolfo Lozano Sidro shows paintings and sculptures.
• The Museo del Paisaje Español Contemporáneo Antonio Povedano shows works by the contemporary painter Antonio Povedano.

Regular events

Palm Sunday and Holy Week

On the days from Palm Sunday to Good Friday, the religious associations ( Hermandades ) of Priego prepare for Easter with processions and services.

For example, the Hermandad de los Dolores organizes a procession from the Parroquia de Nuestra Senora de la Asunción to the Calvary on the night of Good Friday at 1 a.m. In the morning the Hermandad de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazarenso follows with its penance procession, and at 8 o'clock in the evening the Hermandad de las Angustias commemorates the Cross of Christ with a procession.

Corpus Christi

On the feast of Corpus Christi , the streets in the Barrio de la Villa are covered with colorful mosaics of flower petals.

Other festivities

• The Hermanos campanilleros de la Aurora , which has existed for four hundred years, walk through the streets every Saturday at midnight and sing songs in devotion to Mary.
• There is a procession every Sunday in May.
• The Feria real takes place from September 1st to 5th.
• The Feria del Ganado (Cattle Festival) is celebrated from September 3rd to 5th.

Culinary specialties

• Priego is the ancestral home of the Picudo olive variety . The olive oil with the controlled designation of origin Priego de Córdoba has received numerous awards.
• The turrolate are a sweet typical of the region around Priego and Rute. They are cylindrical rolls made from cocoa, almonds or peanuts, sugar and cinnamon.
• Hornazos de la Semana Santa are a type of pies made from yeast dough. In Priego they are shaped like a chicken with a boiled egg inside. They are traditionally eaten there on Good Friday.
• Piñonates are pastries made from eggs, olive oil, flour and honey, with almonds, pine nuts and various spices such as anise, cinnamon, cloves and orange peel.

sons and daughters of the town

• Antonio Caballero y Góngora (1723–1796), Archbishop of Bogotá from 1777 and Viceroy of New Granada from 1783
• José Álvarez Cubero (1768–1827), classicist sculptor
• Niceto Alcalá Zamora (1877–1949), first President of the Second Spanish Republic
• José Molina Comino , musician and composer
• Cristóbal Parralo Aguilera (* 1967), football player and coach

Individual evidence

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).
2. ^ Instituto Nacional de Estadística de España, censuses since 1842
3. ↑ The presentation in this section follows the website of La Ruta del Califato and the website of the municipality, both visited on August 13, 2010
4. ↑ ^{a b} Karoline Gimpel: DuMont art travel guide Andalusia. DuMont Reiseverlag, Ostfildern 2009, ISBN 978-3-7701-6620-6 , p. 164
5. ↑ Información obtenida del Portal de Turismo de Priego de Córdoba
6. ↑ Information page on Fuente del Rey ( Memento of November 25, 2005 in the Internet Archive ), visited on
7. ↑ Website of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción ( Memento of July 10, 2009 in the Internet Archive ), visited on August 17, 2010

Web links

Commons : Priego de Córdoba  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Website of the municipality (span.)
• German website of Turismo Andaluz on Priego des Córdoba
• Statistical information from the Institute of Statistics of the Provincial Government of Andalusia (Spanish)