For many people Andalucia is all that they imagine Spain to be.
Great climate, sun, sea and beaches, bullfighting, sherry and
flamenco. Covering over 33,000 square miles and running the
length of mainland Spain's southern coast it is the largest and
most populous of the 17 autonomous regions of Spain. Andalusia
is crossed by the Sierra Morena mountain range in the north and
in the south by the snowcapped Sierra Nevada. The fertile basin
of the Guadalquivir River lies between these mountain ranges.
Huelva, Seville, Cadiz, Cordoba, Malaga, Jean, Granada and
Almeria, all named for their principal cities, are the eight
provinces that make up the region
History - Phoenicians first settled here in the 11th century BC
founding several coastal colonies among them Gadir which is now
Cadiz. Greeks and Carthaginians came in the 6th century BC. The
Romans expelled the Carthaginians in the 3rd century BC and they
in turn had their rule ended by the Visigoths in the 5th century
AD. 711 saw the Moors cross the Strait of Gibraltar and
establish the centre of their western emirate here in Cordoba.
The Moorish period was the golden age of Andalusia. Agriculture,
leather working, mining, pottery, textiles and trade were all
fostered and brought great prosperity. Cordoba, Granada and
Seville, embellished by the greatest Moorish monuments in Spain,
the Mezquita, the Alcazar and the Alhambra Palace respectively
were celebrated as centres of arts, culture and science. It
remained under Moorish rule until the 13th century when, with
the exception of the Moorish kingdom of Granada, most of it was
conquered in by the kings of Castile, who in turn fell to the
Catholic kings in 1492. Andalucia declined along with the rest
of the country from the 16th century onwards. Although trade
with the New World enabled the ports of Seville and Cadiz to
continue to flourish. In 1713 Gibraltar was ceded to Britain and
in 1833 Andalucia was divided into the present eight provinces.
The region was a stronghold of anarchism during the Spanish
republic. It, however, fell early to the insurgents in the
Spanish civil war. Recurrent demonstrations against Franco were
seen across Andalucia during his dictatorship. It became an
autonomous region in 1981and elected its first parliament the
following year.
The region has some interesting contrasts. The deserts of
Almeria in the east are the driest part of the whole country,
while Sierra de Grazalema in the southwest, because it exposed
to winds of the Atlantic, is the rainiest part of Spain. Both
the cities of Cordoba and Seville are notorious for their
stifleing heat during the summer months but the peaks of the
Sierra Nevada remain snow capped all year round. And contrast
the rugged coastline of the Cabo de Gata or the Atlantic coast
of Cadiz, both with their comparatively deserted beaches, with
the intensely developed area in the province of Malaga. Yes the
beaches are still there - you just can't see them for the
tourists.
There is still a strong Moorish influence in the character,
customs and language of the people. With its tradition of bull
fights, flamenco music and dance it is one of Europe's most
strikingly colourful regions. With the abundance of Moorish
architecture and it's pleasant climate it is easy to see why the
growth of tourism has been so strong in recent decades.
Agriculturally, barren lands contrast with richly fertile
regions where cereals, citrus fruit, grapes, olives and sugar
cane are produced. Industries, based generally on local
agricultural produce, include flour milling, olive-oil
extracting and wine making. Cattle, bulls for the ring, and fine
horses are bred. The rich mineral resources, exploited since
Phoenician times, include copper, iron, lead and zinc. But
despite all this poverty is widespread. Farm labourers are among
the poorest in Europe and many unemployed people have migrated
to the industrial centres further to the north.
Semana Santa - Easter is Andalucia's major festival and is
celebrated for a full week. It features processions of hooded
penitents alongside floats decorated with scenes from the
passion travelling through the streets of most cities and large
towns. Accommodation can be difficult to find during the week
and booking ahead is advised.
Flamenco is believed to have been introduced to Andalucia, it's
home today, in the 15th century by gypsies arriving in the
region. It is a combination of music, predominantly the guitar,
song and dance and is played at fiestas, in bars and at private
parties. Audience participate is very much encouraged.
Almeria - Probably founded by Phoenicians, Almeria flourished
from the 13th to the 15th centuries as the outlet of the Moorish
kingdom of Granada. In 1489 it fell to the Christians. Today the
sunny, mild climate attracts many northern Europeans both as
tourists and permanent settlers. The capital, also Almeria, is a
busy Mediterranean port. It exports significant amounts of
agricultural produce, as well as iron and other minerals mined
nearby. The city has refineries, chemical and cement plants, and
light industries.
Cadiz - In 1100 BC the Phoenicians founded the port of Gadir,
known today as Cadiz, which became a market for silver and tin.
Some 600 years later it was taken by the Carthaginians and
passed in the 3rd century BC to the Romans. It flourished until
the fall of Rome, but suffered from the Visigoths and unlike
much of Andalucia declined further under the Moors. Its
fortifications were rebuilt following it's reconquest in 1262 by
Alfonso X of Castile. Following the discovery of the New World,
Cadiz revived its prosperity, as many ships from America
unloaded their cargoes there. Columbus sailed from Cádiz in
1495, his second voyage. Inthe late 16th century both Sir
Francis Drake and the earl of Essex led attacks on the fleet
anchored there and the city respectivly. When in 1718 a sandbar
blocked Seville's port Cádiz became the centre for New World
trade. The city declined after Spain lost its American colonies
.Cádiz resisted a two year siege by the French from 1810 to
181212 unti lthe Duke of Wellington's forces relieved it. Cadiz
fell to the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. Today the
city, which lies at the southern end of the bay of Cadiz, has an
abundance of parks promanades and squares. It is chiefly a port
exporting wines, notably the local sherry which has a worldwide
reputation and other agricultural items and importing coal,
foodstuffs and iron. There is a large fishing fleet based here
and some shipbuilding on a limited scale takes place. At the
northern end of the bay is the US naval base at Rota.
Cordoba lies beside a loop in the river Guadalequiver upstream
from Seville. During the time when the Romans ruled Cordoba was
the largest city in Spain and enjoyed great prominence during
the time of the Moors. They built the Mezquita, the most
beuatiful mosque in Spain.
Granada - Originally a Moorish fortress, it became the seat of
the kingdom of Granada in 1238. At the hieght of Moorish rule
this kingdom encompassed both the nieghbouring province of
Malaga and Almeria as well as parts of Cadiz and Jean. During
this time the city was recognized as a centre of art, commerce,
industry and science. As the christians drove south the city was
the stronghold of the Moors in Spain, surrending eventually in
1492. In the 17th century Granada owed it's exi prominance to
the fact that it was a major silk centre. It stands at the
confluence of the rivers Darro and Genil. The local surrounding
area is given over to agriculture and mineral extraction with
Granada acting as the commercial hub for these. The city is a
major tourist centre with attractions such as the Alhambra
Palace and other notable Moorish buildings. Facing the Alhambra
across the Darro river, the Sacromonte hill is honeycombed with
gypsy caves. The nearby ski resorts in the Sierra Nevada also
bring visitors to the locality. South of Granada lie the valleys
of the Alpajarras bounded to the north by the Sierra Nevada and
to the south the sierras of Lujar, La Contraviesa and Gador. The
area is very picturesque dotted with the traditional whitewashed
villages. Fertile soil provides good farming with citrus fruit,
bananas and avacadoes amongst the food grown.
The city of Huelva which is the capital of the province of the
same name lies on the Odiel river. It is a busy port exporting
copper, cork and sulphur. Like most Spanish ports it has it's
fishing fleeet and in addition some oil refining and ship
building. It has a limited tourist trade during the summer
months. The city is supplied with water via a Roman aquaduct.
Columbus planned his voyages at the nearby La Rabida monastery.
The Coto de Donana National Park, Europes most important and
largest wildlife sanctuary, lies in the delta of the river
Guadalquiver. 60,000 acres have been fenced of to provide the
perfect habitat for varied speices of wildlife, birds in
particular.
Jaen was once the seat of a small Moorish kingdom and played an
important role in the conquest of Granada from the Moors by
Christian forces during the 15th century. During the Peninsular
war of the early 1800's the French won a major victory here.
Today it is the commercial hub for a fertile agricutural area
producing olive oil and wine. Europes richest lead mines are
nearby and copper and iron are also extracted. The town Alcalá
la Real is known it's mineral springs. The Parque Natural de las
Sierras de Cazorla, over 2,000 square kilometres, is the biggest
protected are in Spain. Here you might see ibex, red or fallow
deer and wild boar.
The city of Malaga was founded by the Phoenicians and passed
through the hands of the Carthaginians, the Romans, the
Visigoths and the Moors when it prospered as a major seaport for
the kingdom. It finally fell to the Christian forces in 1487
Málaga is situated on the bay of Malaga and is a major port.
Exports include the local wine, almonds, dried fruits, olives
and iron ore. It's beaches, luxurious vegitation and mild
climate make it one of the world's leading tourist destinations.
Picasso was born in here and you will find a museum of his works.
Seville was important in Phoenician times and favoured by the
Romans. It continued as the major city of southern Spain under
the Visigoths. It fell to the Moors in 712 and became a
prominent centre for culture and commerce. After a drawn out
siege it was captured by the Christians in 1248. Some 300,000
Moors are reputed to have fled the city following it's capture.
Seville entered its greatest period of prosperity with the
discovery of the Americas and was the main trading port with the
new colonies. In 1718 a sandbar closed the port to shipping and
Seville went into a steady decline. The French sacked the city
in 1810. Throughout the civil war Seville was held by the
Nationalists. Today Seville is both capital to the province and
the region of Andalucia. Standing on the river Guadalquiver,
which connects it to the Atlantic, it has returned to be a port
of note accessible to ocean going vessels. Exports include
minerals, cork, fruit, olives and wines. Armanents, chemicals,
explosives, machinary, perfume, pharmaceuticals, porcelain,
textiles and tobacco are all manufactured locally. It is a major
cultural and tourist centre. Seville has kept much of its
Moorish aspect and one of the world's largest cathedrals
occupies the site of a former mosque. The Giralda tower and the
court of oranges remain from the original Moorish structure. You
will also find the tomb of Christopher Columbus within the
cathedral. The 14th century Alcazar, built by Moorish artisans
stands next to the cathedral and is superseded only by Granada's
Alhambra Palace. It is recognized as Spain's leading centre for
bullfighting.
More information about Andalucia can be found here Find Spanish hotels, hostals
and pensions, property for rent and sale in our Spanish Directory.
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