Alcalá de los Gazules
Encyclopedia
Alcalá de los Gazules is a city located in the province of Cádiz
, Spain. According to the 2006 census, the town has a population of 5,633 inhabitants. Alcalá de los Gazules is situated in the Sierra de Cádiz
.
Although not officially one of the pueblos blancos, Alcalá is still listed, since 1984, as having Artistic-Historic status.
moved in and renamed the area Valdalusia but they lasted only twenty years, 409 – 429. They were followed by the Visigoths who left behind the impressive tower, the Mesa de Esparragal.
For many years until the catholic Ferdinand
and Isabella
took control, at the end of the 15th century of the last Muslim kingdom in the south of Spain, there was a demarcation line between the Islamic and Christian regions, along which sat towns that are now known as the pueblos blancos, the white towns, and Alcalá was on the border. Many of these towns were fortified and Alcalá has a number of towers around its perimeter, now fallen into disrepair.
Following the catholic consolidation in Spain, many mosques were knocked down and in Alcalá, the famous church of San Jorge in the top square was built in the mid-16th century on top of the ruins of the old mosque.
During the Peninsular Wars in 1809 a mounted militia from Alcalá made a successful ambush on some nearby French troops. A year later General Manbourg's troops took revenge by cutting the throats of the entire population and blowing up the castle.
Cádiz (province)
Cádiz is a province of southern Spain, in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, the southernmost part of continental Western Europe....
, Spain. According to the 2006 census, the town has a population of 5,633 inhabitants. Alcalá de los Gazules is situated in the Sierra de Cádiz
Sierra de Cádiz
Sierra de Cádiz is a comarca province of Cádiz .Most of the comarca's territory is within the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, a protected area....
.
Although not officially one of the pueblos blancos, Alcalá is still listed, since 1984, as having Artistic-Historic status.
History
Alcalá de los Gazules was first populated by the Romans in CE189 and supplied them with food, oil, wine, and metal. During Roman occupation, the city was known as Lascuta. As the Roman empire weakened, the VandalsVandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
moved in and renamed the area Valdalusia but they lasted only twenty years, 409 – 429. They were followed by the Visigoths who left behind the impressive tower, the Mesa de Esparragal.
For many years until the catholic Ferdinand
Ferdinand
Ferdinand is a Germanic male given name composed of the words for "prepared"/"protection"/"safety"/"peace" and "journey"/"boldness"/"recklessness"...
and Isabella
Isabella
Isabella may refer to:* 210 Isabella, an asteroid* Isabella , an American hybrid grape variety* Isabelline or Isabella, a greyish-yellow or light buff colour* Isabella piercing, a female genital piercing- United States :...
took control, at the end of the 15th century of the last Muslim kingdom in the south of Spain, there was a demarcation line between the Islamic and Christian regions, along which sat towns that are now known as the pueblos blancos, the white towns, and Alcalá was on the border. Many of these towns were fortified and Alcalá has a number of towers around its perimeter, now fallen into disrepair.
Following the catholic consolidation in Spain, many mosques were knocked down and in Alcalá, the famous church of San Jorge in the top square was built in the mid-16th century on top of the ruins of the old mosque.
During the Peninsular Wars in 1809 a mounted militia from Alcalá made a successful ambush on some nearby French troops. A year later General Manbourg's troops took revenge by cutting the throats of the entire population and blowing up the castle.
Demographics
Monuments and sights
- Yacimiento Laja de los Hierros.
- Yacimiento romano de la Mesa del Esparragal.
- Depósitos romanos de la Salada.
- Casa del Cabildo.
- Iglesia Mayor Parroquial de San JorgeChurch of San Jorge (Alcalá de los Gazules)The Church of San Jorge is a church located in Alcalá de los Gazules, Spain. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 2006....
- Convento de Santa Clara.
- Iglesia de San Francisco (Iglesia de la Victoria).
- Convento de Santo Domingo.
- Ermita-Santuario de Ntra. Sra. de los Santos.
- Los Pozos.
- Fuente de la Salada.
- Puente Romano.
- Casas señoriales.
- Las tres torres.
- Ermita de Nuestra Señora de los Santos
Celebrations
- Carnaval de Alcalá de los Gazules (late February-early March).
- Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter).
- Festividad de San Jorge (23 April).
- Concurso de Cante Flamenco (July).
- International Classical Music Festival "Al-Kalat" (mid-August).
- Feria de agosto (late August).
- Romería de Nuestra Señora de los Santos (early September).
- Octava de Nuestra Señora de los Santos.
Economy
- Cork productionCork (material)Cork is an impermeable, buoyant material, a prime-subset of bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use primarily from Quercus suber , which is endemic to southwest Europe and northwest Africa...
- Agriculture
- Beef cattleBeef cattleBeef cattle are cattle raised for meat production . The meat of cattle is known as beef. When raised in a feedlot cattle are known as feeder cattle. Many such feeder cattle are born in cow-calf operations specifically designed to produce beef calves...
- Goats' Cheese production
- Tourism
- Hunting
Native people
- Alejandro SanzAlejandro SanzAlejandro Sanz , is a Spanish singer-songwriter and musician. For his work, Sanz has won a total of fifteen Latin Grammy Awards and three Grammy Awards. He has won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year three times, more than any other artist...
- Bibiana AídoBibiana AídoBibiana Aído Almagro is a Spanish politician who served as Minister for Equality. She became minister for this new department on April 14, 2008, at the beginning of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's second term as Prime Minister of Spain....
- Alfonso Perales