Megalithic monuments and the remains of a necropolis have been discovered in the village, which serve as evidence that the area was occupied as far back in history as the prehistoric period. The name of the village is thought to have originated from the Latin Frexinius, as the Romans and Arabs were one-time occupiers of the area as can be seen by the Moorish fortress dating from the 11th century but now laying in ruins, which once safeguarded the security of the inhabitants.

History books describe Frigiliana as a rocky and mountainous place that could be defended from an entire army of invaders by a relatively small number of well armed people, due mainly to the difficulty they would have in gaining access. One such historical story goes that when the village was surrounded by the Catholic troops of Arevalo de Suazo and a further twelve infantry units returning from battles in Italy, over two thousand of the four thousand Moriscos living in the village died during their attempts to protect it.

During the battle many of the village’s women, who had fought bravely beside the men, chose to jump from the cliffs with their children in preference to becoming captured by the Catholic troops. Some of them did manage to escape into the Alpujarras Mountains, but as many of them had been badly injured during battle, they died before reaching safety. The Catholics eventually drove out the Moriscos in 1609 and subsequently divided up their possessions between them.

The fertile lands surrounding the village make this an ideal place to cultivate crops and this makes agriculture the main source of income for the village particularly vines and olive trees and in more recent times subtropical fruits too.

The streets of Frigiliana run parallel and perpendicular to the central square and the village is regarded as having the finest Arab constructions in the province with Moorish architecture in the form of passageways, steps and gates in evidence.

The sugar cane factory, which was the palace of the Count of Frigiliana during the sixteenth century, and the remains of a silo dating from 1767 are preserved for modern day visitors. Ceramic panels by Amparo Ruiz de Luna describing the battle of Frigiliana are one of the more famed monuments in the village. Blankets, carpets and all other sorts of loom work are also industries that make the village famous.

As is the norm with many Spanish villages, fiestas are part of the way of life and Frigiliana is no different, enjoying the festival honouring San Sebastian and the San Antonio pilgrimage occurring on June 13th each year with the May and Easter processions also being noteworthy events.

Cuisine of the village has many traditional recipes, which include baby goat in either almond or garlic sauce, fennel, cabbage and the famous Easter stew (made with cod, egg and flour all soaked in sugar cane honey). Black pudding and chorizo are some other popular dishes of the village and honey made from sugar cane is used in a wide variety of sweets including arropia and marcocha in which the honey is left to solidify and in other products such as flans, yoghurts, etc. The local wine is also well known and much esteemed.

About the Author:

Written by Mark Buckingham for Rentaccomspain.com. Rent or buy your perfect Spanish retreat direct from the owner. Find other articles on Spain here Find properties to buy in Spain here

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Frigiliana – Mountainous Spanish Village of Sugar Canes

As such, it comes as no surprise that Seville is home to some of the most exquisite monuments in the world, spanning over the area’s rich history and combining the cultures and art of the city’s local inhabitants over the years.

A trip to Seville would not be complete without a visit to its Cathedral ‘ the third largest of its kind in the entire world. This impressive cathedral started out as a temple built by Goths on the ruins of a Roman foundation. The only sign of this temple can be found in the form of a small fountain in the stunning ‘Courtyard of the Orange Trees’ (Patio de los Naranjos). Moorish inhabitants of Seville soon transformed the temple into a mosque and many signs of the original decorations can still be found today.

With the re-conquest of Seville by the Christians in the 11th century, plans were soon underway to construct one of the largest cathedrals in the world. In fact, Seville’s cathedral is considered one of the largest medieval and Gothic pieces of architecture that survive today. Many elements of the original mosque were incorporated into the cathedral, the most important (and impressive) being the Giralda that was used as a minaret by the praying Moors. The Giralda was converted into the cathedral’s bell tower and is characterized by an interior devoid of steps the top can be reached via ramps only. The Giralda is almost 100 meters large and visitors can enjoy a fabulous view of Seville from this point.

The construction of Seville’s cathedral went on for over five long centuries each time period incorporating specific architectural designs and building materials. Elements of Renaissance architecture are present, although, for the most late Gothic and Plateresque styles are particularly dominant. Gold and other precious metals abound in this great cathedral. Visitors will stand in awe of the cathedral’s breathtaking Flemish glass works and a visit to the location’s museum is an absolute must to see interesting religious artifacts that were used in the cathedral over the years.

Not far from Seville’s cathedral is the Reales Alcazares (or Alcazar). This impressive building was developed from the city’s Moorish Palace and plenty of Arabian design can be seen, despite the fact that the major part of today’s palace was constructed after the Christian re-conquest in 1248. The building of this palace also spanned over 500 years and was influenced by architectural trends of this time span. As a result, the palace is an interesting blend of Arabian (Mudejar) and Renaissance styles, with its fantastic gardens a stunning mixture of designs.

Other constructions with particularly interesting designs in Seville include the city’s bullring called Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza with its 116 asymmetrical balconies that date back to the 18th century. French architects, Bernadet and Steinacher also left their professional print on Seville through the construction of the famous Bridge of Triana.

In short, Seville’s architecture tends to dazzle its visitors through beautiful design that epitomizes each era and relates the story of this wonderful city.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/seville-architecture-at-its-best-226086.html

About the Author:

Gaizka Pujana is the co-owner of Barcelona Homes, S.L., a busy holiday apartment rental business operating in Barcelona, Seville and the Costa Del Sol, rapidly expanding into Colombia and Western Europeappartement Sevilla
accommodation in Seville
Apartments Seville

The Poniente Granadino is situated in the centre of Andalusia (Spain). It is located between the city of Granada and the Sierra Nevada on one side and the city of Malaga and the Costa del Sol on the other one. Its strategic situation means that the traveller can visit several major historical centres of Andalusia in single day trips.

Staying in one of the many rural accommodations in the Poniente Granadino is an excellent choice if you plan to visit the highlights in Andalusia: Sevilla, Cordoba, Ronda, Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarras, Malaga, the Costa del Sol and of course, the city of Granada with the beautiful arabian palaces and gardens of the Alhambra.

1.- The Poniente Granadino is a new tourist area, without the saturation of other destinations with similar characteristics and a wide range of rural holiday houses and country cottages to choose from.

2.- It is an area which is easily accessible from anywhere in Andalucia, meaning that as well as seeing this region, visitors can also make trips lo a large number of other tourist areas in Andalucia (Costa del Sol, Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba, the Sierra Nevada, the Subbetica of Cordoba, etc.) making one day round trips.

3.- The area contains five towns with first class monuments (Alhama de Granada, Illora, Loja, Moclin and Montefrio), as well as an archaeological park, with extraordinary environmental and cultural value and there are many holiday houses available all year round.

4.- lts landscape of water meadows, farmland and mountain peaks encloses the Sierras de Alhama, Tejeda and Almijara Natural Park, as well as another space which is on the point of receiving the same nomination, the Sierras de Loja, Chanzas, Parapanda, Marques. Come and see the transparency of the rivers and lakes, which carve out this land, or stay in one of the beautiful rural country houses in Granada.

5.- The transport network within The Poniente Granadino is one of the most complete in the surrounding area, with the A-92 motorway and the Granada-Sevilla railway. Furthermore, Malaga and Granada airports are only a short distance away.

6.- The Poniente Granadino has a wide range of holiday lodgings, with options ranging from 5-star luxury to modest pensions, with 2 and 3-star hotels in between, as well as spa resorts, campsites, rural hotels, country houses, farm schools, etc.

7.- The gastronomic offer allows the enjoyment both of exclusive dishes from the local cuisine, and of the most exquisite international food and dishes invented and prepared by renowned chefs. And this is without mentioning the option of tapas, so typical of Andalucia. Trout and sturgeon from Riofrio (in Loja), green-purple asparagus from Huetor-Tajar, wine from Alhama and goats cheese from Montefrio, Jayena and Jatar are some of the specialities of the region.

8.- Some of the cultural celebrations and festivals of The Poniente Granadino already enjoy tradition and prestige recognized at an international level: the pilgrimage of El Cristo in Moclin, the Holy Week celebrations, or the “Va de calle” International Festival of Street Theatre and Animation in Loja, the “Parapanda Folk” International Music Festival in Illora, Carnival, and the Andalucia Song Festival in Alhama de Granada.

9.- The range of tourist activities includes trout-river fishing, donkey trekking, 4×4 group outings, bicycle tours, water activities in the Bermejales lake, etc.

10.- A common tie unites the region with the following towns: with Granada, the whole of history; with Malaga, our geographical roof, the Peak of the Maroma, and the river Guadalhorce, the umbilical cord between the Puerto de los Abazores and the provincial capital.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/ten-reasons-for-visiting-granada-366797.html

About the Author:

With more than 20 years of experience in the travel industry Rudi van der Zalm is the founder of one of Europe’s most popular websites for rural holiday accommodation in Granada. A wide selection of country houses and lodgings can be found at http://www.rural-tour.com