REGION OF GUADIX
The patrimonial richness of the Region of Guadix constitutes one of the differential elements of this territory.
NATURAL PATRIMONY:
The morphological variety, together with its topography and other factors such as the climate impact or the anthropic action, have contributed to constitute one of the features that best differentiates the Region of Guadix: its enormous environmental, landscape and natural richness, in which we find so different scenes such as the mountain tops of Sierra Nevada, the plains of Zenete, the shores of Fardes, or the genuine badlands of the surroundings of Guadix or the area of Bacor-Olivar.
This richness causes that a large part of the region’s surface is protected, participating in the four parks that surround it: the Natural Park of the Mountain range of Huetor, the Natural Park of the Mountain Range of Baza and the Natural and National Park of Sierra Nevada, being this last one declared biosphere reserve. These three areas occupy an important part of the region’s surface. To these enclaves we must add other environments considered in the province’s Protection Special Plan of the Physical Mean and preserved by figures of inferior category (special protection areas, compatible special protection, preventative protection, etc).
- The Gorge of Gorafe (Compatible Special Protection, Excellent landscape).
- The Mencal (Compatible Special Protection, Excellent landscape)
- The surroundings of the Spa of Alicun de Ortega (Compatible Special Protection, Excellent landscape).
- The Badlands of Bacor-Olivar (Compatible Special protection, Excellent landscape).
- The Badlands of the Station of Guadix (Compatible Special Protection, Excellent landscape).
- The Meadow of the River Basin of Guadix (Compatible Special Protection, Singular landscapes).
- The Meadow of Gor (Compatible Special Protection, Singular landscapes).
- The Rills of Marchal (Natural Monument)
Within the natural patrimony we must highlight the important geological patrimony, part of which it is present in the Andalusia’s Inventory of Cultural Georesources (21 elements of this inventory are to be found in this region), where it stands out the subbasin of Guadix which has developed one of the most spectacular erosive models of Andalusia. It stands out the existing strong contrast in its four landsc
ape’s units: the mountain ranges; the superior plains or silting glacis; the riled slopes or badlands (“bad lands”) and the valleys. The badlands, to be found all along the region (to highlight the Badland’s zone of Bacor Olivar, near the municipality of Alicun) constitutes one of the most spectacular erosive landscapes of the European continent. Geological landscape of African reminiscences which has attracted during various generations the attention of geologists, naturalists, landscape painters, photographers and film producers.
CULTURAL PATRIMONY:
The geostrategic situation of the Region has converted it in a place of settlements for various cultures from the Inferior Paleolithic to the present day (Romans, Iberians, Visigoths, Arabs, Christians), as proven by the numerous material remains found. Very important data to report on and which shall mark the historic becoming of the Region of Guadix, are the fact that Guadix was founded by Julius Caesar as a military colony in the year 45 AD under the name of Colony Gulia Gemella Acci and that Acci became one of the most important cities of eastern Andalusia at that time, as proven by the recent discovery of a Roman Theatre in the center of the city, which has become the tenth existing Roman theatre of Andalusia. The Muslims settle in the Region from the year 711, leaving important Arab remains through the entire region and, after a late Christian conquest (after 1490), an exceptional Mudejar patrimony, and result of the coexistence of both cultures. The Christianization of Guadix occurred thanks to the arrival of the Apostolic Varones and the preaching did in these lands by one of them, Torcuato, becoming the Patron Saint of the city of Guadix. The Bishopric of Guadix was created in the 2nd Century AD, which shall origin one of the main monuments of Guadix, its cathedral, which includes elements of the three different artistic styles: Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic.
This way, we can find patrimonial elements from different periods that form a region gifted with an outstanding cultural patrimony. This circumstance has generated, principally, the starting of a series of actions focused in giving value to the patrimony and its exploitation as tourist and/or didactic resource. Among these projects we must highlight the creation of thematic routes, the design of itineraries and its signposting, edition of guides or creation of interpretation centers.
Therefore, we can establish a classification of the main typologies of historic and cultural patrimony in the region, much of which has already been the object of projects to give them value:
Troglodyte Patrimony:
The geology of the region has permitted during centuries the utilization by men of the caves, either from natural or artificial origin, which has caused one of the most characteristic patrimonial resources and at the same time, one of the most suggestive resources of our region. This patrimony is compound by caves of different periods, typologies and uses (from the defensive caves of the Arab period to the present cave-houses). We must highlight the cave’s neighbor of Guadix integrated in the Monumental Guadix Route. This is one of the largest and best preserved enclaves of these characteristics in Europe; it is a fully active urban space, where all the housings are excavated in the rock, awarding an absolutely picturesque and particular character.
Mudejar Patrimony:
According to Jose Manuel Gomez Calero, author of the guide named “Mudejar Route” in the Region of Guadix, the Mudejar expressions were not only abundant but also reached a character of almost exclusivity as far as its use in monumental architecture, highlighting the milestones of architectural aristocracy of the named Plaza de los Corregidores of the old Guadix and the Castle-Palace of La Calahorra. We must also mention palaces, noble houses, housings, parish churches, chapels, warehouses and granaries, which talked us about medieval architecture, expressed in Mudejar language, as far as construction systems, aesthetic shapes and professional organization. We can find examples of Mudejar distributed in municipalities all along the region, which has caused the creation of three routes: “The Mudejar Guadix”, “The Marquisate of Zenete and the Zalabi Valley” and “Valleys of the Rivers Alhama and Fardes and Zone of Mountains”. These routes appear in the abovementioned guide named “Mudejar routes”, which, promoted by the Center of Tourist Initiative of the Region of Guadix, constitutes the main product to put into value of this patrimony in the region.
Industrial and Mining Patrimony:
Integrated by old mining installations and populations, among which we highlight the installations and village of Alquife, the Mine of Santa Constanza where the first Pesetas were minted, old sugar refineries and factories, etc.
Arab Patrimony:
Its maximal expression founds itself in the Marquisate of Zenete and can be seen in mining elements, communication ways, Arab cisterns and other elements related to the agriculture of that period, from which we can find numerous remains and deposits in the zone. It has caused the creation of the “Route of the Arab Heritage” in the Marquisate, with the Center of Arab Architecture in Ferreira as its central element.
Megalithic and Paleontological Patrimony:
We must highlight the Megalithic Park of Gorafe, which with more than 200 dolmens constitutes one of the largest dolmen collections of Spain. Furthermore, in 2010 we’ll enjoy the Megalithic Interpretation Center in this municipality. Among other archeological and paleontological sites, we must specially mention the paleontological site of Fonelas because of the importance of its fossil remains found in it, where they have appeared remains of prehistoric animals unprecedented in the Iberian Peninsula.
Monumental Patrimony:
settled in the historic and monumental city of Guadix which, after the passing of the different cultures, offers an interesting fusion of aristocratic and popular, civil and religious architecture. Put into value through the creation of the Monumental Guadix Route, which includes the Citadel, the Cathedral, the named Plaza de los Corregidores (present Square of the Constitution), Palace of Peñaflor and other important monuments, palaces and churches of the Historic Center of the City of Guadix
Ethnographic Patrimony:
gastronomy, (the traditional region’s gastronomy, either domestic or ritual, is very varied) the oral tradition, folklore, traditional festivals. We highlight the famous bull enclosures such as the ones of the municipalities of Gor, La Calahorra, Jerez del Marquesado and La Peza (this last has been recently declared of Tourist Interest of Andalusia), or the famous Festival of Cascamorras in Guadix, in addition to the traditional trades and handicrafts (forge, pottery, cattail chair’s making, embroidery, etc.). In this sector we must also highlight other resources such as the patrimony related to enology, which has already started with the opening of the Wine Interpretation Center in Policar; or the one related to the History of Guadix, as film shooting scenery, with more than hundred productions filmed in the region under famous titles and movies such as Doctor Zhivago or Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
