Albuñuelas

Albuñuelas is a village at the head of the Lecrin Valley, Granada, Spain. It is made up of three neighbourhoods (barrios): Alto, Bajo and Fernán Núñez (locally called La Loma). It is situated on the European route Nº 4 (Spain to Crete).

History

There is evidence of habitation in the area from the late Palaeolithic era. It is impossible to say exactly when the village originated. However, as the Greeks introduced better cultivation of both vine and olive to Spain, together with methods of irrigation and Abuñuelas derived from the Latin ' vinolea ' meaning an area of vines, it suggests their cultivation before the time of the Romans 220 BCE until 409 CE. Here they found small, scattered pueblos built of adobe and whitewashed. They gave the province the name Betis where they had vines and grains cultivated, which together with minerals, were exported back to Rome. There are still openings of mineworkings around the village.

Evidence of Moorish occupation can be seen in the Torre del Tio Bayo, an eight metre high tower constructed in the latter Nazarí period, about the middle of the fourteenth century. In the 12th and 13th centuries advances in hydraulic technology were applied to agriculture and the Roman latifundia were superseded by the Arab minifundia system.

Geography

It is an area of frequent seismic activity. The last disastrous earthquake took place on 25 December 1884 leaving 198 dead and 500 injured, equal to 57 per cent of the population.

Economy

Timber, almonds and olives form the main economic activity, on the Sierras de Albuñuelas, which rise to 1426m at Herrero. Albuñuelenses may occasionally be seen farming the surrounding terraces using mules but more often with modern machinery. Recent climate change has replaced the main crop of cereals with citrus and semi tropical fruit.

Natural History

Two main water courses are located in this municipality, Albuñuelas stream and Barranco de Luna. Both originate in the Sierra de Albuñuelas and excavate the eastern border of the Albuñuelas plateau.

Municipalities in the province of Granada

Agrón Alamedilla Albolote Albondón Albuñán Albuñol Albuñuelas Aldeire Alfacar Algarinejo Alhama de Granada Alhendín Alicún de Ortega Almegíjar Almuñécar Alpujarra de la Sierra Alquife Arenas del Rey Armilla Atarfe Baza Beas de Granada Beas de Guadix Benalúa Benalúa de las Villas Benamaurel Bérchules Bubión Busquístar Cacín Cádiar Cájar La Calahorra Calicasas Campotéjar Cáñar Caniles Capileira Carataunas Cástaras Castilléjar Castril Cenes de la Vega Chauchina Chimeneas Churriana de la Vega Cijuela Cogollos de Guadix Cogollos Vega Colomera Cortes de Baza Cortes y Graena Cuevas del Campo Cúllar Cúllar Vega Darro Dehesas de Guadix Dehesas Viejas Deifontes Diezma Dílar Dólar Dúdar Dúrcal Escúzar Ferreira Fonelas Freila Fuente Vaqueros Las Gabias Galera Gobernador Gójar Gor Gorafe Granada Guadahortuna Guadix Los Guájares Gualchos Güéjar Sierra Güevéjar Huélago Huéneja Huéscar Huétor-Tájar Huétor Vega Huétor Santillán Íllora Ítrabo Iznalloz Jayena Jérez del Marquesado Jete Jun Juviles Láchar Lanjarón Lanteira Lecrín Lentegí Lobras Loja Lugros Lújar La Malahá Maracena Marchal Moclín Molvízar Monachil Montefrío Montejícar Montillana Moraleda de Zafayona Morelábor Motril Murtas Nevada Nigüelas Nívar Ogíjares Orce Órgiva Otívar El Padul Pampaneira Pedro Martínez Peligros La Peza El Pinar Píñar Pinos Genil Pinos Puente Polícar Polopos Pórtugos Puebla de Don Fadrique Pulianas Purullena Quéntar Rubite Salar Salobreña Santa Cruz del Comercio Santa Fe Soportújar Sorvilán La Taha Torre-Cardela Torvizcón Trevélez Turón Ugíjar Valderrubio El Valle Valle del Zalabí Válor Vegas del Genil Vélez de Benaudalla Ventas de Huelma Villa de Otura Villamena Villanueva Mesía Villanueva de las Torres Víznar Zafarraya Zagra La Zubia Zújar

Coordinates: 36°55′N 3°37′W / 36.917°N 3.617°W / 36.917; -3.617

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