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Encyclopedia > Las Alpujarras

Las Alpujarras is a mountainous district in Southern Spain, which stretches south from the Sierra Nevada mountains near Granada in the autonomous region of Andalucía. The western part of the region lies in the province of Granada and the eastern part in the province of Almería. In older sources the name is sometimes spelled Alpuxarras; it derives from Arabic al Busherat meaning "the grass-land". The Sierra Nevada, meaning snowy range in Spanish, is a mountain range in the region of Andalusia in Spain. ... The City of Granada Alhambra, Courtyard of the Lions Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in Spain. ... Spains fifty provinces (provincias) are grouped into seventeen autonomous communities (comunidades aut nomas), in addition to two African autonomous cities (ciudades aut nomas) (Ceuta and Melilla). ... Motto: Dominator Hercules Fundator Andalucía por sí, para España y la humanidad (Andalusia for herself, for Spain, and for humanity) Capital Seville Area  – Total  – % of Spain Ranked 2nd  87 268 km²  17,2% Population  – Total (2003)  – % of Spain  – Density Ranked 1st  7 478 432  17,9%  85,70/km² Demonym... Granada is a province of southern Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. ... Almería province Almería is a province of southern Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ...

Enlarge
a typical Alpujarran village, Busquistar

The region consists principally of valleys which descend at right angles from the crest of the Sierra Nevada on the north, to the Sierras Almijara, Contraviesa and Gador, which separate it from the Mediterranean Sea, to the south. The Mediterranean Sea is a part of the Atlantic Ocean almost completely enclosed by land, on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. ...


The region is one of great natural beauty, and it is sometimes referred to as "The Spanish Switzerland". Because of a warm southerly climate combined with a reliable supply of water for irrigation from the rivers running off the Sierra Nevada, the valleys of the western Alpujarras are among the most fertile in Spain, though the steep nature of the terrain means that they can only be cultivated in small fields, so that many modern agricultural techniques are impractical. They contain a rich abundance of fruit trees, especially grape vines, oranges, lemons, figs and almonds. The eastern Alpujarras, in the province of Almería, are more arid, but still highly attractive. Species Vitis acerifolia Vitis aestivalis Vitis amurensis Vitis arizonica Vitis x bourquina Vitis californica Vitis x champinii Vitis cinerea Vitis x doaniana Vitis girdiana Vitis labrusca Vitis x labruscana Vitis monticola Vitis mustangensis Vitis x novae-angliae Vitis palmata Vitis riparia Vitis rotundifolia Vitis rupestris Vitis shuttleworthii Vitis tiliifolia Vitis... Orange can refer to the following: Things Orange (word) - the word orange in the English language Orange (fruit) – the fruit of the orange tree Orange (colour) – a color between red and yellow Orange (company) – a telecommunications company Orange (bicycles) – a mountain bike manufacturer In heraldry, orange refers to either the... Binomial name Citrus x limon Lemons are the citrus fruit from the tree Citrus x limon, a hybrid of cultivated origin. ... Species About 800, including: Ficus altissima Ficus americana Ficus aurea Ficus benghalensis - Indian Banyan Ficus benjamina - Weeping Fig Ficus broadwayi Ficus carica - Common Fig Ficus citrifolia Ficus drupacea Ficus elastica Ficus godeffroyi Ficus grenadensis Ficus hartii Ficus lyrata Ficus macbrideii Ficus macrophylla - Moreton Bay Fig Ficus microcarpa - Chinese Banyan Ficus... This article refers to the plant. ...


The Alpujarras were successively settled by Ibero-Celtic peoples, by the Romans, and by Visigoths before the Moorish conquest of southern Spain in the eighth century. The region was the last refuge of the Moors, who were allowed to remain there long after the fall of Granada in 1492. Following the Morisco revolt of 1614, the Moorish population was forced from the region. By order of the Spanish crown, two Moorish families were required to remain in each village in order to demonstrate to the new inhabitants, introduced from northern Spain, the workings of the terracing and irrigation systems on which the district's agriculture depends. The Ibero-Celts or Celt-Iberians (Span. ... Ancient Rome was a civilization that existed in Europe between 753 BC and its downfall in AD 476. ... The Visigoths,were one of the two main branches of the Goths (of which the Ostrogothi were the other), were one of the loosely-termed Germanic tribes that brought chaos to the late Roman Empire. ... For the terrain type see Moor Moors is used in this article to describe the medieval Muslim inhabitants of al-Andalus and the Maghreb, whose culture is often called Moorish. For other meanings look at Moors (Meaning) or Blackamoors. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... A depiction of an ancient moor Moors is used in this article to describe the medieval Muslim inhabitants of al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula including the present day Spain and Portugal) and the Maghreb, whose culture is often called Moorish. Origins of the Name The name derives from the ancient... The City of Granada Alhambra, Courtyard of the Lions Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in Spain. ... Events January 2 - Boabdil, the last Moorish King of Granada, surrenders his city to the army of Ferdinand and Isabella after a lengthy siege. ... Morisco (Spanish Moor-like) or mourisco (Portuguese) is a term referring to a kind of New Christian in Spain and Portugal. ... A terrace is: In agriculture, a levelled section of a hilly cultivated area, designed to slow or prevent the rapid run-off of irrigation water. ... Irrigating cotton fields Irrigation in the Heart of the Sahara Irrigation (in agriculture) is the replacement or supplementation of rainfall with water from another source in order to grow crops. ...


The influence of the Moorish population can be seen in the agriculture, the distinct cubic architecture (reminiscent of Berber architecture in Morocco's Atlas Mountains) the local cuisine, the local carpet weaving, and the numerous Arabic placenames. The Berbers (also called Imazighen, free men, singular Amazigh) are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group indigenous to the Maghreb, speaking the Berber languages of the Afroasiatic family. ... The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in northwest Africa extending about 2400 km (1500 miles) through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, and including The Rock of Gibraltar. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ...


The largest villages in the district are Lanjaron, with its ruined castle and chalybeate baths, Órgiva, Trevélez and Ugijar. All are situated at a considerable elevation, and Trevélez, at 1476 metres above sea level, is the highest recognised town in Spain. The three "white villages" in the gorge of the Rio Poqueira, Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira, have become recognised tourist destinations; however there are many other equally traditional villages of similar appearance, for example those in the La Taha municipality to the east of the Poqueira gorge. The steepness of the land means that the houses in the villages seem to be piled on top of another, and their characteristic flat roofs, tall chimneys, and balconies (tináos) extending across the steep narrow streets give them a unique and picturesque appearance. From early in the 17th century, Chalybeate water was said to have health-giving properties and many people have promoted their qualities. ... Órgiva is a small town in the Alpujarra mountains in the eastern part of Andalucía in Spain. ... Rio Trevélez upstream of the town, early spring Trevélez is a town in the community of Andalucía, Spain. ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ...


Among the agricultural specialities of the region is a variety of air-cured ham, especially associated with Trevélez. In general, however, the impossibility of mechanising agriculture in such a district means that it is not competitive under modern conditions, and the growth area of the economy is tourism. The district is served by bus services from Granada, and can be reached in a few hours from the international airport at Málaga. The GR7 (E4) "Mediterranean Arc" European long-distance footpath passes through the region. Technically, ham is the thigh and buttock of any animal that is slaughtered for meat, but the term is usually restricted to a cut of pork, the haunch of a pig or boar. ... Rio Trevélez upstream of the town, early spring Trevélez is a town in the community of Andalucía, Spain. ... The Bus, established by Mayor Frank Fasi, is Honolulus only public transit system. ... The City of Granada Alhambra, Courtyard of the Lions Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in Spain. ... Málaga is a port city in Andalucia, southern Spain, on the Costa del Sol coast of the Mediterranean. ... Paths: E1 - Norway - Sweden - Denmark - Germany - Switzerland - Italy E2 - Scotland - England - Netherlands - Belgium - Luxemburg - France E3 - Spain - France - Belgium - Luxemburg - Germany - Czech Republic - Poland - Slovakia - Hungary - Romania - Bulgaria E4 - Spain - France - Switzerland - Germany - Austria - Hungary - Bulgaria - Greece E5 - France - Switzerland - Germany - Austria - Italy E6 - Finland - Sweden - Denmark - Germany - Austria - Slovenia...

  • andalucia.com (http://www.andalucia.com/villages/alpujarras.htm)

  Results from FactBites:
 
Alpujarras - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (574 words)
La Alpujarra (sometimes Las Alpujarras) is a mountainous district in Southern Spain, which stretches south from the Sierra Nevada mountains near Granada in the autonomous region of Andalusia.
La Alpujarra was successively settled by Ibero-Celtic peoples, by the Romans, and by Visigoths before the Moorish conquest of southern Spain in the eighth century.
The three white villages in the gorge of the Rio Poqueira, Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira, have become recognised tourist destinations; however there are many other equally traditional villages of similar appearance, for example those in the La Taha municipality to the east of the Poqueira gorge.
Las Alpujarras (975 words)
Las Alpujarras or La Alpujarra is a spectacularly beautiful region, dominated by the Sierra Nevada and straddling the provinces of Granada and Almería.
Las Alpujarras were not entirely uninhabited before the 8th-century Moorish invasion, the Romans, for example, having been attracted by the mineral wealth of the Sierra Nevada (and the relative ease of its extraction, erosion by glaciation having stripped away most of the overlying soft rock).
The Moors of Granada and of the Alpujarras were under constant pressure from the Christians, and a decree prohibiting the use of Arabic and the Islamic religion and customs led to the Morisco uprising of 1568.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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