Travel Tip by: El Amparo Granada Santa Cruz del Comercio 18129 Alhama de Granada Spain Phone: 0034 628867755 http://www.elamparo-granada.com Full description of El Amparo Granada All accommodations for Andalusia Travel Tips nearby: Gourmet dining Casa Las Piolas Town: Algarinejo While it is not a secret that La Haza offers some of the finest dining in the area, sometimes you wish for another place that has that... [More] EuropeInns > Spain > Travel Tips: Alhama de Granada Alhama de Granada Poniente Granadino Thirty years ago when one thought of Andalucia, images of sleepy white villages and wide open spaces sprung to mind. Nowadays, so much of that has changed and areas of Andalucia and southern Spain bear little resemblance to times gone by. Fortunately, Alhama de Granada and the surrounding region have altered little in the past 30 years. Here animals out number cars and the land is still farmed by generations of families. People are more important than possessions and life is to be enjoyed, not rushed. Alhama de Granada has an ancient history, from the archaeological finds of the Neolithical age to the Romans and Moors. The Roman settlement of Artigi was the predecessor of the present town which developed due to the existence of hot springs, as well as the strategic location, in Andalucia, between Granada and the Malaga coast. Even today it has an enviable position, for within one hour, so much of Andalucia is accessible, the Costa del Sol, the Sierra Nevada mountains and ski resort, the magnificent Alhambra Palace and the cosmopolitan city of Granada. Many civilisations contributed to Alhama's personality, but none more so than the Arabic influence. Fascinated by the thermal fountain they built a therapy centre, which is still open today, and they changed the old Roman name for the town (Artigi) into al-Hamman, meaning “hot water”. During the 8th century, Syrian Arabs became the local aristocracy travelling between Granada and Malaga and the existence of the Fortress in Alhama is cited in its chronicles from 921 onwards. Its heyday, however, came later, during the 14th century, when it was incorporated into the Nasrid kingdom and became one of its most important towns in Andalucia, between the capital in Granada and the port of Malaga. However, the peaceful life of the town was cut short by a surprise attack in 1482. Whilst the governor was at a wedding in Velez Malaga, Alhama was assaulted in a raid led by the Marquis of Cadiz, who scaled the walls of the town and took possession of the castle. The Castillians established themselves in the area and it marked the end of the Nasrid era. The appearance of the town changed over the following years as the new settlers constructed churches, public buildings and stately homes. In Alhama de Granada the heritage of al-Andalus combined with that of later centuries is still apparent,especially within the old moorish quarter. To learn more: www.alhama.org
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