Málaga. España.

May 17, 2008

HUETOR TAJAR

As you enter the fertile flan land of Granada, you Hill come across the locality of Huétor-Taja situated on an enormous plain to the right of the river Genil. From the A-92 highway, Huétor-Taja´s white-washed buildings are conspicuous. Its principal economic activity is the cultivation and distribution of asparagus, which has led to an important level of growth in recent years. Irrigated lands and orchards are interspersed by small villages and farms with arable land, humbly worked by village men. Amazingly all this land is irrigated by the very same irrigation channels that the Muslims created centuries ago.

HISTORY

As is the case with the other villages in the Poniente Granadino, Huétor-Taja´s history goes far back in time. The first known ruins are those from the Roman epoch, where, indentally, the village was known as Vecis Farentina (fertile land). Numerous household goods, amphoras and coins, found in the XVIIIth and XXth centuries in certain parts of the village bear witness to Roman settlements in the area.
For many years, Huétor-Taja was the old “Alcaría” or “Moorish Place”, called “Quariyat Tayara” with a large tower, castle and fortress which partly exist today. Present day Huétor-lTaja is the product of the union, in the XVth century, of two centres of population: Huetor, pronounced wata in Arabic (meaning small village with watch-tower) and Tayaraat, Tahara or Taxara, a rural district to the east of Loja consisting of several small villages with a population of mixed lineage. The union of Huétor and Tahara took place during the War for Granada (1483). According to Ibn-al Jatib: “it was a Morrish settlement, enclosed by a wall and dominated by a watch-tower” and Tahara was “situated on the banks of river Genil, being defended by a fortress and an important subur. Guring Arab domination it became an important fortress dominating the confluence of rivers Genil and Cacin, defending the roads to Alhama and Granada”. The main legacy of this Mustlim occupation consists of the wealth of agricultural innovations, such as irrigation systems, which were implemented during that epoch and which are largely intact today.

GASTRONOMY

Denomination of origin:

Huétor-Tajar rigoroustly controls the quality of its star product-green asparagus. Indeed, so delicious is the green vegetable, that the zone has become synonymous with asparagus of the very highest quality. The “denominación de origin” awards agricultural products which meet exacting standards with the right to claim that they were produced in a certain region. Asparagus from Huétor-Tajar is now a patented commodity!

MONUMENTAL HERITAGE

Toser of Alquería of Huétor Tajar, situated near a small village not far from the town hall.
Church of Saint Isabel, which still conserves, its Mudejar tower, a tower of great sobriety with two columns and a balustrade façade which compels our attention. Its bell tower has a cupola and two pinnacles influenced by El Escorial. Asparagus growing cooperatives.

PLACES

Travellers on their way between Loja and Huétor-Taja can take a break on their journey across the Genil valley at La Esperanza. It is well worth seeing the diversity of fields sown with asparagus and pulse vegetables, which line both sides of the road that leads to Los Infiernos and la Esperanza. It is also interesting to visit the zone of the river Genil.

FESTIVALS

25th April, celebration of Saint Mark
15th May, celebration of Saint Isidro
Mid September, fair dedicated to Jesus the Nazarene