Iznájar

Iznajar is a municipality in the Spanish province of Cordoba, in Andalusia. The inhabitants and residents Iznajenos and Iznajeñas call themselves.

Geographical Location

The place that is dominated by the castle Castillo de Hisn Ashar and the parish church of Santiago Apóstol, located 110 km south-southeast of the provincial capital Córdoba, on a peninsula at the Embalse de Iznajar.

Place name and history

The place name derives from the Arabic Hisn Ashar ( حصن عشر ), which means serene castle.

Between the villages of Fuente del Conde and Los Pechos remains of Iberian and Roman settlements have been established. The important Roman settlement Cerro de la Pia long remained unknown, although they at the site is close to the hamlet Cierzos y Cabrera and an area of ​​2 km has.

The first mention of Iznajar goes back to the second half of the 9th century, when the place is a rebellion among Umar ibn Hafsun joined.

From the battles during the Reconquista under Ferdinand III. spared the place. Until the second half of the 15th century he remained the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, was conquered first under John II for Christians.

1468 was Diego Fernández de Córdoba, Count of Cabra, for his services by King Henry IV the jurisdiction and dominion over the place town with the title Viscount de Iznajar. This peerage was preserved up to the present time. Today it carries Álvaro López de Becerra Solé y de Casanova, who received the award in 1983 by Juan Carlos I..

In the area of Iznajar are estates with great tradition, as the Cortijo de Los Pechos, which was founded in the 18th century.

In 1969, the Rio Genil, on whose banks was the place dammed to Embalse de Iznajar. With a capacity of 980 million cubic meters, this is the largest reservoir of Andalusia.

Community structure

In addition to the main town located in the municipality the villages and hamlets Ventorros de Balerma, Las Chozas, La Fuente del Conde, El Adelantado, La Cruz de la Algaida, La Celada, Los Juncares, El Higueral, Arroyo Priego, Los Pechos, Jaramillo, Lorite, Arroyo Cerezo, Arroyo Solerche, Cierzos y Cabrera, Los Concejos, La Hoz, Alarconas y Antorchas and Montes Claros y Valenzuela y Llanadas.

Population

End of the 19th century, two -thirds of the population lived in scattered farms, cottages and hamlets. Due to a wave of emigration in the 1960s and the influx of new citizens from northern countries, who sought the rural life, more than half the population still live scattered in rural environment of the core community.

Attractions

Viewpoints

The town is picturesquely situated on a hill. Both offer is from the village and in the surrounding diverse views of the lake and the surrounding rugged mountains.

Structures

Castle

The Hisn Ashar castle dates back to the 8th century and is Hispano- Gothic origin. In the 9th century it was under the former Moorish rulers in the present form. In the 11th century, the walls that surround the parade, and an outer wall, which was amplified in the Nasrid period incurred. A second, also Nasrid wall was later built to take advantage of the terrain. From their only doors and some sections are obtained on exposed rocks.

In the 18th century the castle was used as the office of the Administrator of the Duke of Sesa. This function it retained until it was sold to the Conde de la Revilla in the 20th century. In 1991 they acquired the community; since it is part of the national cultural heritage.

Other Buildings

  • The Renaissance church of Santiago Apóstol ( Apostle James ) was built from 1547 to 1638 after plans by Hernán Ruiz the Younger and remained unfinished. 2005 - 2008 it was restored.
  • The Ermita de La Antigua, a building from the 17th century, is a large chapel with nine yokes and a central dome. In the middle is a colored sculpture of the Virgen de la Piedad is ( Virgin of Mercy ), the patron saint of the place. The statue in Burgundian- Flemish style probably dates from the 15th century.
  • City towers Torre del Reloj and Torre de San Rafael.

Personalities

  • Julio Burell y Cuellar (1859-1919), journalist and minister.
  • Cristóbal de Castro (1874-1953), writer and journalist.
  • José Montilla (born 1954 ), politician
  • Antonio Quintana († 1943): painter and poet.
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