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 |
