02.01.09 - 19:53 -
One of the steep streets of the town.
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Imagine a sea of olive groves and then imagine an upturned ship sitting in the middle of it. This is the distant image of the beautiful Cadiz town of Zahara, with its tower coming out of the crest of a rock face and white-washed houses at the foot of the Jaral mountain range. This place lies on the route into the heart of the famous Grazalema Nature park, one of the most spectacular regions in all of Andalucía.
The journey on the Antequera motorway is 150 kilometres, and one then turns off on the C-339 at Algodonales to reach Zahara. The big surprise for the visitor is to see the panoramic view of the town reflected in the calm waters of the reservoir below. This reflects also an ancient and sometimes bloody history, battles between Moors and Christians, long forgotten but still remembered, of a place that dominates all roads leading to the town.
Uncertain origins
Given the abundance of orange groves in the area, some historians claim the name of the town derives from the Arabic word ‘azahar’, while others say the original name was Al-Zahara, referring to a woman who was a favourite of the Cordoba caliph. Other suggestions include the word ‘zafra’, meaning a type of rocky outcrop; ‘zahara’, meaning ‘the brilliant’, and ‘sahira’, translating as ‘magic’.
In any case, the name sounds as romantically Moorish in all the variations of its supposed origin, and we might all be tempted to describe it in the same was as the poet José de Zorrilla: “Cuando encienden los cristianos,/ de noche hogueras en ella,/ no distinguen los paisanos/ si son sus fuegos lejanos/ luz de atalaya o de estrellas” (When the Christians light bonfires / in it by night / the people cannot distinguish them / from their own faraway fires / or the light of the watchtower or the stars).
Another visitor to the town, Pedro de Gamaza y Romero de Aragón, said in the 17th century that Zahara was situated on a rock so tall that people were frightened to look down over the gorge, and that most of the houses in the town were built of the same rock. Three centuries later, the townscape remains largely unchanged.
It is not surprising that with such a rich architectural heritage, Zahara was declared a Historic Artistic Place in 1983, and has been awarded numerous prizes for its dedication to conservation.
A journey to the past
To walk the streets of the town is to walk in the distant past. Its beautiful plazas and streets bring the visitor back to Moorish times, to when this place, like many others along a constantly changing frontline, was the scene of bloody clashes between Moors and Christians.
Such a walk allows one to see the vernacular architecture of the town, perhaps beginning with the parish church of Santa María de Mesa, built in 1755 by Antonio de Figueroa, the Torre del Reloj, dating from the 16th century and situated beside the chapel of San Juan de Letrán. Beside the church of Santa María is a pathway of stone leading to the remains of the castle and Torre del Homenaje, dating from the 13th and 15 centuries respectively. This is located on top of an imposing rocky outcrop with a magnificent view over the surrounding countryside.
A stroll through the surrounding countryside is also a must for visitors to the town. A favourite spot is the river Bocaleones on its way past the town, running 400 metres through a rocky gorge.
At the bottom of the gorge is the grotto known as La Ermita, where the action of time has formed a spectacular light display of stalagmites and stalactites. At the end of the natural grotto is the Roman bridge known as Los Palominos, close to a recreation area with tables and barbeque facilities. Other areas worth visiting include the Garganta Seca, a natural opening in the rock face on the way from Zahara to El Puerto de la Breña, and the reservoir of Zahara-El Gastor, which has many picnic sites.
