The district of Moclín is one of the richest in historical and artistic patrimony of all the province, with a millenarian sequence of human occupation and abundant presence of archaeological rests of different periods and cultures. It is also one of the districts that has a greater number of population centres, most of them with more inhabitants than the own villa where the City council resides. Limones, Olivares, Puerto Lope, Tiena and Tózar are its main anejos.
In Moclín there are many caves and natural shelters with cave paintings, like the ones done outdoors in the edge of the Cañada de la Corchera or in the Shelter of the Vereas, belonging both to the levantino style. The shelters of La Solana and Las Canteras, as well as the so called Bermejas Caves, also contain interesting examples of rock art. A lot older than the previous ones are those of the Cave of Malalmuerzo, where important rests of lithic industries have been found.
Around Moclín there are also numerous towers or watchtowers in strategic places which completed its control system and defence of the territory: the Porqueriza, the Mingoandrés, the Solana, the Gallina towers. Indeed, the foundation of Moclín goes back to the dawn of the Nasrid period, with the construction of its castle in the middle of the XIII century for control and defence of the Kingdom of Granada.
In the anejo of Tózar there is a vast archaeological site that extends over a surface of 1,000 square meters, with dolmens, anthropomorphist tombs excavated on the rock
Another excursion by the surroundings can take us towards the Tajos de la Hoz and from here to Olivares. The road until Tiena offers spectacular panoramic views of Sierra Nevada, the Almijara and Arana mountain ranges, while, at the bottom of the slope, the olive groves expand and will take us to the low territories of the fertile plain.
The most recent discoveries closely relate the beginning of this settlement with the arrival to the continent of the first groups that would settle in Orce. Later investigations put in evidence the occupation of the Cave of Malalmuerzo by the man of the Neolithic period. There are also abundant rests of the Copper and Bronze Ages, mainly of ceramics.
The origin and the history of Moclín are parallel to the Nasrid kingdom of Granada. Its name comes from the Hisn Arab al-Muqlin (strength of the pupils). It was constructed on an escarpment to protect the way that leads to the fertile plain of Granada. Land of border in many stages, for the Nasrids mainly became "Shield of Granada" even more since the conquest by Castilian troops (Alfonso XI) of Alcala Real (1341) and the Castle of Locubín, when Yusuf I chose it like encamped place of the Muslim troops. Between this date and 1486 the skirmishes were frequent in both senses, alternating with periods of understanding, until the Catholic Kings considered their definitive taking necessary. After the fall of Loja, the 26 of July of 1486, the city surrenders after three days of siege, becoming one of the seven villas forced to the maintenance of Granada.
The Catholic Kings, in the period between 1486 and 1492, along with the Court of Castile, spent long periods of time in the fortress. The repopulation of the place was carried out very quickly by people coming from the north of the peninsula, becoming a town eminently agriculturist and cattle dealer where the majority of the villagers were wage-earning.
One of the attractive points of Moclín, is its cuisine with the alboronía, dish with chicken, garlic, almonds and white beans or the Cachorreña soup and the San Antón pot. The rosquillos are elaborated as in the old days without any artificial product.
© Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Granada I Diputación de Granada
