It is located at the bottom of the fertile plain of Granada. Atarfe includes agricultural and mountainous areas. In its district there are the rests of Medina Elvira, the settlement developed between the VIII and the XI century over the old Roman Iliberis, and considered the germ of the city of Granada. The foundation of Elvira took place a few years after the entrance of the Arab-Berbers troops because of the ruinous state in which the old Iliberis was. This old capital of the region, the Roman Iliberis, and the Visigoth Eliberri, was populated by mozarabs and Jewish, who harassed by internal fights, were forced to leave and to fortify in predominant areas of the present Granada, in the Albaicin neighbourhood and the Alhambra. For that reason the historical relation of Medina Elvira with the Albaicín, of which numerous ruins and frequent referring inscriptions to Iliberis have been found, stand out. It could be said that the present Granada would be a continuation of Iliberis. Therefore the old Roman and Muslim Granada already existed in coexistence with Iliberis, which perhaps it was more powerful and politically significant.
This city was place of human settlements since the Neolithic period. Later Iberians, Romans and Visigoths passed by. It was known as Elvira and it was the capital of the Cora (administrative district) of Elvira during the Cordoba Caliphate. In the XI century, the Zirí dynasty transferred the Court to Granada, which lost its political power and a massive emigration to the new capital took place. In 1485 the Catholic Kings partly devastated the rests of this town sinking it in the oblivion. It was in the middle of the XIX century when this settlement reappears because many Roman and Arab rests were found in its district.
Atarfe is characterized by its wide gastronomical range as well as with the rich fertile plain tradition in the cultivation of vegetables and legumes. You can also find in its dishes the flavour of the Arab inheritance, as it is the case of the stews, beans omelettes and gazpacho. Among the recipes with history they have salad of the Mountain range, which was cooked in excursions to climb mountains in the town celebrations and the papas en columpio. For dessert, Atarfe offers the so called tirabuzones stuffed with natillas and the flowers.
© Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Granada I Diputación de Granada
