Cúllar

Cúllar is a municipality located in the north of the province of Granada and set in a lush valley, rich in fruit trees, which runs parallel to the Sierra de Orce and Las Estancias. It has mountainous terrain and is ideal for hiking, climbing and paragliding.

It has one of the most important historical monuments in the region of El Altiplano. Attractions include the archaeological site Cúllar I, one of the oldest sites in Europe; the town of Malagón, that dates to the Copper Age; an Arab military tower located next to the Ermita de la Virgen de la Cabeza (a 16^th century church) and the Palacio de los Marqueses de Cadmio.

The cave dwellings are fascinating and half of the population of Cúllar live in these houses. The town also has a number of different districts.

Archaeological findings show that the area in which the municipality is located has had a human settlement since Prehistoric times. The site Cúllar I is more than 700,000 years old.

Local chronicles say that the apostle Santiago passed thorough Cúllar to preach Christianity. In 985 Almanzor camped here and since then it has been a dependency of either the Kingdom of Murcia or of Granada. In 1488 the Catholic Kings conquered the town, but shortly afterwards it was devastated by El Zagal. When it was under Christian rule it was under the jurisdiction of Baza, although after the Moorish revolt in 1568 it was almost totally unpopulated.

In 1628 it became an independent municipality, but in 1639 it fell under the rule of a family from Genoa. In 1810 Cúllar was the site of the defeat of the Spanish-British troops by the Napoleonic army. A year later, in 1811, the town finally won its independence granted by the courts of Cadiz.

The town produces cereals, almonds and olive oil. Ajo atao and Chuletillas de Cordero Segureño, a recipe made with lamb, garlic, potatoes, eggs and extra virgin olive oil, are both very popular.