Pulianas

Pulianas is made up of two parts divided by the small Juncaril stream. The two parts are quite distinct but also compliment each other: a smooth hilly landscape lies to the north and northwest and a vast flat area lies to the south and southwest.

Pulianas has interesting historical buildings as well as the Via Crucis that runs across the municipality, and around the town. Its proximity to Granada have ensured that it has grown continually. Today it has one of the largest shopping malls in the province.

Pulianas dates back to Roman times, and was part of the network towns that supplied Granada with food. Although there is no archaeological evidence to back this theory up, it is thought to be the ancient Iberian-Roman town of Ilípula.

In the Arab era, the municipality was called Bulyana Grande and Bulyana Chica, which corresponds to the current names of Pulianas and Pulianillas. In those days it was a farmstead. With the arrival of the Almoravids the Moorish population was persecuted and because the latter was sometimes given support by the crown Pulianas was regularly affected by battles and skirmishes that adversely affected their economy.

After the Reconquista, the town fell under the jurisdiction of Granada. Its population declined in the years of the French occupation, and there were fewer people to farm the land (especially beetroot that was a popular local crop). Two of the most important years for the town were 1834 when the town became a municipality and 1945 when the two parts of the town merged.

Typical dishes from Pulianas include Sopa de maimones, Guisada con pan frito with asparagus. Migas, Gachas and the Olla de garbanzos are also a local specialities. Other good dishes are bean and spinach tortillas. Beef and goat are popular meats used in a variety of dishes.