Santa Cruz del Comercio is located on the right bank of the Río Alhama. Part of the town was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1884 with funds provided by the Unión del Círculo Mercantil de Madrid. The neighbouring towns changed the latter part of their names from ‘de Alhama’ to ‘del Comercio’. The name ‘Santa Cruz’ probably comes from Santa Cruz de Calatrava, whose military corps was awarded the land belonging to the Moors before their expulsion from Spain.
The natural surroundings of Peña Gorda, Los Llanos, the Barranco de Matajacas and the area around the river are outstandingly beautiful. Here you can go hiking and hunting, and there is even a camping area in the Cortijo del Aire.
Although possibly inhabited during the Roman Empire, the town was originally a farmstead during the Islamic period, from the 8th century onwards. It achieved particular importance due to its geographical location and its fertile land. When the Catholic Kings conquered the Kingdom of Granada in 1492, Santa Cruz passed into Christian hands. After the rebellion of the Moors in 1568, the Moors were expelled from the town. The land was given to the Priory of Calatrava and later to the Hermandad de las Ánimas order in Granada. In 1884 an earthquake devastated the village. The 21st October 1887 the new town was officially opened with the name of Santa Cruz del Comercio.
Many local recipes are pork-based: marinades and preserves are made with steak and sausage fat. The local cuisine is also based on casseroles and Migas. Borrachuelos is a delicious dessert made with white wine, extra virgin olive oil, flour and sugar.
This church was built on the site of an older church that had been destroyed by the earthquake of 1884. It was restored after the Civil War.
This watchtower is also known as the Torre de Buenavista. It is the ruined remains of a hexagonal medieval watchtower built in the late Muslim period to defend the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. It is located on the high plateau [...]
In 1884 this town suffered an earthquake and the town started to be reconstructed in May. In this month they have the celebrations in honour of Jesus of Nazaret, placing around the town the typical Crosses of May.
Besides the patron celebrations, in Santa Cruz del Comercio the summer celebrations are very expected. They have a varied range of activities that go from the classic tasting of products of the region to the band races or the foam [...]
