In Almería
Cathedral of Almería: a 16th-century Fortified Church
During the 15th and 16th centuries, Almeria was frequently attacked by Berber pirates and needed buildings that could provide a safe haven to the local people. It is not surprising to see many of the civil and religious buildings from those periods designed with a certain military-like fashion. The Cathedral of Almeria is an example of this. Located in the old quarter of the town, it was built at the beginning of the 16th century as a place of worship and refuge. The imposing battlements, turrets and buttresses were built in true robust military style. It is the only building in all of Andalusia to present such features. In fact, it is one of the rare examples of this type of architecture in all of Spain. The Cathedral of Almeria also stands out for its rich artistic heritage and its location in one of the most picturesque and liveliest squares in the city. The legion of lush, towering palm trees huddle around the square, contrasting beautifully with the ochre-coloured cathedral and creating a modern-day urban refuge.
In 1522, only thirty years after the Catholic Monarchs had conquered Almeria, a terrible earthquake completely destroyed the city’s church. The construction of a new church was commissioned by the Bishop of Almeria, Fray Diego de Villalán, and the new temple needed to be worthy to be the seat of the Diocese of Almeria. It was originally designed by the architect Diego de Siloé but it was completed by Juan de Orea. The cathedral was conceived to serve as a fortress in order to defend the population against frequent raids and attacks perpetrated by pirates and rebelling moriscos. It was officially completed in 1564 and represents an amalgamation of architectural styles from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The original Gothic-Renaissance design converges with baroque and neoclassical features that were later added. We can thank the renowned Spanish architect Ventura Rodríguez for the beautiful neo-classical additions.
This is well worth a visit if you are in Almeria and why not stay at the Hotel Catedral that sits alongside this magnificent building. A beautiful hotel to stay to explore Almeria city Telephone: 950 278 178 Book at reservas@hotelcatedral.net
City News
The Fifth Mojácar La Vieja Excavation Campaign Begins: an Open Door to the History of Eastern Almería
Mojácar Mayor Francisco García Flores, along with Noemí Linares and María Gracia Alarcón, the Councillors for Culture and Tourism respectively, accompanied by the project director José María Martín Civantos, as well as Jorge Rouco and Pedro Gurriarán, an architect specializing in heritage restoration, visited the works being carried out at the Mojácar la Vieja archaeological dig.
In this fifth campaign, the second within the general research project, 30 archaeologists from all over the country are working. They will remain in Mojácar until the 15th of this month when another group of 40 archaeologists will replace them on the dig until the end of the works planned for 2023, scheduled to finish at the end of September.
Jorge Rouco Collazo, an INCIPIT-CSIC researcher, director of the PGI, and the excavation campaign, will be present throughout the campaign, as well as José Maria Martín Civantos, University of Granada MEMOLab coordinator. Additionally, the project has the collaboration of the University of Exeter Institute of Islamic Archaeology in the UK through the presence of Cristina Martínez Carrillo, who is doing her doctoral thesis, and the collaboration of the CSIC Institute of History for the study of archaeobotanical remains, with the presence of Antonio Peralta Gómez, also doing his doctoral thesis.
The Mojácar Mayor, together with his councillors, toured the entire archaeological site, learning first-hand about the relevance of Mojácar la Vieja in the history of Muslim Spain in the area and in Eastern Almería, as well as the importance of the discoveries being made as the excavations progress. Among the matters discussed at the foot of the site, the planning of the expected steps in the future and the possibility of requesting assistance and collaborations with regional and national administrations stand out.
Although only a few days of excavations have passed, various ceramic pieces have already been found, and the first settlement in Mojácar is taking shape. It is important to remember that the archaeological site is open to the public, not only for visiting and asking any questions that may arise, but also, and most importantly, for participating in the works the specialists are carrying out and being able to be an archaeologist for a day or for the time considered appropriate.
Within this open and participatory character of the excavations, the workshops being held to find out about the history of the locality and its surroundings stand out. Among them are an archaeological ceramics workshop, interactive games about Mojácar la Vieja, washing in the fountain the old way, drawing and painting days, as well as different guided tours of the archaeological site.
City News
The Valparaiso Foundation Cedes Land to Mojácar for the La Vieja Archaeological Site
“Mojácar Mayor, Francisco García Cerdá, and Beatrice Beckett, President of the Valparaíso Foundation, have signed an agreement to transfer the land owned by the foundation located on the site of Mojácar la Vieja. As a result of this agreement, the Local Council will be able to carry out all the actions aimed at the consolidation of the site.
The contract signed between the Council and the foundation, lasting 50 years, represents a major advance and a notable boost to the Mojácar la Vieja excavation works. It will allow for the expansion of the collaboration framework with other entities, including the state, the possibility of accessing official and private financial assistance, and, among other matters, creates the guarantee of solidity and commitment to the continuity of the works that are being carried out at the site. This important agreement opens up new lines of work for the next excavation works. That corresponding to 2023 will start next month.
Thanks to the transfer of this land, and with the cession of other local minority owners of the Mojácar la Vieja hill, Mojácar Council plans to initiate the request for assistance and collaborations from higher administrations, both at the state and autonomous community levels. Mojácar la Vieja is currently included in the 2022-2025 General Research Project, which allows for having a conservation, maintenance, and management plan for the site that gives access to facilitating the highlighting of the importance of the site, increasing its promotion among residents and visitors. As of today, and within this framework of the 2022-2025 General Research Project, Mojácar la Vieja annually receives an important team of archaeologists, national and international, who continue the investigation work on the site that began five years ago.
In 2018, Mojácar Council started, thanks to the University of Granada and Memolab (Biocultural Archaeology Laboratory), the first exploration, adaptation, and research work on the Mojácar la Vieja hill. With these actions and thanks to the exhaustive work carried out by the archaeologists from Granada, the historic and cultural value of the site was uncovered, making important advances in each campaign, both from the point of view of their finds and in its strategic positioning in the field of archaeology and in the study of these first Islamic settlements in eastern Almería. The Mojácar Mayor thanked Beatrice Beckett and the Valparaíso Foundation for the support received over all these years on the Mojácar la Vieja project, of great relevance for the municipality and for the historic studies of the province, and especially for the confidence received with this important step of the cession of their land located in a part of this archaeological zone.
The Valparaíso Foundation is a cultural foundation of national scope, dedicated to the patronage of activities in all artistic disciplines. Beatrice Beckett founded, together with her husband Paul Beckett, the Valparaíso Foundation and the Artists Residence after arriving in Mojácar in 1964 and in 1972 acquiring the estate where both projects are located. Every year in Mojácar Valparaíso hosts artists from different disciplines from all over the world, among them theater, music, painting, photography, sculpture, and literature. With the aim of promoting culture in Mojácar, which has always been a place of artistic inspiration, the Council has for years been collaborating with this foundation, a collaboration which maintains its continuity over time and under which new actions are not ruled out.”
City News
Maria Flores Fernández Winner of the Mojácar Saint Augustine 2023 Festivities Poster Competition
The winning poster for the 2023 patron saint festivities in honor of Saint Augustine has been unveiled in the Mojácar Council Plenary Hall. This poster, selected through a competition organized by the local authority’s Festivities Department, will serve as the official image for the upcoming celebrations.
Twelve entries were submitted for the competition, and the organizing jury narrowed it down to three finalists. The ultimate winner was determined through social media and popular vote. María Flores Fernández, an 18-year-old native of Mojácar with a deep connection to her hometown, emerged as the competition’s victor with her artwork.
María actively participates in various activities and cultural events in Mojácar, including playing the saxophone in the Municipal Music Band. Her passion for graphic design led her to pursue studies at the Superior Design School in Murcia next term. With her winning poster, María aimed to strike a balance between tradition and modernity, preserving the essence of the festivities while appealing to younger generations.
The winning artwork, created using digital techniques, boasts a strong composition and a clear message. The official presentation of the poster was attended by Mojácar Mayor Francisco García Cerdá and Festivities Councillor Jesús Montoya, who expressed their gratitude to all participants for their high-quality submissions. They acknowledged the difficulty of selecting the finalists due to the outstanding quality of the entries. The winning poster will soon be displayed throughout the municipality and in the festivities book, showcasing María’s talent and capturing the spirit of the upcoming celebrations.
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