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Although
the River Guadiaro’s lowest stretch runs through the territory of Cadiz
it is one of the symbols of the Ronda highlands as
its headwaters are here and along its course it waters several municipalities,
among them Jimera de Libar, whose lands would be very different indeed without
the backbone provided by the Guadiaro. For more information about property
for sale in Spain in or near Jimera de Libar please contact us. Jimera
de Libar’s municipal area exhibits a very broken topography, as befits
a highland zone. The most rugged areas are covered with evergreen oaks, cork
oaks and brush, while those that lie between the village and the river abound
with olive trees–actually these are distributed wherever they can best
be cultivated-and grain fields. In general, the special climactic conditions
in these surroundings favour the growth of those species that make up the
Mediterranean woodland. The municipality has two population centres: the village
proper, which is located in the upper part, and the neighbourhood of La Estación,
some four kilometres from the other community and through which passes the
Bobadilla-Algeciras railroad.
It is a safe supposition, given the proximity of Cueva de la Pileta (La Pileta cave) in the municipality of Benaojan, that there must have been human settlements in the Jimera de Líbar area in the Neolithic period, but there are no remains to point to as proof of this theory. There have been remains discovered some four kilometres from the village at Finca del Tesoro, however, of what must have been a Phoenician necropolis, judging by ceramic pieces and some burial jewels that have been recovered. The Romans also travelled through this area, as is proven by the fact that one stretch of the road that linked the city of Acinipo with the plain of Gibraltar passed through Jimera de Líbar. Apparently the village’s name derives from the Arabic “Inz Almaraz”, meaning “woman’s castle”. No ruins of any castle have been found, but there is proof of the existence of an ancient Muslim cemetery under the foundation of the modern church. The village passed into Christian hands in 1485 and the conquerors changed the former name to Ximera de Líbar, as it appears on a stone of the public fountain that is dated 1789.
Fiestas
The village celebrates its patron saint fiestas in honour of the Virgen de
la Salud (Virgin of Health) in August. The religious ceremony begins with
the transfer of the image of the Virgin from the La Estación neighbourhood
to the village, where it travels through the main streets. With the services
completed it is time for fun, with a series of events noteworthy for dances
and competitions that hardly any villager will ever miss. On All Saints’
Day in November, the villagers celebrate the “tostón”,
which consists of roasting massive quantities of chestnuts that are then eaten
accompanied by some beverage. The carnival in February and the Candelaria
celebration on Christmas Eve are two other important dates on the local festive
calendar, as are the Virgen de la Salud pilgrimage in May and the Las Cruces
pilgrimage in June, with its ascent to La Cruz Ventura.
Food
This village’s gastronomy is defined by very highly seasoned
foods, especially in winter, in contrast to lighter dishes in spring and summer.
Cocidos (stews), migas (a dish made from fried bread crumbs), tortillas de
tagarninas or tortillas de espárragos trigueros (omelets of golden
thistle or wild asparagus, respectively), sopas de vinagre (vinegar soups),
marmitón and malcocinao (stews) make up this municipality’s most
traditional gastronomic offer, and in summer it has its own version of gazpacho
(a cold soup). Outstanding confectionery products, all homemade, are miel
de romero sobre hojuelas (fritters with syrup), roscos de vino (spiral pastries,
in this case made with wine), roscones (a similar pastry), huevos nevaos (an
egg pastry), suspiros (a pastry made with eggs, sugar and flour) and magdalenas
(small pastries baked in a mold). Mistela (a fortified wine) and zarzaparrilla
(sarsaparilla) are two indigenous beverages.
How to get there:
If you are coming from the Costa del Sol take the AP-7 (N-340) expressway
and at Manilva (the last municipality in the western
zone of the province of Malaga) take the A-377 in
the direction of Ronda. When you get to Gaucin
the road will change its designation to the A-369 and you must continue on
it through Algatocin and Benadalid
to Atajate and the MA-508 turning, which leads
to Jimera de Líbar. From Ronda, take the A-369
to Atajate, and from that village, as previously explained, the MA-508 leads
to Jimera de Líbar.
Tourist information:
Town Hall, Plaza Virgen de la Salud (29392). Telephone: 952 180 004;
Fax: 952 180 1078.
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