Click
here to request info about property for sale in Juzcar Spain.
The
municipality of Juzcar is a long and narrow strip of territory that adjoins
the municipality of Ronda to the north, and in the
south descends to Estepona and Benahavis.
Its elongated shape allows for an enormous variety of scenery formed by very
high peaks (Benamahoma, El Castillejo, Jardón and Jarastepar, the last
of these being the highest in the area at 1,425 metres), areas with quintessentially
Mediterranean vegetation, and last of all, dense and unusually lush pine forests.
For more information about property
for sale in Spain in or near Juzcar please contact us.
Although the historical origin of this village is very uncertain it is clear it was founded before the time of the Arabs, and some link its origin to the mining activity of the Roman era. Be that as it may, the locality fell into the hands of the Christian troops in 1485. From that date, forward the Moors were subjected to very strict rules and, as is well known, ultimately rebelled in 1570, resulting in their expulsion in 1609.
A very unusual personality, “El Tajarillo” entered the scene in that era. A sort of forerunner of the nineteenth century bandit, he refused to be driven out. He fled to the highlands and perpetrated incessant acts of banditry as long as he could. All that remains of him is his legend and a place called Paso de Tarajillo (Tarajillo’s Pass), near a hut where it is said he died in an accident. Due to its location in the Upper Genal area and its difficult access from the exterior it doesn’t seem very logical that Júzcar would have been industrialised before many other Spanish cities, but such was the case. In 1726, construction began on the first sheet tin factory in Spain, which began operations in 1731 with no fewer than 200 workers on the payroll. The factory was inaugurated with the pompous name of “La nunca vista en España Real Fábrica de Hojalata y sus adherentes, reinando los siempre invictos monarcas y Católicos Reyes don Felipe V y doña Isabel de Farnesio” (The Never-Before-Seen in Spain Royal Factory For the Manufacture of Tin Sheeting and its By-Products, in the Reign of the Unvanquished Catholic Monarchs Don Felipe V and Doña Isabel de Farnesio.)
It is documented that since, at that time,
the process for manufacturing tin sheeting was not known in Spain some 30
specialists from Germany, under the direction of the Swiss engineers Pedro
Mentón and Emérito Dupasquier, came to the village. It is said-and
this should be considered anecdotal- that these engineers had to be smuggled
out of their own country in barrels since in order to prevent competition
they were prohibited from going abroad. Apparently, the factory ceased operations
during the War of Independence, and the General Archives of Simancas preserves
part of the first piece of tin sheeting produced. The fact that
in 1752 there were eight mill units in operation-and continued operating until
1841-along with two tanneries attests to the prosperity of Juzcar in the eighteenth
century. It is therefore not surprising that in this area there are the ruins
of six other villages, of whose abandonment there are no reliable records.
It is known, however, that Farajan was administratively
subordinate to Juzcar until 1873.
Fiestas
The most traditional and unique celebration in Júzcar occurs on Easter
Sunday with the “El Niño de Huerto” (Child in the Orchard)
celebration. This pious ritual is very similar to the one performed in Igualeja.
It all begins with the designation of four male stewards, which is done by
placing a pine sapling decorated with paper flowers in the windows of the
houses of those persons who have been selected. Before the celebration, these
stewards, with the assistance of other villagers, collect pine, laurel and
ivy boughs for building the “huerto”, which is really a small
hut. In this spot, with the assistance of two female stewards
selected in the same manner as the male stewards, they will place the Child
Jesus and there they will remain to await the arrival of the Virgin. This
enactment’s climactic moment is the meeting between Mother and Son,
after which begins the procession through the streets of the village.
The Virgen de Moclón pilgrimage is in late June, and the patron saint fiestas for this same Virgin are celebrated from 24 to 26 August, when there are verbenas (traditional street parties), the serving of chocolate in the village square, children’s theatre and sports contests. 19 March is the day of San José, and after a mass in honour of this saint, his image is carried in a procession. That night the villagers attend the traditional verbena.
Food
Traditional cuisine in Júzcar centres on such dishes as migas
(made from fried bread crumbs), sopa cocida (a hot vegetable soup), sopa de
la olla (a kind of stew), sopeao de collejas (a dish made from campion) and
saltavallao (a hot soup). As for confectionery, there are borrachuelos (a
kind of sponge cake), chestnut dishes, roscos de vino, (a kind of spiral pastry,
made with wine) and guitarrones con miel (a pastry with syrup). In these parts,
the homemade liquor called mistela or delicious cherries in brandy are to
be recommended.
How to get there:
Whether you leave from the Costa del Sol or from Ronda
you must take the A-376 road. In the former case, get onto this road from
the AP-7 or N-340 expressway at San Pedro de Alcántara. About ten kilometres
before getting to Ronda turn to the left onto the
MA-525, and you will arrive at Juzcar after passing through Cartajima.
If you leave from Ronda, take the aforementioned
A-376 and likewise the MA-525, which passes through Cartajima
and Juzcar.
Tourist information:
Town Hall, Calle José Antonio, 1 (29462). Telephone: 952 183
500; Fax: 952 183 644.
Error! The codelock file is missing...