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del Trabuco Spain.
The
territory of Villanueva del Trabuco covers the easternmost part of the Antequera
region and thus adjoins the province of Granada
and the La Axarquía region. It sits at the foot of the Gorda and San
Jorge mountain ranges, where its highest elevations are found. Its terrain,
apart from the aforementioned mountains, is characterised by gentle relief
and is mainly covered by olive groves and grain fields. For more information
about property for sale in Spain
in or near Villanueva del Trabuco please contact us.
Streams come down from the mountains to form the River Guadalhorce. This river is generally considered to begin, if one must assign a precise point, at the Fuente de los Caños (Fountain of the Spouts). A number of streams are fed by the many springs at the foot of the mountains, and they are rarely without water even at the height of summer. This municipality’s subsoil is rich in water, whose effects can be observed in the abundance of chopos (black poplars) and other poplars and ash trees that generally grow near watercourses.
Just as in the neighbouring municipality of Villanueva del Rosario, there were human settlements here from since the Prehistoric period, and this area was later populated more or less massively during the Roman and Visigothic eras. The known history of this place halts at the latter era and there is no evidence of new settlements until the eighteenth century when they were motivated by the interest of Carlos III in repopulating these lands, which are very suitable for certain crops but which in those times were practically virgin soil.
Due to the lack of human presence in this territory for so many centuries it became overrun with predators and the residents of the nearest locality, Archidona, were therefore reluctant to work in it. There was the added problem that the inhabited areas were quite distant from these lands whose agricultural potential had not been demonstrated. The ministers Campomanes and Olaride reported the situation in this place to Carlos III and the king decided to use foreign colonists to carry out the settlement since the natives refused to work in this area. Thus, some 6,000 Flemish and German colonists-Catholics, of course-arrived in Andalusia to establish permanent residence in, among other places, those in the province of Málaga that now bear the name of Villanueva.It should be noted, however, that a document from 1620 that is kept in the Municipal Archives of Archidona takes note of a place called Trabuco, a grazing area of about 300 “fanegas” (an ancient measure of land). Villanueva del Trabuco would become separate from Archidona in 1808.
Fiestas
As do many other villages in the province of Malaga,
Villanueva del Trabuco celebrates the La Candelaria festivities on 1 February.
The popular “sanmarqueo” (San Marcos day celebration) takes place
on 25 March. Large groups of people-villagers, friends and relatives-prepare
an enjoyable picnic. Two of this village’s main fiestas occur in June:
the Feria de Junio (June fair, from 8 to 10 of that month) and the Fiestas
de San Antonio, on 12 and 13 June. In practice they make up one fiesta with
two names, interrupted by a break of one day, as the purpose of each is to
have fun come what may.
The livestock fair is a tradition of very long standing in this village-since 1853-and it is now held from 24 to 26 August. This August Fair is considered the most important of its kind in the entire province due to its traditions and characteristics. The year’s last big celebration is the fiesta in honour of the Virgen de los Dolores (15 and 16 September), the local patron saint. As well as for the entertainment activities inherent in all popular fiestas, these two days are noteworthy for the procession of the patron saint. Unlike the way it is done during the Semana Santa (Holy Week), the saint is carried through the village streets without a canopy. Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Villanueva del Trabuco began to take shape about the middle of the last century with the foundation of two brotherhoods. Years later they would combine into one and later still would revise their bylaws and even change the manner of carrying the thrones, from holding them aloft with forked sticks to using fixed supports. The images of the Cristo de la Expiración (Christ of the Expiration) and the Virgen de los Dolores are carried in a procession on Holy Thursday, and on the next day, Good Friday, the Virgen de los Dolores is again carried, this time accompanied by the Santo Cristo Yacente (Holy Recumbent Christ). The most anticipated moment of these parades is the meeting between the images of Christ and the Virgin on Holy Thursday.
Food
The local gastronomy follows the pattern of other villages in the
Antequera region, but with its own unique contributions.
The most traditional dishes are gazpacho (a cold soup), gazpachuelo (a kind
of fish soup), guisillo de San José and olla (kinds of stew) and porra
fría (a cold soup). Pork products such as chorizo (spicy sausage),
morcilla (blood pudding), chicharrones (cracklings) and jamón (ham)
are also very esteemed here for their quality. As for confectionery products,
everyone absolutely must try pestiños (a pastry made from flour and
eggs and fried in olive oil), borrachuelos (a kind of sponge cake), roscos
de vino (a kind of spiral pastry made with wine) and bollos de aceite (a kind
of muffin made with olive oil).
How to get there:
The route starts from the city of Malaga,
which can be reached from any point on the Costa del Sol by way of the Mediterranean
Expressway (A-7; N-340). In Malaga, take the A-45
(N-331) expressway towards Antequera - Granada,
and when you get to Puerto de las Pedrizas take the right lane towards Granada
-the left lane at this point leads to Antequera
- and get onto the A-359. The sign for the first turning for Villanueva
del Rosario-Villanueva del Trabuco will appear after about three kilometres.
There is another turning for these two villages four kilometres past the first
one. If you continue on the A-359 towards Granada,
there will be two more very well marked access routes for Villanueva del Trabuco
before you get to Estación de Salinas. The first of these is by the
A-6202 and the second is by the A-6119.
Tourist information:
Town Hall, Plaza del Prado, 1 (29313). Telephone: 952 751 021; Fax:
952 751 969.
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