Gérgal

Gérgal, Sierra de los Filabres Village

Gérgal is a beautiful town in Sierra de los Filabres, beside the road from Almería to Granada. The distribution of its steep streets along the hillside, their white houses with roof and chimney, the Mudejar Church dominating the whole, its urban structure, in short, retains the characteristic features of its Arabic origin. Dominating the town you can observe a beautiful Castle, nowadays it is a private residence.

In their municipal area is located the Astronomical Observatory of Calar Alto.
Gérgal, in some chronicles called Xérgal, was a fortress that ruled the crossroads that connected Fiñana with Tabernas and Almería with the western part of the Filabres. There were around 200 small and poor houses round the fortress made of earth and stones and also covered with slabs of slate, which make up the hills and mountains for many miles around.

Seven bread baking ovens, eight flour mills, three oil mills and a potter’s workshop of pitchers, bricks and tiles were the services and industry in the place, according to Tapia’s father informs us in his General History of Almería and the Province. Its landmark is twelve leagues around.

As landmarks are distinguished on the edge with Alboloduy, Almería, Tabernas, Olula de Castro, Bacares, Serón and Baza. It was poor and lonely land, inhabited in the past by hermits, Mozarabics and Muslims, as evidenced by graves of holy men who are used to designate parts of their boundaries, such as the burial of Cabrimesma or Cabalgaci, etc.

In the period between 1489-1522, the Catholic Monarchs were under the estate of Don Alonso de Cardenas, master of Santiago, the town of Xérgal and their land, near Almería, according to the files of Simancas, on June 24 1492. In 1572 the lordship of Gérgal is increased with Bacares, Velefique and Febeire under the Lordship of Don Alonso de Cárdenas y Portocarrero, Count de la Puebla.

In 1568, during the rebellion and war of the Moors, Gérgal, head of the lordship of Count de la Puebla, also won. As it happens the count had no soldiers of the fortress, only to Moorish Francisco Portocarrero as mayor and governor of the manor, so that the old Christian neighbours trusted them and they were betrayed.

The Portocarrero family, father and son, locked up the old Christians under false tricks in the castle and beheaded them. When Moors from La Alpujarra arrived, Gérgal was in the hands of their own Moors, but when they got news that the Marquis de los Vélez came in with 15,000 men to reduce the rebels, the Moors from La Alpujarra and Los Portocarreño with his followers left Gérgal. 

Monuments

Parish Church of Santa María, XVI century. Decoration of brick facade that has a bright and colourful arcade inside it.

Castle of Conde de la Puebla, at the end of the Middle Ages. It was recently renovated.

Archaeological Sites

Site El Sepulcro.

Cave shelters El Almendral.

Town Planning

Crammed built-up area in the hillside of the castle.
Aulado. Mountain town.

Gérgal Gastronomy

The use of natural resources is the main attraction of the kitchen. All dishes are seasoned with products of our environment and is used game meat whenever possible: gurullos with rabbit or hare, soups with chicken, wheat, fennel … etc are some of our dishes. During Lent are very traditional these dishes: chickpeas with cod and spinach. In winter, still maintains the typical slaughtering season like family party and provision of some reserves for the rest of the cold season.

Sausages. Garlic soup typical in Almeria. Paprika or colorao broth (a kind of fish casserole). Pot of wheat. Cocido en morcilla.

Gurullos (country dish consisting mainly of soaked bread crumbs, drained and fried in lard and garlic, sausage and bacon among others). Migas.

How to get there

You have to exit Almería towards Huércal de Almería, cross this and continue on Highway 340. Continue heading to Almeria – E-15 – N-340 – Nijar – Murcia. At the roundabout take the salida 1 and continue along: A-92A towards: A-92 – Benahadux – Guadix. Continue along: A-92A, follow signs until Benahadux. Alleyway of Benahadux. At roundabout, take salida 3 and continue along: A-92 towards: Guadix – Granada. Take the exit towards: Exit 362 – Gérgal Este – Olula de Castro – Bacares – Las Menas – Serón – A-339. Then you get Gérgal

Distances

Gádor 26 km
Almería 39 km
Tabernas 22 km
Albolodúy 20 km
Benahadux 28 km
Nacimiento 12 km
Las Alcubillas 9,5 km
Doña María Ocaña 19 km
Huérca de Almería 33 km