Quéntar

Quentar, Sierra Nevada

Quentar is a town situated in the central part of the Vega of Granada, about 5 km from the city of Granada, close to the southeastern section. It borders the municipalities of Dúdar, Beas de Granada, Huétor Santillán, Diezma, La Peza y Güéjar Sierra.. The town sits on the banks of the river Monachil, lying close to the capital, Granada, in the foothills of Sierra Nevada, most economic activity is centred around hotels with excellent steakhouses, agriculture, primarily wine production, and livestock. The town serves as a second residence to many of the inhabitants of the provincial capital or as a dormitory town because of its proximity and accessibility thanks to the Ronda Sur de Granada.

Archaeological vestiges of Iberian-Roman time that seem to document a previous settlement to the Muslim presence in Quéntar have been found. The first historical news of the town do not arrive until the XIII century, already in the middle of the Nasrid period, when among the 28 districts (isqlim) that formed the Cora de Elvira appears mentioned the Isqlim of the Dur. This name is identified with an old town of equal denomination, today disappeared. It also included the farmhouse of Quéntar called, according to Seco de Lucena, as Qariat Quentar and divided in three settlements. The name that it received has not been deciphered yet by the experts.

Due to its proximity to the capital, the luck of the town ran even with the one of the capital, falling in  the Catholic Kings hands at the end of the XV century and living a century later the rebellion of the Moorish against Felipe II. In this place, the revolt was confronted by Don Juan of Austria in 1569. In commemoration of these events it is celebrated in this and other towns of the surroundings the known battle between Moors and Christians. Since this moment the repopulation of these land was carried out and it follow a similar evolution to the one of the rest of the province.

Quéntar Monuments

Parish Church of St. Mary of the Incarnation
Carmen de San Rafael
Barrios de los Corteses and los Penones and la Cuestecilla de los Pozuelos, with Moorish architecture and urban design based on intricate streets and whitewashed houses with courtyards.

Quéntar Gastronomy

The gastronomy of Quéntar is an example of the products that are cultivated in its land, like the almonds, olives and cherries. Their sausages and inlays are also known in the place and very present in the rich dishes that the people elaborate. About the meats, recipes with products from the slaughter are prepared, that often are accompanied by the dry fruits of the region. One of most showy is the pork with chestnuts and plums.

Distances from Quéntar

Dudar 12 km
Tocon 32 km
La Peza 40 km
Granada 4.5 km
Pinos Genil 9.5 km
Güéjar Sierra 17 km
Beas de Granada 22 km
Huétor Santillán 19 km
Cenes de la Vega 5.5 km
Lancha del Genil A 9.5 km