Víznar

Víznar, Sierra de Huétor Natural Park

The municipality of Víznar is only a few kilometers from the city of Alhambra, the village itself just 7 km, and is part of Natural Park Sierra de Huétor, a mid-mountain area where can be found large numbers of oaks and gall plants. Its architectural heritage includes the palace of “Cuzco”, a castle-palace built in 1800, where Frederico Garcia Lorca was imprisoned until he was killed in one of the ravines near the town.

The village of Víznar grew up as a result of the taking of water from the Fuente de Aynadamar to Albacin, near Granada, known as far back as the Zirí Dynasty (1013-1090). The growth of the populous Granada was restricted by its structural aspect and insufficient water supply, which led to the taking of water from the Fuente.  Undoubtedly, this fact held back the development of the area and the village. The flow of water in the area, and the irrigation system resulted in the same ownership of 16 lots, the same system still being in place today.

It must be remembered that the healthy climate has helped the area to become a summer resort for many “granadinos” and especially for the Archbishops of Granada. This fact has been referred to by Jorquera Enriquez in his “Annals of Granada”:

“In an eminent hill, between fresh trees at the foot of the Sierra de la Alfaguara, enjoying a view of the Vega of Granada, is the place Víznar, a league and a half from the northern part of Granada, a delightful and enjoyable area, and passing through the middle of this land is the famous aqueduct, leading the water to Granada.

There is an abundance of wine and good silk. There are more than a hundred residents in a parish adjacent to Alfacar which is nearby:
There is the house of recreation to which the Archbishops of Granada often adjourn for some days in summer.
It is governed by the Mayor and regulated by the aldermen of the guilds.

Founded by the Moors, it was conquered by the Catholic rulers Ferdinand and Isabel”
During the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada, presumably along with Alfacar, Viznar surrendered in 1491. Life was normal until the uprising of the Moors in 1569, together with the villages of Alfacar and Albayzín, Viznar sided with the rebellion in the Alpujarras led by Aben Humeya. This led, with the defeat of the Moors, to the expulsion of its inhabitants and the subsequent repopulation. This data is recorded in the Apeo of 1572.

In 1795 D. Juan Manuel de Moscoso y Peralta built the Archbishop’s Palace in the town.
In 1867 D. Blas Caballero Gómez was born in Viznar, he was a celebrated poet, who, in 1901, won the First Prize of the Poetry Contest organized by the Sociedad de Amigos del Pais, on the occasion of the feast of Corpus Christi with his “Ode to the Blessed Sacrament.” He died in 1911.

In 1936, August 19th, the poet Federico Garcia Lorca was killed between Víznar and Alfacar. After being driven from Granada and passing the Archbishop’s Palace of Víznar, they were captured by the Primera Bandera Falange, under the command of Captain Nestares, and taken to La Colonia, where they were taken by fusiliers to the Viznar ravine, in a place known as “Los Pozos”, where Lorca was killed, in the Camino de la Fuenta, together with a teacher and two others.

Monuments

Parish Church (XVI century altarpiece by Pedro Machuca was burned by the Moors).
Cuzco Palace

Víznar Gastronomy

Bakery Specialties: Calda cakes, butter cakes, chocolate cakes, fried “angel hair”, saladillas, oil bread, rusks S. Lazarus …
Dishes of yore:       (old recipes)
El Poleo: a kind of stew with breadcrumbs and sausage meat.
Typical dishes: Cod with arrecucu, Anton St. Anton’s stew, fennel with rice, legs of lamb, hot porridge, winter salad, soup miller …  and many more.
Pastry:
The volailles or “old-barriguicas, specialty bakery and sweets.

Directions

Out of Granada on the GR-NE-53 and continue until Víznar.

Distances from Víznar

Dudar 25 km
Granada 7 km
Alfacar 2.5 km
Peligros 12 km
Fuente Grande 2.5 km
Beas de Granada 10 km