Tahal

Tahal – Sierra de los Filabres

Tahal is a beautiful village to be found on the eastern side of the Sierra de los Filabres, next to a ravine among groves of almond trees and oaks, on a hillside facing east.
The village has bright white houses, built on steep terraced streets, following the lines of the hillside. Truly a beautiful parish, it also houses the historic tower of the castle of los Enríquez.

According to Father Tapia, in the many old chronicles of the conquest of Almeria by the Catholic Monarchs, the village was known by several distinct and different names; Atahaluc, Atahelid, Atahalbe, Atahalid and Tajal. The chronicles also say that the title of “Tahal Estate” tempted ecclestical visitors to discover the beautiful valley church belonging to los Enriquez.

Filabres is a very suitable area for cattle which have been brought to the Argar area (near the sea), their traces have survived from the Neolithic era demonstrating this, and in nearby areas historical and archaeological remains have been found, also in the caves of La Mora (Uleila), (Lubrin), Cerro de Monteagudo (Benizalón) and The Zájara caves, among others.
There are eight seperate areas recorded in the municipality: Pena de los Chaparrales, Peña de Don Diego, Cerro del Morteroro , Piedra de la Herradura, La Solanilla, las cazoletas,Piedra de los Mozos, and Piedra de los Llaves.

In all of these areas significant archaeological remains have been found, drawings of stick figures, segments of stone circles, singly and grouped, from prehistoric to medieval times. The “Cerro del Mojon” is one of the most significant Bronze Age archaeological sites to be discovered.

After the Catholic conquest, Kings dominion was granted in many of the municipalities of the province to the local landowners who had helped the King by providing troops and money during the conquest. Enrique Enriquez, great grandson of Don Alfonso Enriquez, Admiral of Castile, was granted 11 districts of Filabres, including Tahal and Benitorafe.
Between 1502 and 1568 the village population near Tahal was mostly Moorish, with only half a dozen old Christians living in the capital; of 3,000 Moors who had lived here, more than half died in fighting, hunger and disease.

Enrique Enriquez informed the Population Council in April 1572 that he was the chairman of the Chancery. As the area had become depopulated, in 1576 a repopulation process was begun with 45 families, farms were staked and cleared for planting and the distribution of homes and property of the Moors, under the direction of Judge Philip Alais, was carried out.

In 1843, the district of Benitorafe was separated from Tahal, the County leaders ordered Don Joaquin Maria Rubio, a resident of Tahal, to report and choose members for the new city hall, but the separation was short lived, and Benitorafe soon returned to Tajal.
In 1872, in the county council, the representative of Tahal was Don Placido Bonilla. In more recent times unemployed workers and the improving of roads and highways were the most pressing problems. The  mayors of Tahal, Alcudia, Benizalón, Benitagla and Uleila, met and agreed to request assistance from provincial authorities for connecting roads between Tahal, Uleila of Alcudia and Benizalón.

Monuments

Parish Church of Santa Maria, sixteenth century.

Ermita del Santo Cristo del Consuelo. (convent)

Archaeological Sites

Neolithic engravings.
Rock of the chaparral, Peña de Don Diego, Mortar Hill, with representations of human figures.

Cairn Hill.
Bronze Age site.remains similar to those at Los Millares.

Tahal Castle

Town planning

Stately homes such as those of the Duke of Abrantes or the Duke of Segura.

Tahal Gastronomy

Migas. Almeria garlic soup. Colorao paprika or broth (a kind of zarzuela fish). Wheat stew. Cooked sausage.

Gurullos (country plate consisting essentially of bread crumbs soaked, drained and fried in lard with ingredients such as garlic, sausage and bacon, among others). Gurugaldo (bread).
Sweets:  Cream puffs. Pastries. Pies.

Directions

Exit Almería. Take Highway Granada. pass Huércal de Almería. Go straight on. Take the national road N-340 direction: Huércal de Almería – Almería – E-15 – N-340 – Nijar – Murcia. At the roundabout, take exit 1 Continue: A-92A in the direction: A-92 – Benahadux – Guadix. pass Benahadux. At the roundabout, take exit 3 Continue along: A-92 heading to Guadix – Granada. Take the exit towards: Exit 376 – N-340a – Tabernas – Sorbas. At the roundabout, take exit 2 Continue: N-340A direction: Sorbas – Tabernas. Pass near Tabernas. At the roundabout, take exit 3 Continue along: A-349 and follow signs to Tahal.

Distances from Tahal

Olula 23km
Gérgal 50km
Almería 59km
Cantoria 33km
Purchena 29km
Tabernas 29km
Albánchez 22km
Lucainena de las Torres 41 km