Vícar

Vícar – Dalías Region

Vicar is in the southwest province of Almería, 22 km from the capital within the Region of Dalías, also known as Poniente. Vicar currently has17,350 inhabitants.

The high part of the town is in the southern foothills of the Sierra de Gador . The rest of the municipality runs down to the sea via the plain between the towns of Roquetas de Mar and La Mojonera .At the northern limit lies Enix and to the northwest, Felix, Dalias and El Ejido, Roquetas lies to the southeast, the triangular point of the municipality is flanked by the borders of Roquetas and the Mojonera, to the east and west respectively.

Vicar, like other towns of Poniente, Adra, El Ejido or Dalías, was once a Roman settlement, but also had some Arab settlers, who came to the coast of Almeria to develop their civilization along the peninsula. Around these settlements in the Poniente region many remains of early living have been discovered, many of which are in major and important archaeological sites.

Vicar is first mentioned as a municipality on December 8th 1505 when the Catholic Kings gave the site to Almeria on a Royal Warrant sworn in Ecija (Seville ). Along with Vícar, Enix and Felix were given to Almeria “by inheritance forever.” Enix, Felix, Los Marchal de Antón López, Miralles and Roquetas form the Felix Taha.

This demarcation took place on September 18, 1573 by the Martin Sorais mandate. The rebellion of the Moors in the Alpujarras, a region bordering Vicar and the entire West, was particularly virulent in the area of Vicar, especially in the vicinity of the Castle and the Hill of Matanzas in Felix. The suppression of this revolt was carried out by the Marquis of Vélez, who performed this work in the whole province.

Church

After the suppression of the revolt and subsequent expulsion of the Moors repopulation commenced according to the rules given by King Philip II, to be found in the “Libro de Apeos de Felix”.

The Comision de Apeos, appointed on February 17, 1573, gave a home and property in Vicar to certain residents, and others of the Taha. The appraisal of Francisco de Siles declared the total of the houses at the time to be 3,000.

The Mystery of a Name

The name of Vicar-Bicar is an enigma and was transcribed from the early days of the Spanish conquest.

It is said that the Arabs called Vicar -Bacca ‘abqar’ (read Bacar) referring to the land they had left where there were many genies (jinn) and often called something especially beautiful by that name. Other paths lead us to more prosaic meanings: Bakir, (plural Bikar) Granada meaning “summer” or “summer thing”, even “early” in an allegorical sense, or Bakira Bakara would be “a halt (stop-over) in a village”.Another possible meaning comes from the low Latin, boyal meaning pasture or pen, where cattle grazed as the “Bacaro” of the county and the Alpujarreña people who have the same name in the Sierra de Filabres.
Two of these names may serve as the most likely source of the population, probably the third, which refers to the mild climate, and the fifth, which could be associated with its use.

Monuments

Parish church.

Archaeological Sites

Carcauz Aqueduct.

Remains of the fortress-Andalus.
Adjoining the church is the belfry.

Town planning

Mountain town.

Plaza de la Cañada de San Sebastián.

Vícar Gastronomy

Arroz a banda(rice dish) Ajoblanco. Ajo colorao. Migas(breadcrumbs with garlic and bacon). Olla. Encebollao. Moraga de sardinas. Tarbinas. Pan de aceite( oil bread) Mostos jóvenes. These dishes are typical of the area and do not have a literal translation.

Directions

Exit Almería. Take I-15 / A-7. Pass near Aguadulce. Take the exit towards: Exit 424 – Vicar – N-340a – Puebla de Vicar. At the roundabout, take exit 1 Continue: ALP-109 heading to Vicar. Arrive in Vicar.

Distances from Vícar

Enix 13k
Felix 11 km
Almería 22km
Aguadulce 11km
El Marchal 19km
Roquetas de Mar 12 km