By Dee McMath
The Altiplano region of Baza is one of the
unspoiled jewels of Andalusia.
Situated in the north of the Granada Province,
is the town of Baza, the capital of the overall area of the same
name. The other, smaller villages in the Baza area are:
Benamaurel, Caniles, Cortes de Baza,
Cuevas del Campo, Cúllar,
Freila, and Zújar.
Baza town sits at an altitude of 844 metres about
sea level and has a population of around 21,600; accounting for
almost 50% of the overall 45,000 population of the entire region
of Baza. One of the most appreciated aspects of this magical main
town of Baza is the towering mountain at just 12 kilometres away,
which dominates the landscape like a protective watchtower. This
natural backdrop of the surrounding mountains of the Sierra
de Baza and the Sierra de Castril is simply breathtaking.
When taking it all in, it is hard to believe that you are a mere
107 kilometres from Granada City and not more than an hour’s
drive from the busy coast.
By car take the A92 north bound Granada –
Murcia Autovía (motorway). There are three turn offs
for Baza: the first (at kilometre 333) marked Zújar and Pozo
Alcón, the second for the centre of Baza (marked Centro)
and the third for Baza East (Baza Este) which takes you by
the regional hospital.
There are train and bus services to Baza and it
is best to check routes and timetables beforehand. Guadix is the
nearest train station, at 48 kilometres away. There are various
bus companies, offering many travel options to Baza from many main
towns. In particular, there are regular bus services between Granada
and Baza. Bus and coach travel
in Andalusia is a comfortable and affordable way to see beautiful
countryside.
As well as having a most wonderful surrounding
natural environment rarely found in Europe today, Baza is
also a historian’s paradise, having many archaeological remains,
such as the Iberian-Roman remains of the city of Basti with two
necropolises, in one of which is the famous Dama de Baza. There
are also a surprising number of interesting buildings of great historic
importance, such as the Arabic Baths (Baños
Arabes).
Natural environment
The contrasting landscapes are emblematic of this
area: from the Sierras (Mountain areas) officially declared
Natural Parks in 1989, to the arid ‘Bad lands’ of the
plateau that forms the Altiplan
and then across the vast fertile valley in all its verdant glory.
With this simple natural environment comes a peculiarly interesting
heritage of cave
houses, inhabited since time immemorial and now becoming a much
sought after retreat for the rural tourist. The people of Baza,
still live by and celebrate many ancient customs and traditions
mainly linked to religion, farming and agriculture.
The Population
At the beginning of the 16th century the town of Baza had at given times a population of anything between 6,000 and 10,000. By the start of the 20 th century that number had risen to almost 13,000. Many of those who are born in Baza, ultimately leave to live in other regions around Spain, especially Catalonia and the eastern Spanish regions of Valencia and Murcia. During the 1950’s – 1970’s there was a mass exodus of people who left the farming lifestyle to become part of the new and prosperous coastal community, where tourism meant better jobs and a completely different way of life. The main town of Baza is once again lively and bustling, while villages are quieter and much more sparsely populated.
The Climate
The winter temperatures average out at just below
10ºC over a five to six month period. It is normally dry and
cold, with intermittent bouts of snow and ice. The summers are dry
and warm with an average temperature of just above 25ºC, with
higher temperatures during the hottest month of August. Although
it tends to be generally dry, there is usually some rainfall in
the spring and autumn. There are often summer storms towards the
end of August and beginning of September. The whole area of Baza
can be intensely hot and extremely arid in the summer months.
History
In June of 2003, Baza was officially declared to
be of national historic interest. The Muslim Medina and ancient
fortress, Alcazaba, still
exist in Baza and in the surrounding old quarter there are evocative
place names, such as ‘Algedid’ (the San Juan quarter),
‘Al Rabal al –Hedar’ and ‘Marzuela’
where the Arab Baths
are. It is a sheer pleasure to walk through these ancient narrow
streets and historic fortifications, as it is to visit the many
interesting monuments and buildings. As well as civil
and military architecture, there
are also numerous churches, most
of which were built during the 16 th Century after the War of Granada
and the Christians clearly wanted to leave their mark after the
ousting of the Moors.
The Municipal Museum of Baza
El Museo Municipal de Baza
Founded by Baza Town Hall in 1988 and open to the public as it is today since 1998, has some incredible exhibits of archaeological interest. It is part of the Andalusian Museum Network and comes under wing of the Andalusian Region Government. There are four sections in the museum dedicated to permanent exhibits, covering; Iberia, Medieval, Roman and Prehistoric eras.
There is a fifth room, which is reserved for other
cultural exhibitions and activities .The ground floor also houses
the Baza Tourist Office: Tel/Fax: 958 861 325
Museo Municipal de Baza
Plaza Mayor No. 1
Opening Hours: Daily:
Winter 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to18:30
Summer 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00
La Dama de Baza
This amazing historic sculpture was excavated the
Iberian necropolis of Cerro del Santuario (Sanctuary
Hill), linked to the ancient Iberian city of Basti, close to the
town of Baza. This sculpture, thought to date from around 400 BC
is not only of enormous historical interest, but is also aesthetically
and culturally popular for its beauty and detail. It was found in
the tomb of what is supposed to have been a goddess of the time.
Fiestas in Baza
The February Carnival celebrations in Baza are becoming more extravagant each year, with the imagination of the villagers producing more interesting outfits to wear at the many organized parties.
Easter Holy Week is a religious tradition taken very seriously by the people of Baza. The Processions, where the religious images are carried through the streets of the town, are the result of a whole year’s preparations, involving the different church brotherhoods in the area.
There are many local celebrations throughout the
year in Baza. One that is particularly popular is the Feria
(Town Fair) which lasts from the 6 th to the 15 th September. It
opens with the fiesta of ‘Cascamorros’
, which entails a dressed up character coming from the nearby town
of Gaudix with the intention of taking away the Virgen de la Piedad
– a lively playacting of a long term, 500 year-ld dispute
between the two municipalities. The people of Baza (the bastentanos)
fight back by throwing paint at their adversaries, making this a
particularly colourful fiesta!
Gastronomy in Baza
Solid home cooking is the underlying theme of dishes you will come across in Baza. The colder winter climate calls for stews made with fresh vegetables, game and other meats. Try the ‘Gachas Tortas’, which is a hot past dish containing rabbit, onions, garlic, peppers, potatoes, white wine and olive oil.
If you see ‘Gurupina’ on a menu, you will be able to sample a wonderful local dish including ingredients such as fish (cod), potatoes, onions, wild mushrooms and flour.
‘Testuz’ is another warming dish based on broad beans, white beans, black pudding, pig’s ear, potatoes and garlic. This is not a dish for someone on a low cholesterol diet, as extra fat is added to give full flavour!
Due to the continental climate of the area, the local cold meats and hams are of extremely high quality. Capers also feature in many of the recipes from salads to sauces, since these grow wild in the surrounding countryside.
The Baza region also has a particularly good reputation for its sweets and deserts.
For further information on the town and region of Baza, contact the Tourist Office:
Museo Municipal de Baza
Plaza Mayor No. 1
Tel/Fax: 958 861 325
Or the Town Hall :
Ayuntamiento de Baza
Arco de la Magdelena
Tel: 958 700 691
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