Chirivel

Chirivel

Sierra Maria-Los Velez Natural Park

Designated a natural park in 1987, the Sierra María-Los Vélez occupies the eastern end of the Cordillera Subbética in the north of Almeria province. It covers 22,670ha, a landscape of impressive contrasts, with its arid, moon-like plains overlooked by the Sierra's rocky summits, which are white with snow in winter, and the dry, barren south-facing slopes compared to its densely wooded north-facing ones.

Iglesia Parroquial de San Isidoro

The church was built at the end of the nineteenth century. An earlier plan by Ortiz de Villajos in 1865 was never executed. It has a structure of three naves and tower on the north side matching its bell tower on the other. Inside, there is a painting attributed to Luis Tristan, who was a student of El Greco.

Casa del Minero

The miner’s house is a modernist art deco house built in 1906 by a wealthy mine owner from Cartagena. The facade has several balconies and decorative elements, and its interior splendor is concentrated on the walls, ceilings, doors and wrought iron staircase. Located in Plaza del Pueblo.

Horno Árabe

A bread-baking oven is traditionally known as a ‘tahona’ in Spanish. The tahona in Chirivel is one of the oldest buildings in the town, with its construction predating that of the church. These ovens were always communal, and locals would bring their bread dough to be baked at a price.

Iglesia de San Antonio

This church was erected in 1900 in a popular historicist style dating from the late nineteenth century. It was built on a the site of a previous hermitage from the early 700s. Its size and white exterior are perfectly integrated into the architecture of El Contador.

Museo del Esparto

The first museum dedicated to esparto grass, the weaving material that has been used since prehistoric times in the creation of containers, footwear, rope, etc. Located in El Contador.

Festivals in Chirivel

Festivals in Chirivel: Cabalgata Reyes Magos, Fiesta de San Antón, Semana Santa, Fiestas de San Antonio de Pádua, Feria de Verano and Misas de Gozo.

History of Chirivel

The town’s origin comes from a set of farmhouses in the Los Vélez manor. It obtained its municipal independence from Vélez Rubio in 1895. There is not much agreement on the meaning of its name. According to the Arabists, its name means “kiss of Allah”, whilst more recent research has associated its toponym with an Arab verb meaning “to drink”, or “drink from the highest source”.

Sabina Albar Natural Monument

Near Chirivel in the Sierra María-Los Vélez Natural Park is an example of a species of juniper, juniper thunifera, or sabina albar in Spanish. It has an impressive age, estimated to be between 600 and 1,000 years old. It is the oldest and largest one of its kind in Almeria province.

Chirivel

Chirivel is the fourth town of the comarca of Los Vélez in the north of the Almeria province, south of the Sierra de María. It is worth a visit in April to see the almond trees blossoming. It has about 1470 inhabitants. The town has several outlying hamlets including El Contador, Aspilla, El Cantal and Rambla del Jali.

B&B Cortijo El Ciruelo

B&B Cortijo El Ciruelo in Chirivel provides adults-only accommodation with an open-air bath, a bar and a shared lounge. This bed and breakfast has a private pool, a garden and free private parking. Guests can make use of the sun terrace or the picnic area, or enjoy views of the mountain and garden.