ALQUIFE
Historically, Alquife was a mining village that produced up to 40 per cent of the iron extracted in Spain. Although these mines closed at the beginning of the last century, they had been in operation since Roman times. The village has a population of around 760.
HISTORY
Mining of mineral resources in Alquife dates back to the Bronze Age, continuing into the Roman period when the minerals were traded in the Roman city of Acci. During the Middle Ages, mining operations centred around the castle, built in the 11th century. More>
THINGS TO SEE
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Anunciación
Following the Reconquest by the Catholic Monarchs, the Moorish Taifa of Granada became the Christian Kingdom of Granada. More>
Monumento al Minero
This bronze sculpture depicts a miner from Alquife pushing a wagon. More>
Castillo de Alquife
The Alquife Castle has a pentagonal layout, with its entire perimeter traceable within the walled enclosure. Seven towers and the remains of rammed earth walls on a masonry base are preserved on all five sides. More>
Ermita de San Antonio (hermenegildo)
The chapel is located at an altitude of around 1,250 metres and covers an area of approximately 30 square metres. More>
THINGS TO SEE OUTSIDE THE TOWN
Minas de Alquife
The Alquife mining site was an important source of iron ore in Europe. The earliest recorded evidence of mining dates back to the tenth and eleventh centuries, during the Umayyad and Taifa periods. During the Nasrid period, Alquife became Zenete's main iron-producing centre. At this time, the mines were located near the castle. Following the Christian conquest in 1485, Guadix remained a significant centre for iron and steel production, largely thanks to the minerals from Alquife. In modern times, the mines were undercapitalised and owned by the Marques de Zenete. A mining boom occurred in Zenete at the beginning of the 20th century when new techniques and modern mining machinery were introduced, enabling the rapid, large-scale extraction of iron, copper and silver.
HANDICRAFTS
Alquife does not produce much handicraft apart from the crochet work of the ladies of the village.
BUS SERVICE
There is a bus service from Alquife to Granada City.
GASTRONOMY
Alquife traditional dishes reflect the area making use of fresh, locally sourced ingredients. One of the highlights is the homemade bread. The signature dish is choto al ajillo, or baby goat with garlic. This dish is cooked in large quantities during festivals. However, this is not the only dishyou can enjoy in Alquife. Other options include salmorejo (a cold tomato soup similar to gazpacho), arroz caldoso con conejo (rice and rabbit), migas (a tasty dish originally created to make use of leftover bread) and sopa de pimentón (bell pepper soup). For dessert, try cortijillos, a type of pastry filled with angel hair or almonds, or buñuelos, dumplings.
FESTIVALS
Popular festivals in Alquife are Fiestas de San Hermenegildo, Festividad de Santa Bárbara, Fiestas de San Antonio de Padua and Fiestas de Nuestra Señora de Begoña.
WEATHER FOARECAST
The weather forecast for the next few days for Alquife.
TOURIST OFFICE
The tourist office of Alquife is located in the Town Hall.
NEARBY PLACES
The neighbouring villages to Alquife are La Calahorra and Jérez del Marquesado
LOCATION
Alquife is located at about 80 kilometers from Granada. From Granada, we take the A-44 road towards Jaen and we take the 118 turnoff towards Murcia. Once on the A-92, we take the 312 turnoff towards La Calahorra. We stay on Avenida del Marquesado and continue down GR-SE-18, which will take us to our destination
