History of Dúrcal
According to archaeological remains found, human settlement in Dúrcal dates back to 4000 or 4500 BC. These remains include a Neolithic clay and mud vase with incised decoration, some polished stone axes and a flint knife. Although the town originated in the Moorish era, remains of a Roman settlement have also been found. The location of Dúrcal on the route from Granada to the coast, as well as its fertile lands, attracted the Moors. The town's name comes from the Arabic word “Quasb”, which refers to sugar cane cultivation, although the area is now known for its lemon orchards and cherry trees. It was also called Dur-al-iqlim, which translates as 'pearl of the iqlim or region'. This has earned it its current nickname: the Pearl of the Valley.
Following the Reconquista, the Moriscos were expelled from the Alpujarras and Dúrcal became a staging post for many families heading to North Africa to escape Christian persecution.
During the nineteenth century, Dúrcal was the most important town in the Lecrín Valley area. It was the changeover station between the tram that linked Dúrcal with Granada city, and the overhead cable railway for goods that connected Dúrcal with the port of Motril. Construction of the project, which included the second longest cableway in Europe, began in the 1920s, and it was dismantled in the 1950s
On 29 March 1954, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred in this town. Although it was one of the largest earthquakes in Spain, it did not cause any damage as it occurred at a depth of 600 km.