The Dúrcal baths have been renowned for their beneficial properties since ancient times. This group of springs comprises two very different sources: the large Vacamía bath and the small Urquizar bath. According to legend, when the Moors who inhabited these lands found themselves besieged by Christian troops in one of their ongoing struggles, they decided to hide their treasures, including a life-size gold cow with diamond-set eyes and ivory horns.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Granada was experiencing growth, making it necessary to establish new communication routes. Bridle paths had to be replaced with roads that could accommodate carriages. It was decided that the section of the royal road through the Alpujarra, passing through Dúrcal, Talará, Béznar and Izbor, should be used to reach Motril. However, the royal road to Motril passed through Restábal and Pinos del Rey.
The remains of this former power station can be seen on the right bank of the Dúrcal River, along the Nico Molina hiking route. It was built by the Tuset family in 1902 and inaugurated in 1908. Several other privately owned power stations existed at that time. The nearby Molino de Juana also operated as an electrical power station until it was converted into a school farm. Both stations used water channeling systems to power their turbines via waterfalls. The building consisted of two distinct sections: the first, where electricity was generated and the turbines were located (these have now disappeared), and the second, which housed the workers.
Throughout history, washing clothes has been one of the most common tasks carried out by women. Until running water became widely available in homes, this task was carried out on the banks of rivers, in irrigation ditches, water troughs or courtyards. From the eighteenth century onwards, washhouses became places where women worked and socialised.
Jerónimo Terrón, also known as 'El Cítora', was an emigrant from Dúrcal who returned from America and purchased land around the Fábrica de Orujo, on which he constructed a substantial residence.
The Granada Electric Tramway Company (TEGSA) wanted to establish an extensive communications network in the province of Granada, particularly linking Granada with the coast. The company decided to extend its line from Alhendín to Dúrcal.
The bridge was formerly located in the town of Gor and was built at the beginning of the 20th century to carry the railway line between Guadix and Baza. Following a series of failures, a smaller bridge was built and the original bridge fell into disuse. TEGSA, the company building the tram line from Granada to Dúrcal, decided to purchase the superstructure of the bridge.
Built in the late 18th century on the outskirts of town along the Camino Real (now Calle Albayzín), the chapel sat on the route from Granada to the Alpujarra region. During the reign of Queen Isabel II in the mid-19th century, a new carriage road (Avenida del Sur GR-9067) was constructed behind the chapel.
The church was built by Juan Fernández in 1546 and has undergone many transformations throughout its history. Only the framework of the central nave remains of the original construction, featuring simple lintels and ten paired braces with a bow of eight on corbels in an inverted Mannerist design in the Mudejar style. The church now has three naves, separated by semicircular arches on pillars, as well as a transept, a main chapel, and a tower at the entrance.
Although evidence of its origin only dates back to medieval times, the oldest bridge in Dúrcal is popularly known as the Roman bridge. The bridge is located close to the Camino Real (Royal Road) (GR-9067), which led up to the area of Las Fuentes, where the remains of a Roman villa have been found.
This small, thatched, stone hut museum,. The museum's collection of tools and utensils, which were used by farmers throughout the centuries, was donated by local farmers and residents.
The Márgena fort, dating back to the Nasrid period, is located in the fertile orchards of the Márgena or Mahina plain. This area is irrigated by a Muslim irrigation canal of the same name. Since the sixteenth century, the name of the Márgena neighbourhood has appeared in various chronicles, such as the Books of Survey and Distribution by Madoz, and the sketch of the Marquis of La Ensenada’s land registry.
The Márgena fort, dating back to the Nasrid period, is located in the fertile orchards of the Márgena or Mahina plain. This area is irrigated by a Muslim irrigation canal of the same name. Since the sixteenth century, the name of the Márgena neighbourhood has appeared in various chronicles, such as the Books of Survey and Distribution by Madoz, and the sketch of the Marquis of La Ensenada’s land registry.
It is one of only three oil factories built at the beginning of the last century that are still standing in a satisfactory state of preservation today. The factory was owned by Pepe Martín and Ignacio Ferrer. The chimney stands as a symbol of the past.
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 village of Dúrcal is situated in the valley of the Dúrcal River, on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, in the fertile Lecrín Valley. Throughout the Moorish period, the land in and around Dúrcal was used for growing sugar, as well as oranges and lemons, and these orchards still remain to this day. The largest cable car railway in Europe was once located here, but it was dismantled at the end of the 1950s. The Puente de Lata iron bridge remains. It was built by a disciple of Gustave Eiffel. The town has a population of around 7,000.