A Brief History Of Nerja History Essay

A Brief storey Of Nerja History EssayNerja is one of the popular tourist destinations on the costa del soh. Bordering the province of Granada, it is easterly- to the highest degree township in the Axarqua and is situated right at the foot of the Sierra de Almijara mountain range. This stretch of coastline is characterized by centre cliffs and some of Andalucias best beaches.History of NerjaPrehistoric History The Nerja caves be actually situated five kilometers from the town in the nearby village of Maro. Discovered as recently as 1959 they ache give upd a riches of historical information. The caves were lived in during the Paleolithic time. Initially the caves were inhabitated by seasonal hunter-gathers, however towards the beginnings of the Bronze Age, about 6000 twenty-four hourss ago, the settlement became more permanent with evidence of res publica and animal rearing. The farming gradually became more cultivate with the employ of tools and simple pottery. The cave s appear to have been abandoned some 3,000 years ago.Roman period DetundaThe Romans had a settlement called Detunda more or less 1KM from the Nerja caves. Detunda appears to have been a relatively small town and used mainly as a resting stick for s obsoleteiers and tradesmen moving between Malaga Almeria and Almeria and Jaen. The remains of a old Roman road, the Castulo-Malaca road, which linked the provinces of Jaen and Almeria are still clearly visible along with an old Roman bridge. Today one of Maros most celeb orderd landmarks.Moorish timesThe first written reference to Nerja came from the poet Said Al-Mugrabi, during the tenth hundred. The whole area was to a lower place the rule of Abderramn III, the Emir of Cordoba. Said Al-Mugradi referred to a small market town called Nerixa (meaning plentiful echo water) that was famed for its silk industry. Narixa silks were actually internationally renowned with documentary evidence pointing to their popularity in the markets of Damascus. This time period was characterised by its stability and wealth.The ruins of Narixa are still visible next to the old Frigiliana turnoff in a place called Castillo Alto. word Narixa which literally means abundant border of water. In the year 917, during the period when Spain was occupied by the Moors, the Arabian poet, Ibn Saadi, wrote Stretched on a carpet of magic colours, while sleep closed my eyes, Narixa, my Narixa, sprang from the flowers to bathe me in all her beauty.Christian timesAs the Moorish began to crumble during the latter part of the 15C, things took a outstanding turn for the inhabitants of Narixa/Nerja. In 1487, with the surr closureer of Velez to the Catholic monarchs, Nerja quickly sent envoys to render allegiance to the Spanish office and Queen. A few days after Pedro de Cordoba took possession of the town. The initial transition period was anything but smooth. The inhabitants of Nerja were coerce to renounce their Muslim faith or be expelled. At t he same time, there were increased Berber coastal raids from North Africa. Making living in the Coastal towns particularly dangerous. This period was characterised by a plenty exodus of the local anesthetic population. Many fled into the surrounding hills, around Frigiliana. The depopulation happened at such a fast rate that Juana la Loca ordered Nerja to be repopulated with long-time Christians from the Basque Country, Valencia, Galicia and Mlaga itself.During the late 17th Century the area was heavily fortified. These fortifications turn up sufficient to deter any major coastal raids until the beginnings of the 19th century. The British fleet undo most of these coastal fortifications during the Peninsula contends 1808-1814, to avoid them falling into the hands of the French. One such installation was the La Bateria, a heroic gun battery that existed in a fortified tower standing where the where the Balcon de Europe is today.On Christmas day 1884 the whole of Andaluca suffere d a massive earthquake, with the epicentre near Granada Arenas de Rey. Much of Nerja was destroyed. Several weeks later force Alfonso XII vi rated Nerja to view the destruction for himself. He is said to have declared this the Balcon de Europa while visiting the site of the La Bateria. Documentary evidence has since proved that this title predated his visit. However the name and the faggots association with it has stuck. Indeed, there is a life statue of the King on todays Balcon de Europa.Modern day NerjaWith the loss of Cuba from the Spanish Empire at the end of the 19th Century, the wampum industry began to take off in Spain. The Larios family from Malaga began to capitalise on the demand for borecole and its colligate products (distilled alcohol and molasses) and built a series of sugar mess abouts along the Eastern Costa del Sol.During the early 20th Century sugar do-nothinge production was Nerjas chief industry. However with the increased ontogenesis of sugar beet in Northern Europe, the industry began to decline. More priceless cash crops began to dominate the local market, with tropical fruits such as mango and papaya becoming more and more popular. The avocado was particularly in demand and the area is still one of the major avocado emergence regions in Europe.tourism was relatively late in coming to Nerja.sugar caneproduction has given way to more worth(predicate) cash crops, particularly semi-tropical fruits such asmangoandpapayaand widespreadavocadoplantations in what is one of the major avocado growing regions in Europe.the loss of Cuba from the Spanish Empire at the end of the 19th century helped to stimulate sugar production in Spain. There was still sufficient demand for sugar and the related products of molasses and distilled alcohol to encourage the Larios family from Mlaga to build new sugar lallygags and irrigation structures. Examples of these factories, in what is now called the eastern Costa del Sol, can be found inNerja, Maro,FrigilianaandTorrox.Read more at Suite101Sugar chew out Production and Sugar Mills in Andalucahttp//www.suite101.com/content/sugar-cane-production-and-sugar-mills-in-andalucia-a276295ixzz13XskeLrmDuring the early 20th Century sugar cane production was Nerjas chief industy.Sugar-cane production became popular for a while but this declined as the growing of sugarbeet increased in northern Europe. Avocado groves flourished, and still do, and the forced growing of salad foods chthonian glass, then plastic, provide a valuable contribution to the regional economy.in the age of Abderramn III (tenth century), in which he refers to this place as a city-sized farming community where fine silk products were produced. Ancient Narixa stood next to a fortress, whose ruins can still be seen in a place called Castillo Alto, next to the old Frigiliana turnoff.Occupation of Southern Spain by the MoorsIt was during theoccupation of much of Spain by the Moors from the 8th to the 15th century tha t the firstrecord of Nerja appeared. An Arab poet wrote in the 10th century of Nerixa (meaning plentiful spring water) as a small well-run market town famous for its silks. Indeed, this era of Moorish rule brought a certain amount of stability and wealth to the region.Christian PurgesThe expulsion of the Muslins rulers from Iberia at the end of the 15th century led to widespread repression of the Andalusians by the Catholic authorities. The inhabitants of Nerja had to renounce their Muslim devotion or be expelled. Many fled into the hills around Frigiliana, others followed as Berber raids from North Africa made coastal living increasingly unsafe. Nerja fell into decline despite repeated attempts to re-populate the area with Basques and other Catholics from northern Iberia, but farming act on the surrounding plains.Fortification of NerjaTowers were constructed to fend off pirate Berber raids, and during the late 17th century a larger fortification was established on a coastal promo ntory in Nerja. This remained as a deterrent to erstwhile usurpers until the beginning of the 19th century. The Peninsular War (1808-1814) brought the British into conflict with Spain which, at the time, was largely under French control. In 1810, the British Fleet destroyed the defensive positions to thwart them falling under French control.The EarthquakeOn Christmas Day 1884 an earthquake occurred with an epicentre under Arenas de Rey near Granada. Flimsily constructed buildings were destroyed over a wide area and more than 800 people lost their lives. In early 1885 King Alfonso XII visited the area of devastation, and Nerja was included in his schedule. Hepromenaded the area known asLa Bateria, where the old fortress once stood, and remarked on the view from the promontory. TheBalcon de Europa were words associated with the King, although the term was probably in local use before his arrival. Nevertheless, in later years, it was to become a valuable yarn for promoting tourism in Nerja.Tourism arrived in Nerja.slowlyThere was a gradual increase in tourism along the Costa del Sol during the early part of the 20th Century, but Nerja remained largely untouched. The small-scale fishing industry continued, and farming was the anchor of the local community. Sugar-cane production became popular for a while but this declined as the growing of sugarbeet increased in northern Europe. Avocado groves flourished, and still do, and the forced growing of salad foods under glass, then plastic, provide a valuable contribution to the regional economy. Occasional tourists filtered along the coast to Nerja during the 50s, and some stayed but even in the 60s when gimcrack package-style tourism boomed, the coaches nearly all drove west from Malaga Airport. During the 80s, the penchant for second homes, especially amongst the British, led to a building boom. Fortunately, sensible planning permits, meant the excesses of high-rise development did not occur at Nerja. It is now a b ustling town, with many second homes now becoming first homes, and a thriving ex-pat network exists. habitual Climate and Weather in NerjaThe Sierra de Almijara rises to over 1800 metres to the north of Nerja, and this acts asa formidable bar to the cold northerly winds thatoccasionally affectmuch of the rest of Iberia during the winter months. Rainfall is largely abstracted during the summer months, and with a regular afternoon sea breeze, the heat of inland Spain is seldom experienced. In fact, a survey suggests, that this part of the Costa del Sol experiences the best all-year-round weather in Europe.Around 6,000 years ago, tameness of livestock began to take place and primitive farming commenced aided by the production of simple pottery. The farming became more sophisticated andevidence of locally produced textiles has been uncovered.The caves appear to have been abandoned as dwelling places around 3,000 years ago.almost the Eastmostly town on in the Axarquia, with the provinc e of Granada sitting t is the eastern-most town in the area known as theAxarquaSigns of the first human settlement in this municipality were discovered in the famous Cueva de Nerja (Nerja Cave) and belong to the Auriaciense stage of the Upper Paleolithic period. Nothing is known of other civilisations that may have existed here until the period of Roman rule, when apparently a small settlement (Detunda) was established at contemporary Maro. It should be noted that Maro is another population centre of Nerja, where the cliffs and the Nerja Cave itself are located.The first documented fact about the history of Nerja, however, appears in the writings of the poet Said Al-Mugrabi, in the age of Abderramn III (tenth century), in which he refers to this place as a city-sized farming community where fine silk products were produced. Ancient Narixa stood next to a fortress, whose ruins can still be seen in a place called Castillo Alto, next to the old Frigiliana turnoff.After the gloaming of Vlez (1487), Nerja sent its envoys to that place to render allegiance to the Spanish king and queen and thus prevent bloodshed. A few days after that visit, Pedro de Crdoba took possession of the town in the name of the Catholic Monarchs. Under Christian rule, the town began to lose population, and in order to prevent greater abandonment Juana la Loca ordered Nerja to be repopulated with long-time Christians from the Basque Country, Valencia, Galicia and Mlaga itself.In the late sixteenth century the first sugar mill was set up in Nerja and in the late eighteenth century a paper mill was in operation here, supplied with water from the River La Miel. This factory remained in operation until the early twentieth century. During the War of Independence, the English levelled the fortress that used to stand where the Balcn de Europa is today, and also destroyed the port that had been adapted to contend coastal shipping.The name of the town comes from the Arabic Narixa, Naricha or Narija , which apparently derived from a pre-Roman name, and the translation abundant spring that some give for this word is still not very certain, although there are plenty of reasons to mouth of an abundance of water in this municipality.