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Basic
data
Size:
34,20
Km²
Population:
2,700
Residents known as:
Humilladerenses or Gatos
Monuments:
Cross of Humilladero, parish church, Hermitage
of the Apostle Santiago, Zapato Cave, recreation area of La Sierrecilla.
Geographical
situation: In the
Antequera area, 78 kilometres from Malaga, at 450 metres above sea level.
Tourist information: Town
Hall, Avda. del Emigrante, 1. 29531.
Phone: 952 737 023 Fax:
952 737 292
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Church |
Humilladero is situated in the low Antequera plain,
and has two distinct types of landscape. One is the undulating hilly area
around the urban centre of Carvajales, while the other is the mountainous
area whose highest peak is 680 metres, covered in pine trees with a
recreation area inside and all the usual services for cooking and eating out
of doors.
The origins of the town would appear to go back to a very specific date:
1618, the year inscribed on the base of the Cross of Humilladero that stands
at the entrance to the place, but there is some evidence to suggest that the
town is almost two centuries older. Local legend claims that the Catholic
Monarchs stopped at this spot to pray on their way to conquer Granada. Some
historians insist that the urban centre grew up around the "El
Convento," which housed the first inhabitants of Humilladero. Be that
as it may, it is generally agreed that the name of the town derives from an
oath made by the Infante (Prince) don Fernando that he would humiliate
himself before the sword of San Fernando after the conquest of Antequera, a
sword carried by Per Afán de Ribera, in command of the Seville troops that
were on their way to join up with the Infante near Antequera, on the very
spot that is now the town cenre of Humilladero. Don Fernando, later called
"El de Antequera", knelt down and kissed the sword, swearing not
to keep it until Antequera had fallen into Christian hands. The rest of his
troops followed suit, all "humiliating" themselves with the same
oath of their leader. The cross was later erected to mark the historic
place.
Places
to be visited
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Historical
Route
La Cruz del Humilladero, which gives the name to the town, is
situated at the entrance to Humilladero, but it is not the only
monument of historical importance in the place. The church is not
as old, dating from 1861, according to an inscription therein, but
there was an ancient hermitage there before, dedicated to the
Virgen del Carmen, which was beside the cross. In our own day the
favourite saint is the Virgen del Rosario, the patron saint of the
town. The church was built in the shape of the Latin cross, with
the steeple at the high part of the portico, and here the present
bell tower was built at a later stage of re-structuring.
Humilladero also has its Hermitage of the Apostle Santiago, in the
Carvajales area, which is possibly the place where the original
settlement grew.
Nature Route
One of the principal natural resources of Humilladero is its
wonderful landscape, mainly its mountain range. There, the
Environmental Agency has established an excellent recreation area
at La Sierrecilla, with seats and tables, cooking and barbecue
zones, and toilet facilities, making this one of the most popular
spots in the region for weekend trips. The Sierrecilla area also
has a lookout point that can be reached by a laneway, and one can
visit the Zapato Cave from here too. Another route worth taking
would be to climb the Pollo peak, 680 metrtes above sea level,
from were there are wonderful views over the Natural Reserve of
the Fuente de Piedra Lake, and much of the Antequera region
itself. There is a park near here where we can see the flora of
the place and an ornamental garden with some interesting species.
The routes in the Sierrecilla area can be made on foot or by
mountain bike, without any great difficulties. The vegetation in
the area is mainly pine trees, with many medicinal herbs in the
scrubland.
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| Where
to eat |
Bar Restaurante Narciso. Traditional cuisine of the
place, including Andalusian gazpacho, soups and stews. Ctra.
Sevilla-Málaga, Km 138. Closed on Saturdays. Tel: 952 737 167.
Restaurante El Colmao.
Specialising in barbecued meats and stone-roasted beef. Ctra.
Sevilla-Málaga, Km 23. Closed Wednesdays. Tel: 952 737 507.
Bar Restaurante Ramón.
Specialising in pizzas. C/Ana Alba, 35. Closed Mondays. Tel: 952
732 269.
Bar Anselmo. Specialising in
soups and anchovies in vinegar. Ctra. Málaga-Sevilla, Km 23.
Closed Thursdays. Tel: 952 737 507.
Bar Bonanza. Specialising in
varied tapas. C/Miguel Hernández. Closed Thursdays.
Bar Peñón. Specialising in
sandwiches and tapas. C/Capitán Velasco. Tel: 952 737 198.
Bar Tiriti. Specialising in
tapas and coffee. C/Ana Alba, 16. Closed Mondays. Tel: 952 737
169.
Bar Mora. Specialising in
tapas and coffee. Hnos. de la Fuente. Closed Wednesdays.
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| Where
to sleep |
Hostal
Casa Paco. Ctra. Sevilla-Málaga. Tel: 952 737 311
Rural
Accommodation in the province of Malaga
(in
Spanish)
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A street in the town |
FIESTAS
The festive calendar in Humilladero begins with the carnival, 40 days
before Easter. This is typical carnival celebration, with everybody out on
the streets in masks and fancy dress until the early hours. On May 1st
we have Workers’ Day, and the tradition in Humilladero is to head into
the Sierrecilla mountains and spend the day in the countryside. The
festival in honour of San Juan takes place in June, and a month later,
during the first fortnight of August, there is a festival to honour all
those who have been forced to leave the area in search of work in foreign
lands or outside the region. This is the Festival of the Emigrant, and its
real purpose is to give those who could not be at the June festival the
chance to have fun in August. The Cultural Week also takes place at this
time, with a wide range of cultural activities organised by the Town Hall.
The Carvajales barrio, situated on the edge of Humilladero, has its own
festival in August. The Romería in honour of Nuestra Señora del Rosario
takes place in October, on the Saturday before October 7th. On
the eve of this event floral offerings are made to the Virgin, and there
is a procession on the following day.
GASTRONOMY AND CRAFTWORK
The most typical products of Humilladero
come from the soil around the town. The local cuisine is thus mainly based
on pork products prepared in the traditional way. Olive oil is also very
important here, and there are a number of olive oil co-operatives in the
area. They also make excellent pastries here, the local bread and
doughnuts being especially tasty.
There
are many excellent craftsmen in the town, mostly working in wrought iron,
and their work can be seen in the streets and windows of the houses. There
is also a long tradition of craftwork in straw and wickerwork in
Humilladero.
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