Dúrcal, Spain

Dúrcal with a population of 7,286 is a Spanish municipality located in the north-eastern part of the Lecrín Valley in the Province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, one of the 51 entities that make up the metropolitan area of Granada. It borders the municipalities of Dílar, Lanjaron, Nigüelas, Villamena, and the Padul. Other nearby towns are Padul and Mondújar. The council consists of durqueño nuclei Dúrcal, which is the capital district Lecrín Valley, and Marchena. Much of its township is located in the Sierra Nevada National Park.HistoryEvidence of inhabitants have been found from 4500 BC by way of archaeological finds from the Neolithic age - utensils, vessels, polishing stones and the like. Later findings along the Río Dúrcal indicated the area as a natural passageway between the Mediterranean coast, La Alpujarra and the Granada area.Among the early settlers were those from the Middle East in search of raw metals, followed by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans. It is the presence of the Roman civilization here that has yielded the majority of artifacts which are housed in several museums in the surrounding area.Between the Roman and Arab eras, not much is known about the area. But from the 8th to 15th centuries during the Moorish reign, the area became a bustling agricultural center protected by forts and walled areas that oversaw the valley's passageways. The villages therein were dedicated to the growth of citrus fruits and mulberry trees which were necessary for silk production. It is from this time that the village names evolved, such as Dúrcal meaning Durkar in Arabic but whose significance is unknown. Also during this era were built numerous buildings of architectural importance.