Atarfe

History

Granada dictionary of toponimos, authored by Amador Diaz Garcia and Manuel Barrios Aguilera says that its name comes from the Arabic al- Taraf, which in Granada would be a-tarf dialect, meaning strut, probably related to its Castillejo and Colorao peaks.

This view is also shared by the linguist Jesus Martinez del Castillo. Other views situate its origin in the artarf Arabic word which means limit, as it was the limit in the vicinity of the city of Elvira. There seems to be, as some have thought, a Moorish dynasty Tarfe, a close relative of the kings of Granada. The first civilizations that settled into the soil date from the Neolithic, Iberian and Roman close to them, under whose domination Ilíberis city was founded in the foothills of Sierra Elvira. During the Caliphate, the city was renamed Elvira, and achieved great splendor as the capital of the Cora, one of the most important of al- Andalus.

At short distance from the city center of thevillage, precisely in the annexe of Sierra Elvira, took place the decisive Battle of Higueruela between the troops of Juan II and King Muhammed IX of Granada. In July 1486, during the Battle of the Acequia Gorda, where died Martin Vazquez de Arce, better known as the Doncel Siguenza. It definitely became a Castilian power, after already indicated (Battle of Higueruela). They met at their church, around 1570, the Moors of Albolote, Atarfe, Armilla, Belicena and Pinos Puente, in order to be ken to Castile.

Politics

Atarfe results of the last municipal elections, held on May 24, 2015 :

Atarfe results of the municipal elections of 2011:

Monuments

Church of the Incarnation. Erected as a copy of the Metropolitan Church of Granada promoted in 1501, stands on the place where the old mosque Xini was, as published in the Book of Hábices. In 1617 it consisted of a single nave, which still maintains its coffered ceiling tracery conducted by Antonio Bermudez and Christopher Calvo, from the Granada school.

By 1642, three ships midpoint were built, with triumphal arches, made of brick and masonry, like the three gates. Inside there are 12 frames of the Granada Baroque school, called " apostolada series "which can be dated from 1700. Also dated from this year are the tabernacle and pulpit, the latter topped with a sculpture of the Faith.

Santa Ana hermitage. St. Of the town. The chapel is located in what was the Convent of the Order of St. Paul of the Cross, northwest from downtown. After the abandonment of the Convent , the area became the municipal cemetery and once it moved to its current location, the convent chapel became the patron saint, Santa Ana.

Monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in front of the Chapel of Santa Ana, made of stone from Sierra Elvira, by a local sculptor from Granada, Antonio Cano Correa in 1940.

Hermitage of the Three Johns . A local devotee of the Three Johns (Saint John Baptist, Saint John Evangelist and Saint Juan de Dios ), the chapel was erected in the first half of the twentieth century , on the ruins of an old Moorish castle in Cerro del Castillejo. After the death of its creator, construction froze and did not have a religious use. At the end of the century, the town hall finished the work to use it as a civic place, such as a viewing point, from where you can admire a beautiful view of the Vega. The surrounding areas are with exotic animals such as peacocks.

Celebrations and festivities

During these, bullfights are held at the Coliseo Ciudad Atarfe, a covered bullring, one of the few in Spain.

1956 earthquake

On 19 April 1956, Atarfe and the neighboring city of Albolote were struck by Spain's worst earthquake of the 20th century, a 5.0 M_W temblor. 12 people died from the earthquake and subsequent landslide, and many of the city's buildings were ruined.

Pink Floyd park

Atarfe is famous for its music concerts. In 2008, Roger Waters, a former member of the band Pink Floyd, played there, resulting in a public park dedicated to Pink Floyd being created by the council.

Coliseo de Atarfe

Other notable music acts have played in Atarfe, including Placebo, Mark Knopfler and Leonard Cohen, either playing in the Coliseo de Atarfe football stadium or outdoors in the Recinto de Feria. The Coliseo also hosts corridas where top bullfighters such as El Fandi, El Cordobes and Paquirri appear.