Alfacar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alfacar, Spain
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Alfacar
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Andalusia
Province	Granada
Comarca	Vega de Granada
Municipality	Alfacar
Area
• Total	16 km2 (6 sq mi)
Elevation	910 m (2,990 ft)
Population  (2018)
• Total	5,378
• Density	336/km2 (871/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)

Alfacar, a historic town

Alfacar is a historic town in Spain, located about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the city of Granada. It is part of the Andalusia region. In 2018, about 5,378 people lived there.

Alfacar sits at the edge of the Sierra de Huétor Natural Park. The area is well known for growing many olive trees. The town is about 920 meters (3,018 feet) above sea level. Even so, scientists have found fossil shells of sea creatures here. This shows how much the land has changed over millions of years!

A Look Back in Time

Alfacar has been home to people for a very long time, even before written history.

Ancient Beginnings

• A very important Neolithic site, called La Barranca de Las Majolicas, is in Alfacar.
• At this site, archaeologists have found human remains, decorated pots, and tools made from bone. These finds tell us about the early people who lived here.

Muslim Rule

• From 711 to 1492, much of Spain was ruled by Muslim leaders. This period is known as Al-Andalus.
• The name "Alfacar" might come from the Arabic name "al-Fajjar," which means "the house of the potter."
• Alfacar was a popular summer spot for the Muslim Zirite kings who ruled from 1010 to 1090.
• Not many buildings from this time are still standing. However, the Arabs improved a spring called Fuente Grande to bring water to Granada.
• The old part of Alfacar still looks like a traditional Arab settlement with its narrow, winding streets.

Christian Reconquest

• The Reconquista, or Christian reconquest of Spain, ended on January 2, 1492.
• On that day, Boabdil, the last Muslim king of Granada, gave up his city to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella.
• Thirteen days before this, the Muslim people of Alfacar had already surrendered to the Christian armies.
• The Arab people of Alfacar lived peacefully under the new Christian rule. They did not join in the later uprising of the "Moriscos".
• However, in 1579, during the rule of King Philip II, these people were forced to leave Spain.
• After this, new families from Castile (a region in Spain) moved to Alfacar.
• A key building from this time is the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady. It was built on the site of an older church, which was itself built on the foundations of a former mosque.

Famous Connections

Alfacar is well known because of a famous Spanish writer.

Federico García Lorca

• The town is most famous for the death of Federico García Lorca, a well-known poet and playwright.
• He was born in 1898 in a nearby town called Fuente Vaqueros.
• On August 19, 1936, at the start of the Spanish Civil War, Lorca was taken by Nationalist forces.
• He was shot early the next morning between Alfacar and the nearby village of Víznar.
• The exact details of his death and where he is buried are still debated today.

Modern Alfacar

Alfacar has grown a lot from its old center.

Town Life

• Like many places, Alfacar has faced economic challenges. Some building projects were stopped, and some businesses closed.
• However, the town is now seeing new life, with new shops and restaurants opening.
• Alfacar is famous throughout the region for its delicious bakeries. These bakeries might even date back to the time of Arab rule. They provide fresh bread daily to many shops in Granada.
• The town has many useful facilities, including shops, a medical center, a theater, and a sports center.
• Sadly, the historic center of Alfacar is at risk from neglect and new building projects. For example, the Arco de Somera, an old storage building from the 15th or 16th century, needs urgent repairs to keep it from falling down.

Nature and Wildlife

The countryside around Alfacar is full of amazing plants and animals.

Local Wildlife

• You can find animals like Iberian ibex (a type of wild goat), wild cat, and wild boar here.
• In spring, many kinds of beautiful wild flowers, including orchids and bulbs, grow in the area.

Sierra de Huétor Natural Park

• The nearby Sierra de Huétor Natural Park is a protected area.
• It has a great visitors' center and is a popular place for people who enjoy walking and hiking.
• The park has large areas of replanted pine forests and many native evergreen oak trees.
• A rare Spanish conifer tree, Abies pinsapo, has also been brought back to this area.
• Alfacar is also known for a special blue butterfly, Lysandra bellargus ssp. alfacariensis, which was first discovered here.

See also

In Spanish: Alfacar para niños