Hornachos Facts for Kids

Hornachos is a town located in the province of Badajoz, in the Extremadura region of Spain. In 2005, about 3,840 people lived there. It's a place with a long and interesting past.

Hornachos Through Time
- The Morisco Legacy
Places to Visit
- Purísima Concepción Church
- Other Important Buildings
Nature and Wildlife
- The Dehesa Landscape
- Sierra Wildlife
Fun Festivals and Traditions
- Spring and Summer Celebrations
- Main Town Festival
See also

Hornachos Through Time

The first people lived in the mountains around Hornachos a very long time ago. We know this from cave paintings found on the rocks. These paintings were made between 2,000 and 3,000 years before Christ. This was during the Neolithic (New Stone Age) and Bronze Age.

Later, the Romans took over the area. They called the town Fornacis. This name came from the iron mines nearby. The name 'Hornachos' comes from this old Roman name. Old findings show the town was important to the Roman city of Emerita Augusta around 200-100 BCE.

During the time of the Visigoths, a Germanic people who ruled Spain, Hornachos was a safe place. It is said that Saint Hermenegild hid here from his father, King Leovigild.

The Morisco Legacy

A strong fortress was built on top of the hill during the Al-Andalus period. This was when Muslims ruled parts of Spain. In 1234, the Order of Santiago took control of Hornachos. This was a gift from Ferdinand III of Castile, a Christian king.

At first, this change did not bother the many Muslim people living there. After 1502, these Muslims were called Moriscos. By the late 1500s, Hornachos was a very important Morisco town. It had over 10,000 people and was surrounded by a wall.

On April 9, 1609, Philip III of Spain ordered all Moriscos to leave Spain. This event is known as the expulsion of the Moriscos. After this, Hornachos became much smaller and less important.

Many Moriscos from Hornachos went to Morocco. They settled near Bou Regreg and Salé (now part of Rabat). There, they created their own small, independent republic. It was called the Republic of Bou Regreg or the Republic of Salé. This place became a base for pirates who sailed the seas.

Today, Hornachos still shows its rich history. Its narrow, winding streets look like old Moorish towns. You can see this in areas like Ribera, San Francisco, and Larga.

Places to Visit

The most famous place in Hornachos is its castle. It was built on a hill by the Berbers in the 9th century. Its old walls still watch over the town today.

Another important building is the Church of the Purísima Concepción. This church is a great example of Mudejar style. This style mixes Christian and Islamic art. It has been named a historical and artistic monument in Extremadura.

Purísima Concepción Church

The church is mostly made of brick. It has many geometric patterns, which is typical of Islamic art. These patterns are found in the tiles, brickwork, and wood carvings. You can even see the Ferdinand and Isabella coat of arms in the tiling. The church tower has 24 openings, with six on each side.

Other Important Buildings

Other interesting places include the Franciscan Convent of San Ildefonso. It was started in 1526 by Charles I of Spain. The convent has many beautiful altarpieces, paintings, and sculptures. On its front, you can still see the old royal symbol of Charles I.

The Church of the Remedios is another key site. It was built in the 1500s and updated in 1892. It stands in a square with palm trees. This is where the town's September celebrations take place.

Hornachos also has many traditional fountains. Some of these are Los Moros, Los Cristianos, and Cuatro Caños. These fountains are important parts of the town's history.

El Pósito is a building on the edge of town. Moriscos once used it as a mosque. It has recently been repaired and looks great.

Nature and Wildlife

The Hornachos mountain range is in the southern part of Badajoz. The highest points are Sierra Grande and Sierra de los Pinos. Hornachos Hill reaches 951 meters high. The main rivers here are the Palomillas and the Matachel.

The most common landscape here is the dehesa. This is a type of forest with holm-oaks and cork oaks. Other areas have Mediterranean vegetation. These are plants that can handle dry weather. They often grow as low bushes, called matorral. Some common plants include retama sphaerocarpa and narrow-leaved cistus.

The Dehesa Landscape

In the highest parts of the Sierra, you can find many Juniperus oxycedrus trees. Over 600 hectares of this area are protected. This is part of the ZEC-ZEPA protected zone. A special plant called the Erodium mouretii grows here. It is an endemic species, meaning it only grows in a few places. You can find it in Extremadura, Andalusia, and Northern Morocco.

Sierra Wildlife

The Sierra mountains are home to many animals. There are especially many different types of birds of prey. More than 228 bird species have been found in the ZEC-ZEPA area. This is a lot for such a small space (12,000 hectares).

Large birds like the Spanish imperial eagle, the vulture, and the eagle owl live here. You can also see the buzzard, the falcon, and the kite. In autumn and winter, birds like the European robin come here to shelter.

The ADENEX group runs a Natural Reserve and research center in Hornachos. This helps protect the local wildlife. Another beautiful natural spot is the Los Molinos reservoir.

Fun Festivals and Traditions

Most of the festivals in Hornachos come from old religious traditions.

One important festival is the Candelas, on February 2nd. People gather around huge bonfires. They believe burning the fires gets rid of bad spirits and past problems.

In February, Hornachos also celebrates carnival. This is a time of fun and parties before the Lenten season. People wear homemade costumes, join parades, and have many celebrations.

Spring and Summer Celebrations

Holy Week is the week before Easter. It is a very serious time for people to remember Jesus Christ. It starts with a blessing of palms and olive branches. The celebrations end on Easter Sunday, when special white cakes are blessed.

On May 15th, the town celebrates San Isidro. This is a traditional feast day. Everyone goes out to the countryside to eat and drink with their friends and family.

The religious festival of San Juan is on June 24th. This is the Night of the Fire and the Night of the Water. People wet their heads in the San Francisco basin. They believe this will stop them from having headaches for a whole year.

In mid-August, the Emigrant feast takes place. This festival honors people who left Hornachos but come back to visit.

Main Town Festival

The biggest festival starts on September 8th. It is for Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, the patron saint of Hornachos. The whole town organizes parties, shows, and encierros. An encierro is when bulls are run through the streets. People skillfully dodge them as they pass by.

Hornachos facts for kids

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