Chirivel: Nature, History and Traditions

Nature and Hiking Trails

The La Sabina hiking trail begins near the Cortijada del Mojonar in Chirivel and allows visitors to observe the three species of juniper: sabina mora, sabina albar and sabina rastrera in the Sierra María-Los Vélez Natural Park. As a linear trail, La Sabina covers 9.768 kilometres one way, takes five hours and has a medium difficulty level. It leads to a viewpoint overlooking the Chirivel Corridor, a historic route between the Levante and Andalusia, as well as the Sierra de las Estancias and the Filabres.

The Sabina Albar Natural Monument is located in Chirivel. It forms part of the Sierra María-Los Vélez Natural Park and the ZEC and ZEPA protected areas of Sierra María-Los Vélez. The Sabina Albar is a specimen of Juniperus thurifera, unique in the province of Almería due to its size and estimated age of 600 to 1,000 years.

Other destinations include Fernán Pérez, Villaricos, Bayárcal, Cóbdar, Santa María del Águila, Almería, Sorbas and Serón.

History and Architectural Heritage

The Roman archaeological site of El Villar was crossed by the Roman road Vía Augusta between Cartagena and Cádiz. El Villar is believed to have consisted of a group of Roman villas; a statue from the 2nd century BC, a geometric mosaic, a storage silo and domestic rooms were found there. El Villar is designated as an Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of an archaeological site.

The remains of the Nasrid-era Velad Al-Ahmar fortress are located on Cerro del Castellón. The Iglesia Parroquial de San Isidoro was built at the end of the 19th century in a blend of neoclassical and historicist styles. It has three naves and a tower attached to the north side. The Iglesia Parroquial de San Isidoro houses a painting attributed to Luis Tristán, who is considered a pupil of El Greco.

The Casa del Minero was built in 1906 as a modernist Art Deco residence commissioned by a mine owner from Cartagena. It preserves decorated walls, ceilings and doors, as well as a wrought-iron staircase.

Festivals and Cuisine

The songs of the Rosario de la Aurora are sung during the patron saint's festival in honour of San Isidoro in the penultimate week of August; the music is carried through the town's streets at dawn. The Cuadrillas de ánimas are performed in Chirivel during important festivals, preferably at Christmas, by groups of people who play music.

Parrandas are a dance typical of the east of the province of Almería and the neighbouring regions of Murcia and Albacete, accompanied by castanets, guitars, violins and bandurrias. Characteristic dishes of Chirivel's cuisine include Potaje de trigo, Asado de cabezas and Migas.

Traditional sweets from Chirivel include pastries of Arab origin, Gachas, Tortas de la Virgen, Roscos de naranja, Roscos chiri and Barquillos.

For the main travel overview: Almeria.