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By Jo Williams
In a narrow valley dominated by the barren limestone
massif of the Sierra de Loja, this small town -
divided in two by the Genil river - is situated on the western edge
of the fertile vega (plain) of Granada, with its undulating countryside
of olive groves and cereal fields.
Occupying what was historically an important strategic
position, Loja acted as a defensive centre under the Moors, who
exploited the town's geographical location to guard the plain. Its
military significance as a Moorish stronghold can be seen today
in the remnants of walls and a tower of the former Islamic Alcazaba
(citadel).
 Loja also has several interesting churches, the
best of which is the 16th-century Iglesia de San Gabriel,
designed by Diego de Siloé, which has many fine Renaissance
architectural features. Built over the site of an old mosque, the
Iglesia de Santa María de la Encarnación
was designed by the neoclassical architect Ventura Rodríguez
and has Gothic and Mudéjar elements and an elegant belfry.
If you want to discover more about Loja's history,
visit the town's fascinating history museum, Centro
de Interpretación Histórico, housed in the attractive
15th-century Antigua Casa de Cabildo, on the Plaza
de la Constitución (Tel: 958 321 520).
For further information on the town and the surrouunding
area, contact the local tourist office, the Patronato
del Turismo, in Calle Comedias Tel: 958 323 949.
In the town is a reasonable choice of hotels, including
the two-star Hotel Manzanil on Avenida Andalucia (Tel: 958 321 550)
and several others along the same street. On the A92 near Loja are
a few hotels; by far the most luxurious is the five-star Hotel Bobadilla
(Tel: 958 321 861) a reconstructed neo-Mudéjar village set
in extensive woodland.
A few kilometres outside Loja on the Río
Genil are a series of waterfalls that have been
designated a protected area, Los
Infiernos de Loja Natural Monument, a pleasant shady spot for
a riverside picnic.
A possible future protected natural park, the limestone
Sierra de Loja, provides a dramatic backdrop to the town, its highest
point the Cerro de Santa Lucía at 1,671m.With
over 50 caves close to town, caving is popular activity, along with
hang-gliding, fishing, hiking and cycling.
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