Campotéjar
By Saskier Mier
Campotéjar in the area of Guadix and El Marquesado was on the border between Christian and Muslim territory for many years, and evidence of this are the ruins of an old castle which still remain today. It has a population of around 1500 inhabitants.
Things to see
Pilar de Campotéjar
A fountain built in the sixteenth century, when the Catholic Monarchs granted royal passage for livestock. It bears an inscription, the only one of ancient date in the town. It has six spouts, and above them appears the coat of arms of the Marquises of Campotéjar. It is located in Plaza del Cristo de la Expiración.
Iglesia del Cristo de la Expiración
The church is a Mudéjar-style building constructed during the sixteenth century, possibly on the site of a former mosque. Part of its original coffered ceiling and some of its paintings are still preserved. The church consists of a single nave and a side chapel, where the image of Campotéjar’s patron saint, Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, is venerated. Its main altar, of modern construction, is noteworthy, although its gilding and an image of Cristo de la Expiración, from which the church takes its name, date back to the sixteenth century. The tower rises three stories high and is crowned by a belfry with a hipped roof. It is located on Calle Real.
Natural Areas
Cerro Castelló
A gypsum deposit and prehistoric cave, not open to the public. The climb to Cerro Castellón in Campotéjar is steep but interesting and not at all dangerous. Reaching the top after an almost vertical ascent is a feast for the eyes, as a vast landscape unfolds before you. From its summit, one understands why early humans chose Cerro Castellón as a place to settle, given the panoramic views it offers. The hill’s altitude also explains why the Geodetic Institute has one of its reference points there.
History
The area around Campotéjar has been inhabited since the Late Neolithic and Bronze Ages, as evidenced by the burial cave on Cerro Castellón. Furthermore, medieval pottery has been found on the hillsides, dating from agricultural activities.
During the Middle Ages, it was a sparsely populated area. Cidi Hiaya, a key figure in the final fall of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, bequeathed his lands in Campotéjar to his wife, Elvira de Sandoval, granddaughter of Diego Gómez de Sandoval, Count of Castrojeriz. He had acquired the lordship of Campotéjar in 1500. During the sixteenth century, Campotéjar was a village without a Town Hall within the jurisdiction of Granada. It was part of the Siete Villas (Seven Towns) area, designated to supply the city of Granada with grain, livestock, and timber, and was only permitted to trade with the city.
In 1609, Don Pedro Granada Venegas Manrique y Mendoza, Knight of Alcántara, supplemented his inherited lands by purchasing the jurisdiction and sales taxes over the town of Campotéjar, and in 1643 he elevated them to the Marquisate of Campotéjar.
The town benefited from the efforts to improve the road network undertaken in the eighteenth century, and since 1758 it has been on the route connecting Madrid with Granada and Almería, originally via Sierra Morena, Bailén, and Jaén, and since 1783 via Despeñaperros.
In 1920, the eighteenth Marquis of Campotéjar sold the villages of Campotéjar, Dehesas Viejas, and Jayena. The parish priest Juan Francisco Correas acted as mediator in this sale, which resulted in the concentration of the village’s lands in the hands of two owners and a significant fragmentation of the remaining land. In subsequent years, the increase in municipal taxes, the drop in dryland cereal prices, and the lack of productive alternatives due to the clearing of the mountains, as well as the post-war period, led to the sale of many properties and emigration. In recent years, the introduction of olive groves has improved the profitability of the countryside, mitigating the recession in the Los Montes region.
Handicrafts
Handicrafts of the local townsfolk are based on modern carpentry.
Bus Service
There is a bus service from Campotéjar to Granada City using the bus company, ALSA. The bus station is located on Avenida de Andalucia. More>
Gastronomy
When visiting Campotéjar, try local dishes such as ropa vieja (meat stew), cocido (chickpea stew), guisado de manillas de cerdo (pig trotter stew) and torta de carda (similar to a focaccia). For something sweet, try roscos de huevo (doughnuts) and roscos de vino (aniseed biscuits).
Festivals
Popular festivals in Campotéjar are Fiestas Populares, Semana Santa and Feria.
Tourist Office
The tourist office of Campotéjar is located in the Town Hall.
Nearby Places
The neighbouring villages to Campotéjar are Montillana and Benalúa de las Villas.
How to get there
Campotéjar is located 48km from de Granada. Take the A-44 towards Jaén and take exit 84 and head down Avenida de los Montes Orientales to arrive in the town.