History of Polícar
Polícar appears to have originated as a settlement in the late Roman Empire, although it reached its peak during Islamic rule. It has retained its narrow streets and distinctive architecture. During the Nasrid Kingdom, it was a farmstead that depended on Beas de Guadix, which was then known as Beas de los Cautivos.
The town was reconquered by Fernando 'El Católico' in 1489. After the Moriscos' subsequent expulsion following a rebellion, the town was practically uninhabited, but was later occupied by settlers, mainly from Castile.
The place name Polícar may be a metathesis of Poqueyra, which means "the mouth" and refers to the entrance of the ravine onto the plain. It should be noted that Polícar is topographically located on a plateau between ravines. However, in a study named El dominio del agua de riego y las luchas entre varias alquerías de la Tierra de Guadix, S. XII/S. XV/ XVI, published by the University of Murcia in 1987, states that Polícar was called Bizar in the 12th century and changed its name to Polícar due to a slope leading up to the village houses.
The village belonged to one family for centuries and was one of the last large estates to be sold to its inhabitants. In 1977, the estate was purchased for 29 million pesetas and the land distributed among the residents. The deeds to the land were drawn up in 2006.