History of Zagra
Zagra has a history spanning more than 6,000 years, with evidence of human settlement from prehistoric times through the Neolithic, Iberian, Roman, Late Antique and Islamic periods. Archaeological remains include flint arrowheads, axes, rakes, ceramics, coins, and rock-cut tombs, towers, and settlements.
The Castillo de Zagra, (Zagra Castle) formed part of the defensive system of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. After the Christian conquest, Castilian settlers were granted the surrounding lands and established a settlement at the foot of the hill. For many centuries, before and after the Christian conquest by the Catholic Kings, Zagra remained administratively dependent on Loja until 1982, when it achieved its municipal independence.
However, in 1982 a Royal Decree granted Zagra independence from Loja. In March 1986, a Supreme Court ruling annulled the segregation on procedural grounds. This immediately provoked a series of demonstrations including road blockades and the occupation of the town hall by Zagreños, who called for a new process to be expedited and for Zagra to regain its status as an independent municipality. The new municipality did not include the settlements of Rozuelas and Ventorros de San José, which remained outside its boundaries.
In 1987, a definitive decree formally established Zagra as an independent municipality. Since then, Zagra has continued to develop as a separate municipality.