RÁGOL
Found on the banks of the Andarax River, Rágol is surrounded by large eucalyptus trees and is famous for its grapes and raisins. It has about 315 inhabitants.
HISTORY
The origins of the town are difficult to determine, although some 20 castles were established in the ninth century to colonize the Marchena area. The irrigation network created by the Muslims during this period to produce fruits, vegetables, henna, mulberry trees, cereals and grapes still remains. With the Christian conquest, the Catholic Monarchs handed over the entire area of Marchena to Don Gutiérrez de Cárdenas y Chacón in 1494, a property that his son would convert into the Duchy of Maqueda.
The Moorish Rebellion (1568-1570) was the end of a period of tension and successive rebellions. It ended with the expulsion of the Moors from the Kingdom of Granada. This left Rágol almost empty, before it was repopulated in 1574 by 71 settlers from Mallorca, Valencia and Extremadura. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the evolution of its population was very slow, since in the mid-eighteenth century, according to the Official Property Registry (Cadastre of Ensenada) , it only had 146 inhabitants.
Rágol obtained municipal independence in 1835 when its landed estates were abolished. In the second half of the nineteenth century, there was an increase in economic activity and also in the population when the cultivation of the Ohanes grape began. With the decline of the shipping grape trade in the 1910s, a crisis was unleashed which, along with the Civil War and the post-war years, caused a serious decrease in both population and economic activity. In recent years, the agriculture of Rágol has been oriented towards the cultivation of citrus, as well as the Apinera grape, the most popular on the market.
THINGS TO SEE
Iglesia de San Miguel
This simple model of a Mudejar church, with a single nave drawer plan, was not always so minimalistic. Built in 1530, it managed to survive the Moorish rebellion, various fires and an earthquake, until it was moved to another location. However, during this journey, it lost the back section of the sanctuary and the main chapel, and was reduced to this simple temple. Inside, the old seventeenth-century roof armour has been restored. Behind its altar, raised by several steps, is the surprisingly modern main altarpiece, where the image of its patron, San Agapito, sits. Located on Calle Iglesia. (Location)
El Reloj
Sitting on the highest rock face in the town, this old clock from 1926 times the life of the residents from this privileged viewpoint. Located on Calle Calvario.
GASTRONOMY
The gastronomy of Rágol represents the culture of its residents, influenced by the local climate, economy, natural resources and religious festivities. Try dishes such as migas (breadcrumbs with pork), caldo de pimentón (fish and potato soup), puchero de calabaza y hinojo (pumpkin and fennel stew), gazpacho (cold tomato soup) and fritada de conejo con pollo (fried rabbit and chicken). Sweet treats include torta de chicharones (pork scratching brioche), pan de aceite (olive oil brioche), suspiros (meringues) and buñuelos de anís (aniseed doughnuts).
FESTIVALS
Popular festivals in Rágol are Fiestas en Honor al Patron San Agapito and Semana Santa. More>
Tourist Office
The Tourist Office is located in the town hall. More>
NEARBY PLACES
The neighbouring villages to Rágol are Instinción and Canjáyar.
