cenes de la vega
Situated very close to the city of Granada, Cenes de la Vega is known as the door to the mountain range, Sierra Nevada, and is an ideal destination for rural tourism thanks to its beautiful landscapes. It has a population of around 8,153 (2020)
HISTORY
According to the archives, Cenes de la Vega has been a municipality since 1572, but it has existed since the Arab period. The town was founded due to its proximity to the Genil River, where an Arab palace stood on the outskirts of the city. In the Barrio de la Venta, tombs of Moorish origin and clay vessels have been found, lending credibility to the town’s existence at that time.
The town’s inhabitants lived in the city of Granada during the Muslim period and only moved to Cenes during the silk-farming period. After the Moorish uprising in the Alpujarras, this medieval socio-economic structure underwent a notable change with the municipality of Cenes undergoing a profound repopulation process to stimulate production and fill the population gap.
The first settlements took place around the Cenes, Algoroz, and Arco rivers in the 16th century. The population experienced slow growth for several centuries, but increased rapidly in the second half of the 20th century, particularly in the last decade, due to a significant number of people arriving from other parts of the province.
Cenes de la Vega forms part of the Ruta de Münzer, one of the routes of al-Andalus that make up the Andalucía Legacy (a series of cultural and historical trails highlighting the legacy of Islamic Andalucía from the 8th to 15th centuries). Jerónimo Münzer, an Austrian doctor who travelled through Spain between 1494 and 1495, wrote an account of his journey along this route after the Castilian conquest. The route is also known as the Camino Real (main highway) as it was the inland road that linked Almería with Granada through the countryside and was one of the oldest communication routes in al-Andalus. Along the route, it shows the irrigation techniques used by the Arabs, many of which are still in use.
Cenes had two irrigation ditches for its lands: the upper ditch was for the exclusive use of its inhabitants and took water from the Aguas Blancas River, the lower ditch took water from the Genil River and distributed it between Cenes and Granada.Cenes had use of the ditch on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, from dawn to noon, while Granada has use the rest of the time.
Since then, water management in Cenes has been linked to Granada. At the end of the 19th century, a French company built the Canal de los Franceses to wash the gold sands of Cerro del Oro.
THINGS TO SEE
Iglesia de la Virgen del Rosario
The earliest preserved document describing the Iglesia de la Virgen del Rosario (Church of The Virgin of the Rosary) dates back to the 16th century, specifically from 1572, in the Book of Surveys and Distribution of Cenes. More>
Biblioteca Municipal
The current Elena Martín Vivaldi Municipal Public Library, named after the much-loved Spanish Granada-born poet, has been open for only a few years. More>
Juzgado de la Paz
The building that houses the Juzgado de la Paz (Justice of the Peace Court) is one of the town’s most emblematic buildings. It began operating on 21st February 1925, when the Sierra Nevada Tramway opened. More>
Parque Acuático Aquaola
The Parque Acuático Aquaola (Aquaola Water Park) was built taking advantage of the steepness of the landscape to create its slides. The area was formerly known as the Montaña de los Gigantes (Mountain of the Giants).
Fuente de la Plaza de la Iglesia
In the 1960s, the Fuente de la Plaza de la Iglesia (Fountain in the Church Square) was the second fountain in the town to supply the population with drinking water, the first located in the ravine, Barranco de Cenes. In 1968, the fountain was repaired, and taps were installed to better utilise the flow. Four years later, the water began to be chlorinated. In 1991, when the flooring in the Plaza de la Iglesia was changed, the fountain was moved from the centre of the square to the left side. It was embellished by the addition of semicircular arched porticos made of exposed brick around it. Located on Calle Real.
Fuente La Pita y La Pitilla
The Pita and Pitilla, fountains or natural springs, both located on the left bank of the Genil River, were and continue to be the most popular springs for our ancestors and the current residents of Cenes. They are located on the areas known as the “Isla Fuente de la Pita”, which is flanked by the Granada-Cenes-Pinos Genil Trail (commonly known as the Cholesterol Route). This hydraulic work is a very popular in the municipality, which was widely used until the 1960s to supply the area with drinking water. It has been rehabilitated using grey stone from the Sierra Elvira mountain range and is now a popular destination for hiking and recreation. This quiet and peaceful place is in an area surrounded by pine, chestnut, walnut and fruit trees, with good views of the Sierra Nevada. Located on Genil River left bank.
NATURAL AREAS
Acequia del Cadí
The community-operated acequia (irrigation ditch) was built in the Almohad period to supply and irrigate the Campo del Príncipe area. It is situated at a higher elevation than the area served by the Acequia Gorda branch. More>
Canal de los Franceses
The canal is a hydraulic infrastructure that currently supplies Granada with water from the Quéntar reservoir on the Aguas Blancas River. More>
El Cerro del Oro
In Cerro del Oro, also known as the Hill of Gold, just above Cenes de la Vega, there is a natural phenomenon formed in stone – an arch. It is probably the result of gold mining in the area over the centuries. To do this, the miners used water to erode the mountain, carrying away the sand and filtering out the gold. Over time, the combined effects of human activity and natural processes have created this hole in the conglomerate wall.
Cortijo de Samaniego
The 18th century cortijo (country/farmhouse), is located on the new Sierra Nevada road, between Pago de las Adelfas and Pechos de Ramón. The rectangular farmhouse has two bays and a gabled roof with Arabic tiles. The small main body has two floors and load bearing plastered and white-washed masonry walls. Only a small portion of the living area remains standing, while the rest of the rooms are in ruins. The farmhouse is of environmental interest due to its location on the hillside, shaded by the Genil Valley.
RESTAURANTS
There are also restaurants such as La Ruta del Veleta, founded in 1976 by the Pedraza brothers. Starting as a small old-style restaurant, it nevertheless offered excellent quality service. Everything in the restaurant reflects the local culture, from ceramic jugs hanging from the ceiling, to chairs covered with traditional fabrics from Las Alpujarras. Located on Carretera Sierra Nevada.
GASTRONOMY
Typical dishes to try in Cenes de la Vega are the cazuela de Semana Santa (Easter fish stew), puchero de San Antón (chickpea and meat stew), choto al ajillo (garlic stewed lamb) and habas fritas con jamón (fried broad beans with ham). For something sweet, try the roscos de huevo (doughnuts).
BUS SERVICE
There is a bus service from Cenes de la Vega to Granada. More>
FESTIVALS
Popular festivals in Cenes de la Vega are Fiestas Patronales de San Bartolomé, Puchero de San Antón, Virgen del Rosario, Romería del Cristo del Almencín and Día de la Cruz. More>
WEATHER FORECAST
If considering visiting this town check the latest weather forecast for the next few days from the table below. More>
TOURIST OFFICE
Cenes de la Vega’s tourist office is in the Town Hall. More>
NEARBY PLACES
The neighbouring villages to Cenes de la Vega are Pinos Genil and Granada City.