HISTORY
The name El Padul originates from the Latin words palus and dis, meaning 'lagoon' or 'pond'. During the Arab period, the name was transformed into Al Badul, which over time became El Padul. Due to its location as an obligatory passage between the Granada plain, the coast, La Alpujarra and the Sierra Nevada, many settlers have left their mark on Padul, as evidenced by the numerous archaeological sites found in the surrounding area.
The Mousterian remains found in the area indicate the existence of settlements in the Middle Palaeolithic era in the Lecrín Valley, confirming the importance of this culture in the province of Granada.
Remains found in the Rambla de Santa Elena from the Neolithic period include several fragments of an undecorated pot and a 8 mm wide, 5 mm thick limestone bracelet with an estimated internal diameter of 73 mm. These remains demonstrate the presence of Neolithic herding groups who travelled through the area with their livestock, creating routes between the Lecrín Valley and the Sierra Nevada.
Once again, Padul took centre stage when the Moriscos, who had remained refugees in the Alpujarra, rebelled. This was when Martín Pérez de Aróstegui, the father of Don Antonio de Aróstegui, the former Secretary of State to Kings Felipe III and IV, ordered the reconstruction of the Casa Grande, the Aróstegui family residence, which had been destroyed in 1569 along with the rest of the town.
In 1625, King Felipe IV signed the decree that led to the sale of Padul to the city of Granada. This sale was recorded in 1627. The town was not spared the terrible effects of plague and cholera epidemics in 1679 and 1885.
Padul has always been fundamentally an agricultural town, more so than a livestock town, with cereal farming and smallholdings standing out on its farms. Vineyard cultivation has also been important, particularly olive groves, with the lechín variety being of particular note for its quality. At one time, three oil mills operated in Padul; the last one can still be seen in Granada's Science Park.
Initially, the phenomenon of emigration, which began in the 1950s, meant a loss of population for Padul. Later, however, with the return of many of those who had emigrated, it meant a significant economic injection for the municipality, contributing to a radical change in the town's appearance through the construction of numerous houses.
Today, Padul is a municipality with enormous business dynamism, primarily in the construction sector. Agriculture has been relegated to a secondary level and is almost marginal in some respects.