EL CORONIL
by Saskia Mier
El Coronil is home to the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Consolación that uses 'tridacna' muscle shells, known to be the largest species in the world, as baptismal fonts. They were supposedly brought over from the Philippines in the nineteenth century by a merchant sailor. It has about 4, 800 inhabitants.
HISTORY
The earliest known archaeological remains are found in "El Calvario" dolmen dating to the Chalcolithic period. There are also settlements dating to the Late Bronze Age and Roman era.
It is believed that the town has been built over a Roman settlement known as República Callense. However, the birth of the town did not occur until the fourteenth century, when in 1381, King Juan I of Castile ceded permission to the Adelantado of Andalusia, Ruy Perez de Esquivel, to repopulate the area in which already existed remains of Iberian-Celtic buildings, later used by Romans, Moors and finally by Ruy Perez.
The mentioned promoter of the locality was like lord of the territory that, later it happened to the house of the Ribera. The Adelantados also were in charge of the Castillo de las Aguzaderas, which was part of the municipality of Seville and soon the property of the Medinaceli, which ceded it in the property to the Town Hall. The category of villa was reached in the seventeenth century and in 1812 gained its independence as constitutional council.
THINGS TO SEE
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Consolación
The church dates to the fifteenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, with a bell tower that stands out as its main feature. Located in Calle Cura Barranco.
Capilla de la Virgen de los Remedios
The chapel was built in front of the old hospital, now rectory. Located in Calle Cura Barranco.
Castillo
The castle's origin goes back to the time of the Celts and Iberians, during which time a watchtower was built. Later, this construction or its remains, after passing by the Romans, were taken advantage of by the Moors to construct a small fortress in the fifteenth century. During the Re-conquest it was reformed due to the terrible state in. The palace fortress stopped being maintained after being abandoned by the Dukes of Medinaceli. At the end of the nineteenth century the castle served as an oil mill. Later it was used as headquarters for the Civil Guards, and finally as a private house, preserved today. Located on Calle Corredera.
Capilla de la Vera Cruz
A primitive hermitage and later Convento de Carmelitas Descalzos. Located in Plaza del Convento.
Pilar del Barranco
A watering hole with existing groundwater, used originally for livestock. Located on Calle Daoiz.
Antiguas Escuelas Pías
This building was originally erected as a palatial house. Later, it was donated in 1766 for the installation of the first public school in the town. Its cover features figurative motifs, inscriptions and details of eighteenth century. It is currently the Casa de la Cultura (Cultural House). Located on Calle Martínez Benjumea.
Casa Consistorial
A public building since its construction in the sixteenth century, it conserves many of its original interior features, along with some archaeological pieces distributed throughout the building. Located in Plaza de la Constitución.
Casa de la Marcela
A private house dating to 1888 with modernist elements. Located on Calle San Sebastián.
THINGS TO SEE OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE
Castillo de las Aguzaderas
A fortress of Arab origin, later modified in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, used to defend the water spring of the source of the Aguzaderas. Its towers are known as Cote, el Bollo, Lopera, del Águila, Alocaz and Llado. It was restored by the Ministry of Culture in the 60's of the twentieth century, hence its current state of conservation. Declared National Monument by Royal Order in 1923 thanks to the works carried out by Don Feliciano Candau and the Duke of Medinaceli. At present the main use of the fort is an auditorium, which each summer hosts "Flamenco Night Las Aguzaderas". Located 3Km from El Coronil.
Dehesa de los Pilares
A large property of land equipped with a great variety of species typical of the Mediterranean forest such as holm oaks, coscojas, lentiscos, jaras, cantueso, tomillos etc, as well as an abundant variety of fauna. Located 4Km south east of El Coronil, accessed via a road called, La Fresnadilla, which divides it into two parts.
COUNTRYSIDE WALKS
Vereda de los Callejones
The drovers track links El Coronil with the Castillo de las Aguzaderas in a passage of about 3.5Km, which is now used as a walking route. Visitors can enjoy impresive panoramas of the countryside. The route is also known as Camino de la Viña los Pinos, since halfway along the route there is an agricultural estate of the name.
Vía Verde de la Sierra
The Vía Verde is the most important tourist enclave of several municipalities. It unites the localities of Puerto Serrano and Olvera, passing through Coripe and Pruna. It forms an exceptional route full of tunnels, roads and a great variety of landscapes. These tracks run on disused railroad tracks. Each of the stretches along the Vía Verde has accommodation facilities, which are old restored railway stations. There are four viaducts, thirty tunnels and five stations.
GASTRONOMY
Traditional dishes served in El Coronil include revuelto de tagarninas (wild thistle scrambled eggs), vinagre con sopones (crutons with garlic), sangre de cerdo con tomate (pig's blood with tomato), carne mechada (roast meats), patatas a la cerveza (potatoes done in beer), gachas (a sweet type of porridge made with bread), caracoles (snails), pimientos empanados (breadcrumbed peppers), pastel de carne (similar to lasagne) and pescados a la plancha (grilled fish).
HANDICRAFTS
Crafts made in El Coronil include woodwork, ceramics and fabrics.
FESTIVALS
Cabalgata Reyes Magos
Three Kings procession celebrated on the evening of 5 January.
Festividad de San Pablo
Celebrated the 25 January.
Carnaval
Celebrated in February.
Semana Santa
Holy Week.
Romería de San Isidoro del Campo
Celebrated the first or second weekend of May.
Caracolá
Part of the Ruta de la Tapa. Celebrated the beginning of June.
Fiesta de la Juventud y por la Convivencia
Celebrated in June or July.
Feria de San Roque
Celebrated the 16 August.
Noche Flamenca "Las Aguzaderas"
Held in the late summer. Date subject to change.
Feria Comercial y Tecnológica
Comercial and technological fair celebrated at the end of the summer.
NEXT PLACES
The next villages to El Coronil are Utrera, Morón de la Frontera and Montellano.
Hover the cursor over El Coronil to see bigger map and click to go to the maps page.