Today I would like to talk to you about an abandoned village, located almost in the center of Spain: Granadilla.
Located in the province of Cáceres (Autonomous Community of Extremadura), Granadilla is one of the examples of people, who suffered the emigration of their people, from the countryside to the city, between 1950 and 1970.Another villages were recovered, in the 80s; but Granadilla did not realise it and it was abandoned.
Aerial view of Granadilla
Granadilla
Founded in the IX by the Arabs --with Alcazaba, Mosque and market place-- was initially called Granada, which changed, when the conquest of the other Granada. Completely walled, in the sixties, when the reservoir of Gabriel and Galán was built, the village was expropriated, flooded the fields and it was surrounded by the waters. The gate, that only opened on All Saints day, when people came to pray to their deceased, the only ones who could stay.
Now, in the center, you can find the well-kept Plaza Mayor, in an empty village, next to the Town Hall and Church, and surrounded by walls and reservoir.
Reservoir of Gabriel y Galán
Walls of Granadilla
A part of the walls of Granadilla
The village
Main Square of Granadilla
The church of La Asunción
The Almohads built the Alcazaba –which was the Castle later-, on the highest part of the village.
The Castle of Granadilla
The Castle was commissioned to build by García Álvarez de Toledo y Carrillo de Toledo, Duke of Alba, among 1473 and 1478. Its Architects were Juan Carrera and Tomás Bretón.
Inside the walls, the population was distributed in a radioconcentric way around the Main Square, which is the highest point in which the houses formerly occupied by the members of the village's number, the state council and the predominant families are. Although the configuration of many houses has changed, because of the restoration of houses, that took place after the eviction, there are still almost intact some houses of some architectural importance.
Houses of Granadilla
Houses with the reservoir Gabriel y Galan in the background
Other houses
A street of Granadilla
A very abandoned street
Among the most outstanding houses, that are preserved without having undergone structural modifications, are:
The Castle
The house named “de las Conchas” (“of the shells”):
The house named “del Ayuntamiento” (“of the Town Hall”):
The “House of the Minaret”.
The old bar “Angelito”:
Well, I hope that you have liked this article and hope that you can go to this nice and abandoned village.
Until my next post, kind regards,
Luis.
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