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General
Village
situated in the northeast of the province, on the border
with the province of Murcia, in a landscape that looks
more and more like that of the east, made up of fertile
areas of irrigated land next to the watercourses and of
dry hills covered in esparto grass and semi-desert like
elsewhere.
Its privileged location has enabled the village to be an
important commercial centre since ancient times and now
it is still an obligatory route between the east and the
south. This fact is reflected in the urban structure
which preserves buildings and singular monuments such as
the Asunción Parish Church, the Granary, the Town Hall
(old courthouse), the Arabic Tower and the Palace of
Four Towers (Palacete de las Cuatro Torres).
History
On the border with the province of
Murcia. For Menendez Pidal the origin of the place-name
Huercal-Overa lies in the repopulation of two different
villages at the end of the XVI century.
The presence of Phoenicians and Greeks (in search of
minerals), Carthaginians and Romans is known about. On
the summit of Cabezo de la Jara is Escipion Cave, named
after a Roman general who is thought to have been here
with his army. He died locked up in a tower after being
defeated by the Carthaginian general Asdrubal. The Roman
emperor Augustus included Huercal-Overa, Purchena and
Velez Rubio in the Roman province of Tarraconense.
The origin of Huercal-Overa can be pinpointed to the Al-Andalus
period. From these times the Arabic castle of Huercal
and the castle of Santa Barbara de Overa remain. These
make up, together with other fortresses, a secure
defence for this part of the Kingdom of Granada.
With the Christian conquest it was annexed and donated
to the town of Lorca for services rendered in the year
1488. Its population was very depleted, especially that
of Overa who preferred to leave rather than renege on
their faith. After the War of the Alpujarras (1568-1570)
and the expulsion of the Moors, repopulation was started
between the years 1572 and 1573, with Overa annexed to
Huercal. In the year 1668 it achieved total independence
from Lorca under the name we know today and by means of
a purchase document made to the Royal Exchequer.
In the War of Independence the events that are recounted
about the inhabitants of this village are heroic. Fierce
battles were waged in the streets, and on some occasions
the village had to be taken house by house.
The XIX century is characterized by the increase of
population. In 1805 it had 2,186 inhabitants, in 1834 it
had 3,315 and in 1887 it had 15,631 inhabitants between
the village itself and the countryside. Parallel to this
demographic increase, there was an increase and
expansion of the village buildings.
During the XX century the different international
conflicts and above all the Civil War affected the
village. In the surrounding area there still remains an
area of trenches. It also suffered the long postwar
period and emigration. From the seventies onwards this
land through which such illustrious travellers as Gerald
Brenan, Virginia Wolf and Juan Goytisolo have passed,
opened itself up with new hope.
Cuisine
Potaje
de calabazas (Pumpkin stew). Potaje de trigo
(Wheat stew). Potaje de tortas de bacalao (Stew
with cod cakes). Caldo de pescado con aletría
(Fish and noodle soup). Gurullos de conejo
(Rabbit with bread fried in lard with ingredients such
as garlic, spicy sausage and bacon among others).
Pelotas de maíz (Corn balls). Perdiz en guiso
(Partridge). Jormigones. Choto al ajillo (Kid in
garlic).
Sweets: Almond cakes. Filled pies. Cuajao de
almendras.
Wines : Grape juices, clarets y red wine produced
domestically.
Festivals
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Night
of Lights (Noche de las lumbres), held on 8
February.
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Holy
Week. During this week images by Salzillo and
Bellver are accompanied by more than 20 musical
bands and three religious brotherhoods: the Whites,
the Blacks and the Purples.
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Livestock Fair, 25 June.
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Patron
Saint festivals, in honour of the Virgen de la
Asunción, from 23 to 30 October.
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