THE SACROMONTE
The Sacromonte is situated in Valparaíso Valley, facing the Alhambra. These emblematic places are located one on each side of the Darro River, whose name seems to come from the Latin expression “D’auro” (meaning of gold), due to the famous gold sediments found there. It is a lovely place with its banks and its beautiful Mediterranean forest.
The Sacromonte is a picturesque and idyllic place where you can find prickly pears (chumberas) and pitas. The history of its area begins with the Reconquest of Granada in 1492, in a time of religious enthusiasm in which all citizens wanted to proclaim with fervour their Christian religious identity. In the XVIth century then, a set of relics and some texts were found in the Valparaíso, along with some books made out of lead: all this led to the creation of the “stations of the Cross” (via crucis) whose aim was to recreate Christ’s walk up to Calvary. The people celebrated processions and erected more than one thousand commemorative crosses, of which only few are still in place today.
The Sacromonte is the traditional gypsy area of Granada. The gypsies are numerous, enigmatic and above all, they are free people. They speak their own language “el calí”, of Indian origins. Federico García Lorca described their history with great beauty in his Romancero Gitano. Gypsies are well known for their festivals; among them, the most notable, ancient and bewitching is “la vieja Zambra Sacromontana”.
Source: sacromontegranada.com/historia.php
