Paterna del Río

Municipality encompassing Paterna del Río and the "Cortijada de Guarros". By a longitudinal stripe extending from the peaks of Sierra Nevada, for all its southern slope to the plains of Guarro, being built by the river Paterna, which divides the town into two nearly symmetrical halves.

The core of Paterna del Rio, with 335 inhabitants, lies half on the right side of the river Paterna, at an altitude of 1.193m. While the Cortijada de Guarros, where there are no inhabitants, is downstream in the narrow valley of the river that crosses through the area of the west.

Currently the municipality is served by the road that runs between Laujar of Andarax and Puerto de La Ragua and the local road that connects Guarros with  Paterna del Río and Laujar of Andarax.

 
The size of the two nuclei is small, as befits its small population, being virtually zero in Guarro outside the summer season, which reaches to 100 neighbors.

Due to its location in height, half a hillside during the Muslim period, the site is organized into four main areas: Alcudia, Harat Bailiff, Ben Muza Harat and Harat Albolote which together receive the name of "Las Paternas".

Historically its economy, based mainly on agriculture and livestock, with other activities such as mining and forestry, were vestiges of assets outstanding as were many of threshing, milling, pond, ditch, etc..
Today's economy is in stalemate, there has been an apparent increase in the average age of the population not having reached the crisis that occurred in earlier decades. The economy is built around the mountain farming, where the production of chestnuts and apples, as well as other sectors such as forestry management or subsidized ranching sheep and goats.

History
In the Neolithic ALPUJARREÑOS cultivated small gardens, collecting honey, adorned with necklaces of shells and colored stones and shoes were sandals esparto. This town did not possess weapons of war. His form of social organization was a matriarchy.

The core of the State Tartesos was developed in the Lower Guadalquivir, extending his power to the main mining areas Linares and  Alpujarra, somehow slowing the Celtic culture that invaded Europe and throughout most of the Iberian Peninsula by creating a new culture called Celtiberian.

The origin of Paterna del Río can be located in this historic moment because mines were found Gaviarra The findings of Iberian swords, although the name of the village is Latino. The Carthaginians were introduced in Andalusia snatching the Phoenician city of Gadir (Cadiz) and monopolizing trade with Tartesos, whose state is virtually annihilated. In the year 237 BCE, Amílcar conquer the whole of southern Spain, exploiting mines of iron and lead in La Alpujarra. La Alpujarra, the Roman legacy is not very extensive. In all likelihood, much of the infrastructure for irrigation and trails are believed to have been built in this era, at the initiative of the indigenous people ALPUJARREÑOS. In a region sharply as La Alpujarra, the introduction of the Arabs took a few centuries, and its population Mozarabic (Christian-Muslim territory) very important at times of the Caliphate.

In the year 913, the young caliph Abd al-Rahman III had to cross Sulaira Sierra (Sierra Nevada) by the Port of Ragua to quell a group of rebels (Spanish Muslims and Christians allied muladi = Ibn Hafsun) fighting for independence of the region and became strong in the castle of Juviles.

From the eleventh century, La Alpujarra again have a certain role, because the business that purchased the new Port of Almería: a large part of its territory to be planting mulberry trees, silk ALPUJARREÑOS competing with the best of the East. The cultural mix will give a distinct identity to La Alpujarra, with only a proverbial wealth. The timing will be more fruitful in the XIV-XV, with a formidable production of silk products, gardening, wine, nuts, aromatic essences, ... emerging inland or at sea, often as sales tax Nasrid kings of the Castilians.

The Muslim past that really was the personality of the final framework Paterna del Rio, a protected habitat in height by a small castle. The site is organized into four main areas (Alcudia, Haratalguazil, Haratabenmuza and Haratalbolot) and, though independent, were common in his organization, which explains its name of 'paternity'. The place had a mosque and two minors, in addition to the farmhouse of Guarro, Huerre the Muslim population at the end added in the sixteenth century.

This Arabic domination in Paterna del Río are memories of their children and two mosques in the castle. With the fall of Granada in 1492, many fled to the Andalusian Alpujarra, erecting barriers and creating a safe resistance groups that crystallized under the command of Aben Humeya.

During the rebellion of the Alpujarras, in February 1569, took place in Guarro victory over the Marquis of Mondéjar 4000 Moorish rebels. After the defeat, he fled to Aben Humeya-Paterna, and cornered by the royal troops, leaped to the mountains, leaving in place his wife, mother and sisters, who were captured immediately.

The bloody battles will end in 1570, the year in which Philip II ordered the expulsion of the Moors who lived in these lands.

One of the most important families of those that repopulate Paterna del Río-Rodríguez were Chacón. Soon extended its power to nearby villages ALPUJARREÑOS of Fondon, Laujar and Source Victoria, from where it branched to the nearby towns of the coast. His social ascent culminated with two titles: Marquis of Inizan - in the seventeenth century, granted to Don Francisco Chacón and Rodríguez-Arévalo, named, well, perpetual alderman of the village and colonel in the Guards Old Castle Coast Kingdom of Granada. The Marquis of Inizan have practically all properties of Guarro, cottages where they raised a palace (today only its ruins and part of the gardens and fountain) and cost of the reforms of the small church, built in the mid-seventeenth century.

In the nineteenth century, a branch of the family settled in Adra, he was awarded the title of Counts of Chacon. During this time shows a great change in all aspects, such as the decline of industry Sederer, declining crops, etc.., With the wear of the ecological and economic zone, with cereal crops by new settlers, adapted to other agricultural crops and livestock.

From the eighteenth century every village of the Alpujarras organized network of new banks, restoring old ditches and pools, consuming their own fruits and vegetables, raising flour mills, logging, wood, weaving, etc.. In short, a tendency to self-sufficiency and subsistence economy.

In the early twentieth century occurs again "fever for metals" ALPUJARREÑOS, where several foreign companies and nationals who return to the mine-infested region, such as the slope of the Gaviarra, but this glory lasted only a few years because to extract and process required large quantities of wood (no carbon), cutting almost all the hills and a large part of Sierra Nevada, resulting in a few years more ecological destruction in the past three thousand years mining. Also at this time was growing strongly parral. Today this crop to flourish once again, being one of the first choices for the bench to recover abandoned.

Attractions
CHURCH
Its structure corresponds to the type of Mudejar church of three naves separated by pillars and rectangular chapel advanced. The central nave and presbytery are covered with magnificent limes mohamares armor, while the aisles and have lost only retain colgadizos plates cut from the vaults hidden. The tower, a square, stands attached to the header in the side of the Epistle and staircases. The vestry and priest's house later, is located behind the header and on the ground floor offers a unique alfarje rafasan The walls are of brick and spun tapial and drawers, but are hidden by a modern enfoscado. The covers open at the bottom and side walls, and tiles have a structure with molded pilasters and entablature framing a half-point arc. Dedicated to St. John the Evangelist.

  
This temple is one of the oldest and best preserved in La Alpujarra. Built between 1541 and 1548, possibly at the site of the main mosque (called Agim Alquebir), the masonry work was carried out by Luis Navarro and Juan Lezcano Alonso de Contreras to cut the wood, as the conditions had to be purchased in Gor. During the rebellion, the Moors only colgadizo burned pieces that were on the side doors. In 1661-1662 the tower was raised and a few decades after the new vestry was built on the back of the head in place of the former, which occupies the bottom of the tower. Under the new Baroque aesthetic in the second half of the S. XVIII colgadizos of the aisles were concealed in vaults encamonadas hurdle and gypsum have also disappeared. Originally the interior of the church was very dark. The window that illuminates the chapel was opened in the late sixteenth century and the foot was later expanded.

ERMITA NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS REMEDIOS
Presents a Latin cross plan with a dome over the transept and half barrel vaults in the nave and transept arms of the chapel. At the foot has a podium while the head is raised after the dressing room, which is divided into three spaces: the central dome covered with a discount pendentives and the lateral half barrel vault with lunettes. The interior has a rich stucco decoration of scallop, and angel masks. On the staircase from the dressing room and stands the belfry. Although enfoscado offers a modern, it is possible that the plant is of masonry, with stone or brick rafasan at the corners.

Coinciding with the visit of Archbishop Pedro de Castro in 1591 described a church that was "pool" with wood ready to cover it. Although unaware that dedication was low (possibly San Sebastian), we believe that this building is the precedent of the current chapel. This devotional center did not become true until the first quarter of S. XVII. Thus, in 1625 the hermit Juan Cardenas had "made back most of it ..." with the aid of the charity and its work. The advanced S. XVIII is attached to the header and the original dressing room would be replaced by armored vaults. In 1805 the priest of Paterna, Juan Velazquez, made reforms in the chapel, consisting of a square with eight chestnut in front of the temple, construction of a new door and the elevation of a chapel at San Antonio Abad, a drawing room the chaplain's house and the stone fences, the house and gardens ruined by the earthquake of 1804.

FUENTE DE ARRIBA 
Set of source and sink. The fountain, made of stone, is built upon a stone wall, has two pipes, which collect water Manaque payment. The pillar, also in stone, leading to the washing water adjacent covered. The laundry has two washing rocks and runs a booth that protects, all built in masonry.

This source supplied to the population when there was no drinking of water.

FUENTE DE RUBIO
Source recorded in a dry stone wall. Made of stone, with stone from the area. Presents a pouring spout to the pillar, also in stone. Collect a water birth next.

FUENTE DEL CASTAÑO 
One source of pipe, built in stone. Collects water from a nearby source. Pilar masonry made with large stones in the area. Located beneath a chestnut.

CASTAÑODE  BALSA GRANDE
Castano, 11 m. perimeter and an estimated height of 25m, close to the area of the big pond.

ADECUACION RECREATIVA FUENTE AGRIA
Set of five wooden tables with benches and barbecues four double roofed with wood. Source. Panel report and recommendations on usage.

ALBERGUE DEL HORCAJO

Construction of stone with a hip roof of flagstone. It consists of an entrance hall and two dwellings. Capacity for 20 people.