Motril


Motril is a town and municipality of Spain belonging to the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia.
The main settlement is located a few kilometers inland, separated from the Port of Motril by the Guadalfeo delta. Motril is the second most populated municipality in the province, with 60,368 inhabitants as of 2016.

History

Although its exact origins remain unclear, Motril started as a Phoenician enclave, and continued to exist in Roman times.
Sugarcane was brought to the area by Arabs as a result of the
Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
The area yielded to the Catholic Monarchs in 1489. The settlements of Pataura and Jolúcar belonged to Motril. At the turn of the 16th century, its population was still overwhelmingly Muslim, and so King Ferdinand prohibited Christians from living in Motril and ruled that those Christians who owned possessions there were to relocate to Salobreña. After the mass conversion of the population in 1500, the town subsequently featured a majority of New Christians, or Moriscos. After the Rebellion of the Alpujarras, most moriscos were expelled from the Kingdom of Granada as had been decreed in 1570. This exodus halved the population of Motril. Due to this, in 1573 the Crown encouraged 60 Old Christian settlers to move to the area with their families. By 1574 there were however only 56 registered settlers, accounting for 254 people.
The Church of the Incarnation was built in the 16th century on the site of a mosque. The building formed part of the defences which protected the town centre, and incorporated defensive features which are still visible today.
Sugarcane was the staple crop in Motril, and after its harvest it was processed into sugar in local refineries. The most important of these was "La Casa de la Palma", the remains of which are on display at the Museo Preindustrial de la Caña de Azúcar.
By the end of the 1600s, the church had been built.
In 1657, Philip IV granted Motril the title of city, separating its jurisdiction from Granada.
At the beginning of the next century, Philip V distinguished Motril as "Muy Noble y Leal", the motto shown on the Motril's current coat of arms.

19th century

After the War of Independence, during which Motril was occupied by French troops, the city's sugar industry entered a new era with the introduction of steam technology for sugar production. After a few years, due to an increase in the number of sugar refineries, it became the largest producer in Granada.
During the short-lived First Spanish Republic, the cantonal rebellion took place. Various places declared themselves independent cantons including Motril between July 22 and 25 in 1873.
The most traditional ride in the city, "Las Explanadas", opened to the public in the mid-19th century.

Monuments

Sugar cane refineries

Motril has long been synonymous with sugar and sugar cane. The process from sugar cane transformation into various types of sugar, even liquors like the cherished rum of Motril, has always been the basis of the local economy.
Sugar cane refineries in Motril include:
  • Nuestra Señora del Pilar. This refinery is undergoing restoration as an industrial museum.
  • Nuestra Señora de la Almudena.
  • Azucarera de San Luis.
  • Nuestra Señora de Lourdes.
  • Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza.
  • Nuestra Señora de las Angustias.
  • Azucarera de San Fernando.
  • Ingenio de San José, El Varadero.

    Individual refineries

Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza (Alcoholera)

The refinery is located next to the public swimming pool and the Parque de las Américas.
It has been declared of historic value by the Andalusian Government with the chimney, store, distillery and terrain protected.
History
It was founded by the Larios family in 1885, a family which founded a company based on the production of sugar and alcohol. At present, the company makes gin.
The refinery was later burned down by workers frustrated with their low salaries.

Nuestra Señora de las Angustias (La Fabriquilla)

Leaving Motril and moving towards Puntalón and La Garnatilla is the sugar refinery of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias, built in 1868. Some of its premises have been restored and are now intended for municipal usage, highlighting the magnificent "Nave de los Arcos". Juan Ramón La Chica owned two refineries called "Nuestra Señora de las Angustias", with one in Granada and the other in Motril. He gained full ownership over the latter in 1874. He also owned another sugar cane refinery called "Nuestra Señora del Carmen" in Pinos Puente, Granada.

Religious buildings

  • Iglesia Mayor de la Encarnación, The Church of the Incarnation, was erected in the 16th century on the site of a mosque.
  • Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza
  • Iglesia de la Divina Pastora.
  • Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Victoria.
  • Ermita de la Virgen del Carmen.
  • Iglesia del Convento de las Nazarenas.
  • Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias.
  • Ermita de San Antonio de Padua.
  • Ermita de San Nicolás.
  • Ermita del Señor de Junes.
  • Capilla del Santo Rosario

    Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza

This church is one of the most important and emblematic monuments in Motril. Located on a hill called Virgin's Hill, the church was built on the ruins of a Nasrid fortress in the 17th century by the architect Isidro de la Chica. The building was damaged during the Civil War in the 20th century and it was restored by the sculptor Manuel Gonzales, a sculptor from Motril, in the 1960s. Inside the church is the patron saint of Motril, the Virgen de la Cabeza. The church's modern day surroundings include the Parque de los Pueblos de América and the first fountain built in Motril, featuring a large Spanish flag.

Population

Motril has 61,171 inhabitants across an area of 110km2. Over the last several centuries the population has risen from 4,300 in 1610, with migration the most significant factor especially in earlier periods.

Economy

Agriculture

The cultivation of sugarcane was for a long time important in the countryside, but commercial growing ended in 2006. Once the cane had been harvested, it was brought to Motril's sugar refineries including:
  • "Nuestra Señora del Pilar"
  • "Nuestra Señora de la Almudena"
  • "Azucarera de San Luis"
  • "Nuestra señora de Lourdes"
  • "Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza"
  • "Nuestra Señora de las Angustias"
  • "Azucarera de San Fernando"
  • "Ingenio de San José, El Varadero"
These refineries are now abandoned.
The potato was also a significant crop. Situated on the south coast of Andalusia, Motril grows crops like avocado, custard apple, guava, mango, and banana, as well as greenhouse cultivation. Motril and the villages of its municipality, Carchuna, Calahonda, Castel de Ferro and others, live off of crops grown in greenhouses. Of these crops grown in greenhouses, tomatoes and cucumbers are the most significant although others such as custard apples, beans and peas are also grown.

Industry

Motril's geographical location makes it a commercial and industrial center. One of the essential industries in Motril besides greenhouse agriculture is the paper mill, which provides 400 jobs and produces around 250 tons of paper per year. The Port of Motril is both a commercial and fishing port.

Climate

The climate in Motril is determined by two important geographic factors:
The combination of both factors allows the presence of a subtropical microclimate. The annual average temperature is between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius. Summers are hot, with high temperatures between 27 and 31 degrees and low temperatures between 18 and 22 degrees while winters are mild, with high temperatures usually over 17-18 degrees and low temperatures between 9-10 degrees. The African continent helps to cushion the hard effects of Atlantic and Mediterranean climate, providing warm breezes from the south.
Motril has a hot semi-arid climate with very mild winters and hot, very dry summers. On 16 July 2022, a maximum temperature of was registered in Motril.

Culture

Motril's theater, named Teatro Calderón de la Barca, organises many shows such as plays, exhibitions, concerts and monologues, and there is a local orchestra, the .
In Motril, there is a strong music development. Young people study several instruments at the professional conservatory and there is a local music school too.
Flamenco is also performed here in dance academies and exhibitions along the whole year, especially in the [|Cruces]. Flamenco is the most prominent dance style but other styles are also practised, like ballet.
Youth Area provides many activities organised by local associations that contribute to the city's leisure like video games tournaments, crafts workshops and once a year, an event called Encuentro Joven where young people and children meet and these association prepares games to pass a journey all together and meet new people. This area has a centre called the Centro Joven where expositions of young local artists draws are passed so it helps to get to know their work.

Holy Week

The Holy Week in Motril has been declared a National Tourist Interest, It consist of 12 brotherhood, 23 pasos and more than 6000 followers. There are processions every day.
The Holy Week in Motril started in 1600 with the eldest brotherhood, called Vera Cruz. After the Spanish Civil War every brotherhood had to restore its patrimony.
Almost all the statues in Motril are made by some artists from the province of Granada.
Processions of note include:
  • The starting procession is on Palm Sunday. In this procession we can see two different pasos.
  • On Easter Sunday there is a procession called "Dulce Nombre de Jesus". It consists on a group of children carrying the statue. It is accompanied by a lot of little children carrying bells.
Nowadays, the members of the brotherhood accompany the image with special clothes that cover their face.
In Spain there is a tradition of not to eat meat on Holy Thursday and on Good Friday.
Each city has their own stew. The typical menu in Motril is the stew made with chickpeas and cod, the cod with tomato, and some cod omelette. Also, there are different desserts like rice pudding, torrija... In these days it's common meeting the family.