Flavours of Spain
Guadix - Part 1
The town
Set on a pass between Granada and Andalucia, it is one of the oldest settlements in Spain, being settled since Roman times. Part of the Roman remains can be seen near the cathedral. From the beginning of the C8th, it was an important Moorish settlement guarded by its Alcazaba. This was abandoned at the end of the C15th after the Catholic conquest of Spain. The Moors were forced to leave the city and the Catholic cathedral was built on the site of the mosque.
It is an attractive town, dominated by the Cathedral, a splendid red sandstone building.
The Plaza de la Constitucion near the Cathedral would originally have been the Moorish market, full of stalls as well as workshops and warehouses. It became the main administrative area of the Catholic town with the town hall and goal and governor’s house. Reached through a grand archway, it is now an attractive square with an arcade giving covered access to the many cafes and small shops.
Buildings in the centre of the town are large, often with splendid doorways.
