Alomartes: Route, Springs and History at the Foot of the Sierra de Parapanda

Nature and Route

Alomartes lies at the foot of the Sierra de Parapanda. The provincial route “La última frontera” passes through the town. One notable trail is the Área Recreativa de Alomartes–Cerro de los Santos route: it begins at the recreation area, leads to the Cueva del Agua at the highest point of the route, and then continues to the Cuesta de Cambril viewpoint on the slopes of the Sierra de Parapanda.

The Área Recreativa de Alomartes is located at the edge of the town in the direction of Íllora, about 1 kilometre from the town, and can be reached via an unpaved road. The route passes through a reforested pine forest with individual almond trees, as well as torvisco, aulaga and aromatic plants such as thyme, rosemary and lavender. Cañá Honda is a very damp area with abundant moss, lichens and ferns.

The Cueva del Agua is a geological formation reached on the descent from the Cerro de los Santos. The Cuesta de Cambril viewpoint lies on the southern slope of the Sierra de Paparanda, at the edge of a pine forest surrounding the town centre of Alomartes. From one of the viewpoints along the route, there are views of Alomartes, the town’s cultivated areas and the surrounding mountain ranges.

On the Cerro de los Santos is the “Hoyo de la Bandera”, carved into the rock and possibly used to install a flagpole. Signals were transmitted from this area of the Cerro de los Santos to the visible fortress of Íllora.

Springs and Traditions

The Fuente de Alomartes is a natural spring from the Sierra de Parapanda, around which a park was created. Its water was channelled via an acequia to the Molino de la Torre.

In Alomartes, the festival in honour of Ntra. Señora de los Dolores is celebrated around the second weekend of August. The Jota de Alomartes belongs to the group of “robaos” or “cortijeros”, a variety of fandangos characteristic of this area. Its performance at annual festivals and celebrations has been associated with the Jota de Alomartes since the 19th century.

History and Heritage

The Fuente de Los Caños is located on the cemetery road from Alomartes, next to the Finca del Molino del Rey in the pedanía of Alomartes. The public spring has two metal outlets with irregular water flow and a small basin.

Alomartes originated as a rural settlement in the 14th century and is mentioned as an alquería (qarya) called Allūmartiš. A mill of Arab origin is well preserved; its surviving elements include the water inlet, the cárcavos, the socaz and the interior.

The mill’s former owner assembled an ethnographic collection of folk objects from everyday life in earlier times. A Neoclassical work was designed in 1781 by Domingo Lois de Monteagudo, while the architect Francisco Aguado supervised its construction. The painting “Adoración de los Pastores” by Juan Melgarejo is dated to 1703.

To the overarching travel overview: Illora.