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Condado Wine Region: History & Sightseeing
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El Condado came into existence as a region when the Middle Ages were at their height, in 1369. In that year King Enrique II transferred
Niebla and all its dominions
to Juan Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, the first Count of Niebla. But prior to that time the area had had an interesting history, marked by its first settlers (during the
Bronze Age, as evidenced by La Hueca Dolmen, in Niebla) and the rule of Islam, with Niebla as its most important town and the site of numerous remains, such as the
Almoravid-Almohad town walls.
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Did you know... |
...the name of the "Zalema" grape variety comes from the Arabic greeting "assalám 'alík", which means "peace be with you"?
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Tartessians, Romans and Visigoths also occupied these lands. Signs of this are the Tartessian ruins at Tejada la Vieja (Escacena del Campo), dating from the 7th-4th
century B.C.; the Roman bridge at Niebla and other remains such as heads of statues, and pottery (the earliest of which date from the 1st century B.C.); and Niebla
itself, which is full of traces of the Visigoths.
During the Middle Ages and after the Discovery of the New World, the flow of trade and people increased in El Condado. This affected its wines and brought an influx of
wealth, which was reflected in the construction and improvement of buildings.
Although some of the sailors who took part in the Discovery of America were drawn from townships in El Condado, the people of the area mainly worked on the land,
growing cereals, olives, grapes and red berries such as strawberries.
El Condado is an area of Huelva that has been inhabited by people of many cultures; hence numerous monuments of interest have come down to us from historical times.
This historical tapestry, together with the region's vast natural heritage and everything to do with grape-growing, is what makes this land what it is.
To start with, don't miss the opportunity to visit a winery – or several of them; each one is different and has a “certain something” that makes it unique and special.
To mention just two: Iglesias Wineries, situated in an 18th-century convent in the centre of Bollullos Par del Condado; and Rubio Wineries – the home of Luis Felipe
brandy – in La Palma del Condado.
Then, you could visit one of the numerous monuments dotted around the area. In
Niebla
you can find the "Paraje de la Hueca" megalithic site, with its grouping of three
dolmens dating from the Bronze Age. Escacena del Campo holds the ruins of Tejada la Vieja, a 7th-4th century B.C. Tartessian-era town; and Niebla – which was a major
centre of activity from the Roman era up until the Middle Ages – holds treasures such as the Roman bridge, the town walls (from the 12th century, although within them
can be seen earlier remains; moreover, they are amongst the best-preserved ones in Spain) and the
Castle of the Guzmán family
family (Roman in origin but refurbished by Visigoths, Arabs and Christians).
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Did you know... |
...barrels made in El Condado are used for ageing Scotch whiskies?
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Coming now to less ancient remains, there are different churches which are worth a visit, such as that of St. Mary of the Pomegranate (which represents the union of
two buildings: a 9th-century mosque and a Gothic-Mudéjar church) in Niebla; the Parish Church of St. James the Apostle in Hinojos; the Parish Church of St. Bartholomew
in Villalba del Alcor; and the Ermita del Valle (Valley Shrine) in La Palma del Condado – all of them Mudéjar in style. Another attractive church is that of Our Lady
of the Pomegranate in Moguer, in the Baroque style. Speaking of that, we should mention the existence of a particular style of Baroque architecture, which has its
roots in Huelvan lands and was exported to other Eastern Andalusian provinces. It's characterized principally by a slender tower with a very ornate belfry, crowned
with a pyramid-shaped spire decorated with ceramic tiles. The best example is the Church of St. Peter in
Huelva;
another good one is the Church of Our Lady of the
Pomegranate in Moguer, and there are yet others elsewhere in the province.
There are other religious buildings of importance, too: the Convent of Our Lady of Light in Lucena del Puerto, with its Mudéjar and Baroque cloisters; and the Convent
of St. John the Baptist in Villalba, founded in 1618.
Other interesting buildings are the watermills dotted along the banks of the River Odiel; the towers of former oil mills; mansions built with the wealth that flowed
into the area after the Discovery of America; and train stations, such as the one at La Palma del Condado.
Finally, this region holds a lot of interest for nature lovers. Part of the
Doñana National Park
– one of Europe's biggest nature reserves – extends into El Condado.
But apart from that, the region also has the centuries-old Wild Olive Trees in the streets of
El Rocío,
which are listed as Natural Monuments; part of the
Marismas del Odiel
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which extends into Gibraleón, and is one of the biggest wetlands in Spain and the whole of the European
continent; the Palos and Las Madres Lagoons, an enclave of great value for waterfowl; the "Domingo Rubio Estuary" Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; the Río Tinto
Protected Landscape, unique in the world and chosen by NASA for carrying out research into life on Mars; Hinojos Pinewoods and Salt Marshes; La Balastrera – an area of
shallow pools alongside the River Tinto, in Niebla; and the wooded hills known as La Pata del Caballo (the Horse's Hoof), in Escacena del Campo.
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