HISTORY:

The present town of Castro probably came into being in the Muslim period around a walled enclosure or fortress under the name of Qasira or Casruh. In 1240 the town was conquered through a pact made by Fernando III, and five years later was handled over to Córdoba´s council. Situated on the road to Granada, during the XV Century, Castro del Río was a place where Christian troops stopped to replenish their supplies on their way to battle in Granada. In 1565 Castro became part of the Marquisate of Priego under whose feudal jurisdiction it was to remain throughout the Modern Age.

PLACES TO VISIT:

The remains of the walled roman enclosure, loom above the rooftops of the town´s dwellings. This wall was erected by the Almohades in the XII Century to defend Castro form attack. Once in the urban heart of the town we come across an elegant statue of San Rafael, constructed in 1.702, and we can admire the homage tower of mediaeval castle in the distance. The nearby Llano de la iglesia is presided over by the slender facade of parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, a Gothic temple dating from the time of the Cristian conquest, 1523. After seeing the parish church one should stroll through the adjacent neighbourhood of la Villa with its traditional whitewashed houses and narrow streets, like Martos, El Agujero and Santo Cristo, wich are embellished with picturesque arches. Following Tercia Street one reaches the small church of Madre de Dios situated alongside La Puerta del Agujero, dated from 143. Other churches in Castro include; that of Nuestra Señora del Carmen belonging to an old Carmelite convent and reconstructed in the XVIII Century. The church of Jasús Nazareno, erected in the same period. On teh outskirts of the town stands the hermitage of Castro´s patroness La Virgen de la Salud, constructed in the XVII Century.

GASTRONOMY:

Pork dished are renowed in the area including el chorizo. M. Salcedo has collected recipes for old traditional dished such as el pescado a la minuta, lengua mechada and rellena, perdices en vinagrillo, guisados de borrego, huevos a la bandera, pechugas rellenas, albondigas Castreñas and lomo de naranja. Amongst desserts one should sample "huevos fritos", bizcoletas, hojaldres and tostones.

FIESTAS:

During Easter week in Castro the most outstanding event is a procession of Jesús Nazareno wich leaves the parish in the early hours of good Friday, and is made up of numerous penitents bearing crosses on their shoulders. On the second Sunday in June a gathering dedicated to La Virgen de la Salud takes place. From 13 to 17 September the town celebrates its Feria Real.

Mapa web