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Igualeja AREA: 43,80 km² ALTITUDE ABOVE SEA LEVEL: 693 metres AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL: 1200 l/m² AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE: 13’5 ºC POPULATION CENSUS 1994: 1.011 .  
The traveller ascending from the coast on the San Pedro road, on looking over the highland region of the Genal valley, will first come across the municipality of Igualeja. After leaving the last hills of the Guadalmina valley, the road enters the small valley of the Seco river, tributary of the Genal, between deep gorges covered in pines which encircle until they come out on the hillsides naked because of the construction of this road in the Sierra de Cascajares. And at this point, the municipality is converted into the best lookout one could find to contemplate the beauty of the Genal valley.
The roughness of the terrain hardly leaves any other use than for the chestnuts and some mountains of olives, but at the bottom of the brook and near the town there are a few family vegetable plots, which bring even more beauty downstream, among the bank’s vegetation. There is hardly any news about Igualeja’s history, but it is supposed that it is linked with the neighbouring towns.
As with so many other towns in the highlands, situated next to the Genal river and on the mountain sides, the streets have to overcome large irregularities, that is why there is a considerable difference in height between one suburb and the next. The houses are made of stone, whitewashed, and forming the typical urban outline of narrow and twisted streets. It is worth stopping to see the parish church of Santa Rosa, built at the beginning of the 16th century by order of the archbishop of Seville, Deigo de Deza. It has suffered many reforms all along history until it was totally rebuilt some years ago, only conserving its tower, which used to be the minaret of a mosque. Inside this church, various sculptures have been conserved from diverse cultures, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Household objects and agricultural objects made with esparto grass. There is also leather craft.
The culinary tradition is centred on various dishes, some surprising, such as raw vegetable purée as this comes from Cordoba, which is quite far away. Other authoctonous dishes are porridge and breadcrumbs fried with garlic in the winter and cold soup in the summer. There is the local wine, pastrymaking based on Christmas cakes made with lard and sticky buns.
The festive calendar comprises the major fair and festivities of Santa Rosa de Lima, which takes place at the end of August and beginning of September. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday take on a special significance for the processions through the streets of the town, also Resurrection Sunday with the festivity called "El Huerto del Niño". The Corpus Christi procession is a tradition which has survived many years, while on the following Thursday, they celebrate the Día de la Plaza and on variable dates is the Día de la Calleja.
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History and Landscape
Further ahead, after passing the lane which leads to the Natural
Park of the sierra de las Nieves, the road which leads to Igualeja emerges. After a few
kilometres of rocks and thickets, the landscape returns to manifest all its splendour with
chestnut forrests which surround the town offering one the most characteristic sceneries
of the area.
Places to visit
Shopping
Gastronomy
Festivities and traditions