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Iznate AREA: 7,50 km² ALTITUDE
ABOVE SEA LEVEL: 311 metres AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL: 530 l/m²  
Iznate rises over a small hillock on the Iznate hills. A relief of rounded hills cut by numerous ravines, frequently convered with vines, olives and almonds which form a landscape which is characteristic of the Axarquía mountains. The small river of Iznate, which collects the district’s waters, hardly leaves room for some plots which introduce a bit of contrast. At present there is no documentation or archaeological findings to speak of man’s presence in this lands before the Arabic period. Its actual name comes from this era and seems to originate from the term "hisnat" meaning castle, which seems to indicate the presence, in this area,of outposts or frontier forts. After the Christian conquest in 1487, the town of Iznate continued to be mainly Moorish, and from the first years of the Christian rule, they began to manifest their complaints for the abusive behaviour of some of the Christian mayors. This prepared the terrain for the rebellion in 1569 which extended over the whole region and the nearby lands of Granada. After the expulsion of the Moors in 1574, it was repopulated with old Christians from Antequera, Estepa and other places from the inland. At the end of the 16th century, it appears as one of the towns with the largest grape production, being quoted as preference in supplying some traders from Madrid. But the disaster caused, at the end of the 19th century, by the plague of phyloxera produced the abandonment of a good part of its lands and wine presses.
The town with Moorish urban outline and therefore with narrow, steep, and windy streets, low one or two storey whitewashed houses, which form a crowded complex of which only the parish church stands out in the main square, and also the Town Hall building. The outstanding building is the church of San Gregorio, a 16th century construction which was rebuilt after the Moorish rebellion and restored fifty years ago. It has one nave covered with wooden armour. Outside it has six counter forts on one side. The tower has a square base with a bell body and double arches on either side.
There are no handicraft activities in the town of any relevance. Nevertheless, its excellent sweet wines can be acquired.
The local gastronomy follows the same line as other towns in the Axarquía, only with peculiarites such as the ‘maimones’ soup with bread and oil, garlic soup, ‘ajoblanco’ in the summer and the ‘hornazos’, the special bread with an egg inside which is eaten at the May Cross fair. At Easter there are the traditional kidney bean and chick pea broth and cod pancake with honey.
The patron saints festivities are the Viernes de Dolores, before Easter, in which they used to represent the Passion. On Easter Sunday they still have the tradition of hiding a small image of the baby Jesus near the chapel of Santo Cristo. This occurs on Easter Saturday and on the following day they find the image during a ceremony after the procession of the Virgen de los Dolores precided by the twelve apostles, who are represented by neighbours wearing masks. The one who plays the part of San Juan, points out the place where the image is hidden; the one who plays the part of San Pedro denies it twice and on the third denial goes to the place where the image is, takes it and shows it, jubliant, to the Virgin showing her that her son has resusitated, the moment when the neighbours let off rockets and their hunting guns in a deafening roar. The representation continues with four girls who take the image before the Virgin, then they take away the veil which hides her pain, and continue the procession up to the church. Other outstanding celebrations are the Day of the Cross, 3rd of May, the festivity in honour of the emigrant in the second week of August and in September is Candlemas.
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History and Landscape
Places to visit
Shopping
Gastronomy
Festivities and traditions