Purchena

Purchena, Spain
Country	Spain
Community	Andalusia
Municipality	Almería
Government
• Mayor	Juan Miguel Tortosa Conchillo (PSOE)
Area
• Total	57 km2 (22.0 sq mi)
Elevation	555 m (1,832 ft)
Population  (2005)
• Total	1,645
• Density	28.9/km2 (74.7/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)

Purchena is a small, typical Andalusian town of 1,650 people. It is situated inland the county of Almería, at the foot of the Sierra de los Filabres, in the middle of the River Almanzora Valley, in the 'Comarca del Mármol', County of the Marble, surrounded by woods which ascend towards the mountains, an environment which contrasts with the rest of the municipalities of the area which are set in much more arid surroundings.

History

Purchena has been populated since the Bronze Age. It was also inhabited during the Roman period, but it was during the Arabic conquest when it was most important. In the 10th century it was founded with the name Hisn Burxana, and during the reign of Al-Ahmar I in the 13th century it was known as Val de Porchena, and it was converted into the head of the Almanzora, which formed a part of the Kingdom of Nazari of Granada. In the year 1489 the town became part of the Catholic Kings' empire with Baza, Guadix and Almería.

The current town took shape during the XVIII and XIX centuries around the Constitution and Larga Squares.

Moorish Games of Aben Humeya

The Moorish Games are a Historical event that Aben Humeya, King of the Moorish people, celebrated in Purchena in 1.569.

Mr.Juan A. Samaranch, ex-President of the Committee Internacional Olympic has told: The Moorish Games of Aben Humeya are a lost and found link in the chain of the Ancient Olympic Games and the Modern Games. This important part of the History of Purchena was written by Ginés Pérez de Hita in his 17th century book Granada Civil Wars: 2nd part.

More than 400 years later, the people and the Council of Purchena, pride of this only event in the History, have recovered them for who wants to know the past, to increase the possibilities of the rural tourism in the village and to be a good meeting place for different cultures. Several days in August, Purchena is a Moorish City where everybody wears Arabian clothes. During the Games several cultural and sporting activities and other activities are celebrated: Performance of the Historical event (staged by young people from Purchena in the same way of 400 years ago), ancient Andalusian music and Arabian Cooking, traditional dances and Sports (lifting of the “burxana” stone with 68 kg, Brick-Lifting, Throw of stone and Throw with sling) aAnd sports with a clear Olympic descendent: Moorish-Style wrestling, Middle League Race, Hop, step and Jump, Archery.

All these competitions admit the participation of athletes all over the world who want to win the prize and the laurel crown. Aben Humeya Moorish Games have been declared of National Tourist Interest by the Council of Tourism and Sport of the Andalusian Government.

External links

• Template:Es icon Purchena - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía
• Template:Es icon Purchena - Diputación Provincial de Almería
• Template:Es icon Juegos Moriscos - Moorish Games official page
• Template:Es icon Purchena - City Council official page

Bibliography

• PÉREZ DE HITA, Ginés: La guerra de los moriscos: (segunda parte de las guerras civiles de Granada). Universidad de Granada, 1998. ISBN 84-338-2445-7.
• ACOSTA MONTORO, José: Aben Humeya. Rey de los moriscos (Prólogo de Juan Goytisolo). Instituto de Estudios Almerienses y Ayuntamiento de Purchena: Almería, 1998. ISBN 84-8108-161-2
• ACOSTA MONTORO, José: Hisn Burxana. Apuntes para una historia del Castillo de Purchena. Ayuntamiento de Purchena: Almería, 1998.
• SOLA, Manolo; GRIMA, Juan: Guía Cultural y Turística de Purchena. Ayuntamiento de Purchena: Granada, 1.993.
• SOLA, Manolo: Guía para no perderse por las tradiciones de Purchena. Asoc. Cultural Gremio Luna, Ayuntamiento de Purchena: Almería, 2.001. D.L. AL-148-2002.
• http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchena