Guadix (Granada)

Guadix was known in Roman times as Julia Gemella Acci and during the Arabic period as Wadi-As. It is located in dry countryside and has the Sierra Nevada as its backdrop. This small town is situated on what was once one of the oldest prehistoric settlements in Spain and you can still see some remains dating back to the stone age.

The streets and squares of Guadix help give it its own personality. 'La vía de la Concepción' (Concepción road) was once a souk during the Arabic period but today it has some striking houses that formerly belonged to Spanish nobility. The Episcopal palace is in Santa Maria street and the Constitution Square is at the historic-artistic centre of the town.

The neighbourhood known as the 'barrio de las Cuevas' is famous for its uneven layout, its entrances and overhanging buildings. The Santiago area is one of the most characteristic parts of Guadix, this is where Las Clarisas convent is located. The Santa Ana neighbourhood has an ancient Moorish atmosphere with its narrow winding streets.

Guadix cathedral, built upon a former mosque, presides over the artistic centre of the village. The building as it is seen today was constructed in the 16th and 18th centuries, designed by Diego de Siloé. The mixture of different architectural styles is its most noticeable feature with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements reflecting the different periods when building work was carrired out.

Fiestas in Guadix:

Romeria de San Anton: 17th January

Virgin de la Paz: 24th January and the third Sunday in August: Celebrations held in honour of the Patron of the 'Barriada de Paulenca'.

San Torcuato: 15th May

'Camorras': September- These are the best known fiestas in Guadix. they celebrate a dispute between Guadix and Baza over the Virgin de la Piedad dating back to 1490.