Padul

Map of Padul

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Thirteen kilometres south of Granada city, (El) Padul is sometimes overlooked by travellers, but those who do find the town are enchanted by its history and fabulous location. Set just a stone's throw from Granada, the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Costa Tropical beaches and the Alpujarran mountain range, Padul is an ideal base to explore the region and find something of traditional Spain. Cruz de la Atalaya. El Padul

Author: Jose Antonio Rubio

History

In Roman times the settlement at Padul was known as Palus-dis. Meaning gap or marshy place this is thought to refer to the marsh which existed next to the town until the 18th Century when it was drained for farming. On taking the town in the 8th Century the Moors changed the name to Al Badul, and transformed it into a thriving town with mills producing olive oil and flour and factories producing high quality silk. After several centuries of passing between Moorish and Catholic rule, Padul was conquered for the last time by the Marquis of Villena and fought off the Moorish uprising against the town. The town lived quietly until the 19th Century when it declared its independence from Granada and became a district apart. After a week it was decided this was a bad idea however and they were centralised once again! In recent times Padul has led the way in fabricating materials for the building industry, in particular bricks, tiles and quarries for the much needed sand.

Attractions

Padul has a great deal to see and do, as well as places just to sit and watch the world go by. In particular the village church, la iglesia Santa Maria la Mayor - some of which dates back to 1530 - and the 'Casa Grande' the old 'palace' of Padul stand out historically. Dating from the 16th Century the Casa Grande was constructed from the ruins of a former fortified house and includes a headstone depicting the defence of the town against the Moors in 1569. In modern day Padul, locals and tourists alike can enjoy flamenco shows at the Pena Flamenca each weekend, while for nature lovers the Laguna inside the massive Sierra Nevada natural park - has a huge number of birds to watch.