Olvera tourist information
Tourist and travel info about Olvera!
Holiday Villa, cottage, apartment or rural home for rent in Olvera
Map over Olvera
The distance between the city of Cadiz and the Olvera is 139 km notheast. Olvera has about 9000 inhabitants.
The environment is full of hills covered with olive trees, from which is extracted one of best olive oils in Andalusia. In fact, in the last years it has achieved the "Denominación de Origen de la Sierra de Cádiz", an idea in which other nearby towns like Setenil, Algonodales, Alcala del Valle, Torre Al-haquime etc, participate.
Within the municipality of Olvera, you can find the natural reserve of the "Peñon de Zaframagón"(photo 2), a rock located to the northwest of the town centre at a distance of approximately 14 km. Although olive groves have great importance to the economy, a larger economic source of this colourful place, is the cooperative and the prize "Arco Iris" of 1989 was won , thanks to being the town with the greatest number of cooperatives per inhabitant.
Monuments of interest:
Photo one shows a global view of the whole town of Olvera, with the Church and the Arabic Vastle visible on the top part of the photo
The Church
Dominating the area, like the top of a pyramid, is Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación (the Parish of Our Lady of the Incarnation) next to the Arabic Castle: it is the vertex of a white expanse of houses amongst olive groves. This church, in neoclassic style, was built by the orders of the Duke of Osuña in 1822 (which created a debt with the Olvera township by not investing the taxes in the improvement of the town) on the foundations of a small gothic- mudéjar (Andalucian Moorish) style church (conserving and incorporating a small baptismal room), which in turn was built on the foundations of an Arabic mosque. The work was finished in 1843, culminating in one of the greatest churches of the province, with dimensions worthy of cathedral.
The Arab castle
as it stands was constructed at the end of 12th century, mostly in the 13th, on a strategic rock, giving the ability to communicate with other nearby castles through signals (e.g. reflecting light with mirrors). Its structure was created deliberately to disadvantage enemy to the maximum.
The Moorish Wall
There exists seven buttresses that support the wall, demolishen of some of the wall has emphasized the "Cilla", which served as a jail and a ducal barn, amongst other uses. Today it is a tourist office and a municipal museum, comprising four display rooms and a patio with a majestic view. In one of its rooms, we can find a permanent exhibition on "the Castles and Strengths of the Nazarí Kingdoms".
Old town centre
Near these other buildings, in the “Casco Antigüo” within the old town walls is la villa (the village). To walk its streets is to travel 700 years back, to when an older Olvera existed. The towns origins are evident here, (narrow streets, strategic corners, old cottages, etc.), exposing the visitor to the old architecture of the Muslim town entwined with the modern.
La plaza de Andalusia
The plaza, also called "La Alameda" (tree lined area), is one of the places we must not forget to visit, where there is a majestic stone fountain/waterfall constructed in 2004. Above this is el Peñón del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (the Rock of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), a great rock garden full of ivy, flowers, birds and animals. The reason for its name is the Christ statue, with arms raised, on the highest part of the rock carved by Jose Even Navas, in 1929.
El Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Remedies is 2 km from the town centre. It was constructed in the 18th century, in Andalucian style on the foundations of a small hermitage. It venerates the patron of the locality, Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios, who is loved by the town of Olvera and many towns around, known collectively as “las cientos sierras” (the 100 mountain ranges). Unknown persons created an original statue to her during 16th century, which was restored 10 years ago. The head of the statue is in poor condition as the galleries became infested with termites for more than a century, however, the best possible restoration has been applied to it. The Archbishop of Seville, Don Good Jose Maria Monreal, was crowned here in 1966.
El Monasterio de Caño Santos
Located 7 km from Olvera, it was constructed in 1542. For many years it was the seat of the old patrona of the city, the Holy virgin of Caño, an image kept by the local Franciscan friars who inhabited the interior. In 1835 they were expelled and the monastery confiscated and abandoned. After many years, when the building was all but lost, the council of Andalusia decided to restore it. Although the monument is within the municipality of Olvera, this monastery is property of the city council of Alcala del Valle.
The environment is full of hills covered with olive trees, from which is extracted one of best olive oils in Andalusia. In fact, in the last years it has achieved the "Denominación de Origen de la Sierra de Cádiz", an idea in which other nearby towns like Setenil, Algonodales, Alcala del Valle, Torre Al-haquime etc, participate.
Within the municipality of Olvera, you can find the natural reserve of the "Peñon de Zaframagón"(photo 2), a rock located to the northwest of the town centre at a distance of approximately 14 km. Although olive groves have great importance to the economy, a larger economic source of this colourful place, is the cooperative and the prize "Arco Iris" of 1989 was won , thanks to being the town with the greatest number of cooperatives per inhabitant.
Monuments of interest:
Photo one shows a global view of the whole town of Olvera, with the Church and the Arabic Vastle visible on the top part of the photo
The Church
Dominating the area, like the top of a pyramid, is Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación (the Parish of Our Lady of the Incarnation) next to the Arabic Castle: it is the vertex of a white expanse of houses amongst olive groves. This church, in neoclassic style, was built by the orders of the Duke of Osuña in 1822 (which created a debt with the Olvera township by not investing the taxes in the improvement of the town) on the foundations of a small gothic- mudéjar (Andalucian Moorish) style church (conserving and incorporating a small baptismal room), which in turn was built on the foundations of an Arabic mosque. The work was finished in 1843, culminating in one of the greatest churches of the province, with dimensions worthy of cathedral.
The Arab castle
as it stands was constructed at the end of 12th century, mostly in the 13th, on a strategic rock, giving the ability to communicate with other nearby castles through signals (e.g. reflecting light with mirrors). Its structure was created deliberately to disadvantage enemy to the maximum.
The Moorish Wall
There exists seven buttresses that support the wall, demolishen of some of the wall has emphasized the "Cilla", which served as a jail and a ducal barn, amongst other uses. Today it is a tourist office and a municipal museum, comprising four display rooms and a patio with a majestic view. In one of its rooms, we can find a permanent exhibition on "the Castles and Strengths of the Nazarí Kingdoms".
Old town centre
Near these other buildings, in the “Casco Antigüo” within the old town walls is la villa (the village). To walk its streets is to travel 700 years back, to when an older Olvera existed. The towns origins are evident here, (narrow streets, strategic corners, old cottages, etc.), exposing the visitor to the old architecture of the Muslim town entwined with the modern.
La plaza de Andalusia
The plaza, also called "La Alameda" (tree lined area), is one of the places we must not forget to visit, where there is a majestic stone fountain/waterfall constructed in 2004. Above this is el Peñón del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (the Rock of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), a great rock garden full of ivy, flowers, birds and animals. The reason for its name is the Christ statue, with arms raised, on the highest part of the rock carved by Jose Even Navas, in 1929.
El Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Remedies is 2 km from the town centre. It was constructed in the 18th century, in Andalucian style on the foundations of a small hermitage. It venerates the patron of the locality, Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios, who is loved by the town of Olvera and many towns around, known collectively as “las cientos sierras” (the 100 mountain ranges). Unknown persons created an original statue to her during 16th century, which was restored 10 years ago. The head of the statue is in poor condition as the galleries became infested with termites for more than a century, however, the best possible restoration has been applied to it. The Archbishop of Seville, Don Good Jose Maria Monreal, was crowned here in 1966.
El Monasterio de Caño Santos
Located 7 km from Olvera, it was constructed in 1542. For many years it was the seat of the old patrona of the city, the Holy virgin of Caño, an image kept by the local Franciscan friars who inhabited the interior. In 1835 they were expelled and the monastery confiscated and abandoned. After many years, when the building was all but lost, the council of Andalusia decided to restore it. Although the monument is within the municipality of Olvera, this monastery is property of the city council of Alcala del Valle.
Holiday ideas
Rural homes Olvera [2]
Cheap rentals Olvera [1]
Tourist attractions Olvera [2]
Holiday apartments Olvera [2]
Walking holidays Olvera [2]
Holiday rentals in Olvera
Rural homes Olvera [2]
Cheap rentals Olvera [1]
Tourist attractions Olvera [2]
Holiday apartments Olvera [2]
Walking holidays Olvera [2]
Holiday rentals in Olvera
