Alcalá de Guadaíra

Located in the Campiña district near the city of Seville, the town is at the western edge of the hills for which the area is named.

The Guadaíra river and the irregular land forms add some interest to a landscape which would otherwise be very monotonous.

The settlement, of very ancient origins, has some interesting monuments, including the Castle, the Castle of Marchenilla, the Roman bridge, the Casa del Pósito, the Palace of Gandul, the church of Santiago, the church of San Sebastián and the flour mills along the river banks.

History

The earliest settlements date back to prehistoric times, as evidenced by the discovery of Chalcolithic dolmens at the archaeological site of El Gandul. The origins of the village date back to the Tartessians.

The Romans called it Aienipa. The ruins of a bridge over the Guadaira river are from that period.

It became important during the period of al-Andalus. The Arabs called it Al Kalat Wad Aira, which means "the castle of the Aira river", and from which the present-day name evolved. Its inhabitants used the river to transport the wheat they cultivated in their fields to Seville.

The city was handed over to Fernando III by the King of Granada Abén-Alamar in the year 1244. In 1253 Alphonso X was placed it under the jurisdiction of the city of Seville, and its inhabitants received the same privileges as those of Seville.

Alphonso XI gave the village many priveleges and tas exemptions.

Under the Christians it lost its economic prosperity, and only regained it in the 20th century, when agriculture was mechanised and the industry of Seville grew.

Eminent citizens
Father Flores, writer.
José María Gutiérrez de Alba, playwright and man of letters.
Pedro León Serrano, historian.
Juan Maldonado, jurist.
Cristóbal Monroy y Silva, playwright.
Antonio López Ordóñez, painter.
Antonio Guerra Ojeda, poet.
Claudio Guerin Hill, film director.
José María Gutiérrez de Alba, poet.
Joaquín de la Paula, flamenco singer.