History

Near the present-day town there once stood an Iberian city called Lascuta, famous for the "Lascuta Bronze", discovered here in 1867, on which an edict granting freedom to slaves from the nearby city of Hasta was engraved.

The Romans called the town Regina while the Arabs knew it as Al-Qalá, meaning "castle" or "fortress". The king of Granada ceded the town to the Gazula people, of Berber origin, from whom its name is derived.

In Arab hands for over 500 years, it was conquered by Ferdinand III in 1248 before finally coming under the control of the Duke of Medinaceli.

It played a key role during the War of Independence, setting up the Mounted Militia in 1809 to combat the French soldiers. In 1810, the town's inhabitants were massacred by Napoleon's troops.

In 1876 the borough was granted village status.

Declared an area of Historical and Artistic Importance in 1984.

Eminent citizens
Jose Montes de Oca, 18th century. Sculptor.
Pedro Sainz de Andino (1786-1863). Author of the first Code of Commerce.