OTURA
Otura is a town located 8 km (kilometers) south of Granada. Its name, of Arab origin, means "height". It sits in the foothills of Sierra Nevada, on a promontory from which you can see the city, the Alhambra and much of the fertile highlands to the southwest. The fact that these views are flanked to the northeast by the "sierras" makes the beautiful surrounding area a must for hikers.
In and about the town there is an irrigation system constructed by the Arabs that has been conserved and still functions efficiently. Water from the Sierra Nevada drains into the Dilar river and from there into the canal network that serves the town and its adjacent farmlands. The main crops to receive this irrigation are tobacco, onions, corn and olives. Gardens and orchards also abound. Dry farmed crops are wheat, barley and almonds.
Otura’s history has always been closely connected to that of Granada. Geographically it occupies an area known as "la campiña granadina". In older times this term referred to lands under jurisdiction of a parish. Later, in a more romantic sense, it was used to refer to the surroundings of Granada where the bell ringing from the "Torre de la Vela" (in the Alhambra) could be heard.
From its inception the main irrigation ditch established a separation between the urban area and the farmlands. Also, as is customary in municipalities of Muslim origin, the urban area is divided into two parts: the high quarter ("barrio alto") and the low quarter ("barrio bajo"). In Otura the parish church “Nuestra Señora de la Paz” (Our Lady of Peace) is in the high district. It dates from the sixteenth century and is a Mudejar style structure.
Otura has a population of 4,603 inhabitants.
THE MOUNTAIN PASS “SUSPIRO DEL MORO”
In the earliest annals of the Kingdom of Granada reference is made to a place called "Yaur Al-Wada", which literally means "the difficulty of parting". Today it is called "El Suspiro del Moro" (The Sigh of the Moor).
It was common practice among the Arabs of Al-Andalus to educate the promising youth in the Orient. The travelers were obliged to pass through the Otura area before starting the descent to the seaport of Motril. It was from the pass of the "Suspiro del Moro" that these travelers (as well as pilgrims to Mecca or exiles) had their last view of Granada and the Alhambra before starting down to the coast. And it was here that they sighed and bid a fond farewell.
A famous legend tells of Boabdil's departure after having lost in battle the Kingdom of Granada. He was travelling south accompanied, among others, by his mother, Aixa. The legends says:
"Upon arriving at the pass, Boabdil reined in his horse and paused, overcome by sorrow as he looked back at the city of the beautiful towers, once the center of his grandeur. The unhappy monarch relieved the immense bitterness in his heart by shedding tears and exclaiming "Allah Akbar!" (Oh, great Lord!). He nudged his horse into motion and with a deep sigh bid farewell to Granada. His mother, the magnanimous Aixa, perceiving the weakness of her son, reprimanded him by saying "You do well to cry like a woman for what you could not defend like a man"". (La Alpujarra. Pedro Antonio de Alarcón).
