Íllora is based in the lap of the Parapanda mountain range. In front of us the multicolour landscape of olive groves and cultivated fields that descend to the Fertile plain of the Genil unfolds; at the end, to the east, Sierra Nevada. The white small village of Íllora it holds to slopes of the rocky mountain, where its germ was.

The district offers landscapes of doubtless interest. The rests of the watchtower of Mesa, towards Alcala la Real, and of the towers of Tocon and the Encantada can still be seen, in Brácana. Excellent panoramic views are obtained throughout the road of Montefrío, which goes up through the Parapanda and Pelada mountain ranges. The one of Parapanda, with its 1,604 meters of altitude, it occupies an outstanding place in the life of the Fertile plain, being considered its barometer, of the saying "when Parapanda has montera, it rains there even if God does not want it". Special mention deserves the place of the Molino del Rey, in the area of the Soto de Roma, with a spectacular aqueduct of the beginning of the XIX century.

History

"The right eye of Granada": thus it was called this privileged fortress located in the middle of the Sierra de Parapanda and orientated to the Fertile plain. Plinio mentions it like Ilurco; but were the Suevos, Visigoths and Arabs, the Nasrids specially, who built the powerful fortress around which town was constructed.

If in the surrounding area the prehistoric sites proliferate, in the town centre the rests of Roman spas have been discovered showing the background of the town, consolidated in the Muslim period. Their news go back to the X and XI century, when al-Udri talks about it with the name of Illywra when talking about to the province of Elvira. Located near several passages between the north and the Fertile plain, from the XIII century became one of the main bastions of the Nasrids border, in first line after the fall of Alcala del Real in 1341. Illywra reinforced in those times its appearance of fortified villa with castle, walled enclosure and neighbourhoods, deserving the nickname of "right eye of Granada" by its importance as defensive place. Main character of incessant battles was conquered by the Catholic Kings in the spring of 1486.

In the occasion of this conquest, the writer of the period Hernando del Pulgar describes it with the following words: "This villa is put in a valley where there is a very extended fertile plain, and in that valley there is a high rock that controls all the circuit; and the villa is founded at the top of that rock, of strong towers and walls... ". After being sieged and the suburbs being attacked, the cannonade of eighteen lombardas decided the Muslim’s surrender, which left to go to Granada. Its first lord was Gonzalo Fernandez of Cordova, the Great Captain, of whom the rest of his mansion with his coat of arms in the facade are conserved.

In its new stage, Íllora was one of the Seven Villas that served as barn and pantry of the capital; little by little, while the hill of the villa became depopulated, the core of the present town grew on its feet, around the square and the church.

Gastronomy

In Íllora vegetables like the chick-pea, the lentil and the kidney bean grow up, although the olive grove is the most important cultivation. The majority of these ingredients are used to elaborate typical dishes like ajoblanco, gazpacho, the chick-pea stew, migas, the casseroles and the pisto. The wild asparagus are cooked in miguilla, tortilla or fried, as well as the collejas and thistles. From their typical recipes stand out: gachas of mosto, remojón, the almendrado illoreño and pencas with miguillas.

Museums and monuments

- Castle: In the rocky elevation that arises in the middle of the town appears the fortification of the medieval villa, the castle and the walls, Muslim work with caliph and taifas elements of the X and XI centuries, covered by the Nasrid restoration of the XIV century that gave it its definitive configuration. Strategically located, it was in permanent connection with the Castles of Moclín and Montefrío through a network of towers, which allowed a fast communication with Granada.

It was scenery of numerous events that marked the political life of the moment. It was formed by three enclosures: the villa, the fortress and the suburb, and was taken by the Catholic Kings in 1486. At the moment its state of conservation is bad although workings of consolidation and restoration have been carried out.

On the top the towers of the castle are distinguished, the "teeth of the old woman", and descending, the vestiges of other two walled enclosures that protected the area, today depopulated, where the mosque aljamá was.

- Church of the Dolores: It was built in 1781 in neoclassic style by the architect Francisco Aguado. It has Greek cross plant covered with a great semi-hemispheric vault in the cruise and short arms with tube vault. Of the pieces conserved in its interior, the picture “La Adoration de los Pastores” painted by Juan Melgarejo in 1703 stands out.

- Church of the Encarnación: The Church of the Encarnacion is a splendid sample of the architecture of the transition from the gothic to the Renaissance that predominates in the temples built after the conquest in the Montes region. Projected by Diego de Siloé with the help of his disciple Juan de Maeda and other masters, it was constructed between 1542 and 1573, stone "gravel" being used, with brown colours, extracted from the area.

It is a building of full sizes, a simple and monumental structure of Renaissance proportions, with a solid bell tower and elegant facades with classic sculptures of Diego de Pesquera. The interior presents a remarkable wide section, with crucería vaults, pillars and lateral chapels, by where two commendable baroque paintings are distributed, - like the Virgen con el Niño, near to Alonso Cano style-, as well as images and pieces of silver work, and relics of the cult to San Rogelio, patron of the villa.
Schedule of Cult

- Church-Convent of San Pedro de Alcantará: It is a work made during the XVI and XVII centuries, used after the Confiscation for different necessities and whose temple has been restored to house the present City council. It was the old church of the Convent of the Order of San Pedro Alcántara that began its construction in 1669 in mannerist style and it was finished in 1688.

The construction is sober and austere. The plant of the church is of Latin cross with the arms of the cruise narrow and smooth walls without decoration. A vault with lunetos that allow the passage of the light covers the section. The cloister of the convent is conserved in a lateral area.

- López-Font House : It was constructed between 1890 and 1917 in the neomudejar historicist style. It was built by indianos returned from Cuba, the house has wide gardens in romantic style that provide attractive and added value to the residential set. It is divided in two floors, articulated through gardens in French and English style. In the interior a neogothic chapel is conserved.

- Municipal Museum : The building that houses this museum dates from 1738 and it was constructed following the neoclassic style. It has two plants and its facade is divided in three parts. During its history it has served as district barn first, consistorial house later and at the present time it houses the Municipal Museum. In its interior it is possible to visit a permanent collection of rests of ceramics and utensils of the old Arab castle. In addition it has a temporary exhibition hall.

- Residencia del Duque de Wellington: It is an estate that was built at the beginning of the XIX century by the call “Prince of the Peace”, Manuel Godoy. It was donated to perpetuity by the Government of Spain, along with the territories of the Soto de Roma, in Fuente Vaqueros, to the Duke of Wellington and its descendants. A sample of gratefulness by his aid during the War of Independence against the Napoleonic occupation. The estate occupies the entire old Low Meadow of Íllora, an enormous land extension that arrives until Alomartes.

- San Rogelio Square: The San Rogelio square is the traditional meeting point of Íllora, with the voluminous parochial church, that dominates the town centre, and the old city council, restored to be the local history museum. To its back the rough rocky crag with the ruins of the walls and the castle, starting of the same small village rises; going in by the Almenillas street, one of the most aged gates of the fortress is found, of the X century.