La Zubia is in a privileged location and surrounding area, as gate to the Sierra Nevada Natural Park, in the region known as Granada’s Bell and surrounded by fertile land. It is a town that keeps the tracks from the settlements, populations and cultures that have passed by these places, with a rich historical-artistic patrimony. In addition it has recreational areas, beautiful meadows, caves and hills that promote the active tourism. One of its main natural attractions is the gigantic tree that presides over the Park of the Oak, a specimen of more than 700 years declared vegetal monument.

History

A Roman altar from the Roman period with an erased Latin inscription is conserved, since it was reutilized as base to erect the cross of San Antón in one of the streets of the town. In the Nasrid period it was already mentioned with its name like "farmhouse in the outskirts of Granada". Its name means retirement place or hermitage, az-Zuwia, which more than a historian has supposed that its foundation is related to the existence of some Muslim monk, whose devotee would begin the construction of houses in the present location of the town.

In the annals of this town the history that relates La Zubia to the Queen Isabel the Catholic has also been marked. It is said that in one of the attacks of the Boadbil soldiers the queen looked for shelter between a leafy laurel, known since then as “The laurel of the Queen”, and directed her prayers to San Luis. When this confrontation was won, later the queen would command to raise in this location the convent of San Luis. Once the expulsion of the Moorish occurred and the Christian repopulation with Castilian people mainly, its population experienced an important development and growth that has been accentuated in the last decades due to its proximity with the Granada’s capital.

Gastronomy

The gastronomy of La Zubia is based on typical products of the area. Its popular and traditional recipe book is nourished of plates like migas, the potatoes a lo pobre, the stews and the stewed rice. From its meats the rabbit, this is cooked al ajillo, whereas the segureño lamb is elaborated in the oven. Among the desserts, the almond cakes, the twisted rolls, the magdalenas and the alfajores stand out.

Museums and monuments

- Arab Baths: The Arab baths of La Zubia are located in the area known as House of the Fear. They are in an acceptable state of conservation and they show the Muslim vestiges with which the patrimony of this town becomes rich. They are dated in the XII and XIII centuries and present a solid construction, made in brick. The building that houses them is of rectangular plant and it is distributed in successive rooms. In fact, there are two parallel sections of something more than eight meters, covered by tube shaped vaults and with starred lights.

- Convent of San Luis: The Queen Isabel the Catholic ordered its construction and it was built in the XVI century. At the moment only the church can be contemplated. In the facade of this one the symbols and initials of the Catholic Kings can be appreciated. It has a baroque style mixed with simple lines, as well as a neoclassic tabernacle. In the outside it is possible to walk around a garden of the XIX century.

- Hermitage of San Pedro: Constructed in the XVIII century, it is located in the Plaza de España.

- Hermitage of the Virgen de Gracia: Located in the Mill neighbourhood, it dates from the XVIII century.

- Parroquial Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción: This temple is considered as one of the most interesting examples of the gothic-mudejar architecture of the Granada province. It was erected over the rests of an old mosque and dedicated to the invocation of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion, its original construction dates from 1562. Throughout the years it has suffered numerous restorations and additions. Of its interior the central chapel, with an enormous altarpiece made by Ambrosio de Vico in 1614 stands out. It also conserves a beautiful octagonal cupola and one of the more complete and beautiful mudejar caisson ceilings of the region. Its artistic and historical value is completed with an important set of carvings and works, as the picture “Christ served by angels”, of the painter Pedro Bocanegra.

- Rest of the palace of archbishop Monzón y Martín: The rests of the Archiepiscopal Palace, from the XIX century, are next to the convent of San Luis. Its construction was ordered by the archbishop Bienvenido Monzon y Martín over the rest of an old convent. The Episcopal coat of arms that it can be contemplated in its main facade stands out.

- Ruins of the Mill of Cantares: They are vestiges of Arab time. They are located near the Chorreras street, name that remembers the water jets which saved the unevenness of water.