Its attraction resides is in that it preserves its character and structure of mountain town, located in particular surroundings and near the city of the Alhambra. The diverse landscapes of great ecological value get their shape by the pass of the Monachil waters. Three exceptional places can be distinguished: the high mountain, with levels superior to the 2,000 meters of altitude and elements like lagoons, meadows and borreguiles; the medium mountain, of great landscaping diversity; and the area of lower altitude, laid out by a fertile plain and variety of cultivations. The range of activities is very wide and goes, of course, from the practice of the alpine ski, cross-country ski, snowboard and other activities in the snow, to walking routes, in bicycle or horse, rock climbing and para-gliding. Apart from enjoying a wide range of sports and leisure, and the active tourism in general, the town has the typical crafts and a rich excellent cuisine.
The river bed of the Monachil river has one of the most spectacular places of Sierra Nevada: the canyon of Los Cahorros. Located only two kilometres from Monachil it offers a landscape of steep edges, stone tunnels, a waterfall and its famous suspended bridge which is more than 55 tall. It is one of the most visited places by the hikers of the province.
A good part of the abundant native flora of Sierra Nevada can be observed in the botanical garden of La Cortijuela, where more than a hundred vegetal representative species of the National Park have been collected for their investigation and study, like oaks, quejigos, serbales, majuelos, madreselvas, escaramujos and retamas. This garden is located in the proximities of the Trevenque Hill, between the Forest house of La Cortijuela and the Arroyo Huenes. It is acceded through a pedestrian footpath of two kilometres that starts off in the Fuente del Hervidero and crosses colourful places as the Bridge of the 7 Eyes.
Although the name of the town corresponds to the andalusí period, its foundation as human settlement goes back in time several millennia, according to the testimonies of the prehistoric site of the Cerro de la Encina. There, archaeological rests of a fortified town of the Argaric culture, whose antiquity date of the time towards the year 1700 b.C have been found. It is one of most important of its period, due to its defensive architecture as well as by its privileged location. In fact, it was used in later stages by settlers of different cultures. It is said that the houses were clay cabins and its graves were rich in utensils. The main pieces are conserved in the Provincial Archaeological Museum. As a peculiar data, half of the bones found are from horses. Indications of the presence of the tardorromana and preIslamic cultures have been found as well.
At Muslim time, Monachil was a farmhouse called al-Munastal Qaryat. Its population was dedicated to the agriculture, and specifically to the cultivation of white mulberries to feed the silk worms and the spin of this one. In the XVI century the Monachil district is formed. After the Reconquista, the town was repopulated through the sale of land to Castilian farmers.
The gastronomy is based on the traditions as mountain town. One of its more traditional dishes is the pot of San Antón, which is elaborated with dried beans, rice, chick-peas, fennel and diverse parts of pig, of which the trotter or the tail do not escape neither. It is usually tasted in popular meals in winter. The recipe book is complete with dishes like papas a lo pobre, beans with jam cured in the town and casserole with vegetables.
- Cerro de la Encina site: It is a site located in the area of the Huertas, of Argaric origin, where there was an important settlement formed by a town and a fortified enclosure. The studies made by the University of Granada have determined that it is one of the most important sites of that period in the Iberian Peninsula. In the Provincial Archaeological Museum some of the pieces during the excavations can be found.
- Church of the Encarnación: It was canonically erected in 1501, time of transit to the Mudejar Granada, and it is located in the Plaza Alta of Monachil. This temple has two facades and one tower to the left of the head. The lateral facade, at the left of the temple, is made of brick with a semi-circular arc between pillars that mark the projection.
The main facade, made also of brick, is formed by toscanas pillars, smooth entablamento and coat of arms of the archbishop Argaiz. The altarpiece, dated in the XVI century, is one of most important ones of the Granada’s Renaissance and it was probably created in the factory of Pedro Machuca.
- Convent of the Padres Agustinos Recoletos: It is located in the Monachil neighbourhood from 1912. It is the Sanctuary of Santa Rita and place of pilgrimage in its day by devotee coming from all the province.
- House of the Mill: It is an stately mansion whose main interest is centred in the courtyard. It has an inferior floor equipped with Doric octagonal pillars surrounded by a covered corridor with wood panelled ceilings. The superior floor is closed with windows and right feet with zapatas. Another building was added to this house in 1780, being the main facade, with the cover of stonecutting lintel and coat of arms the most outstanding sections
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