Válor was cradle of the best known Alpujarras man of all the times: Fernando de Cordoba y Válor, known as Abén Humeya. Proclaimed “king of the Andaluces” in 1568 was the impeller and first leader of the Moorish rebellion, until he was overthrown by his cousin Abén Aboo. Abén Humeya was born in 1520 and was member of an outstanding Moorish family turned to Christianity after the conquest of Granada in 1492. It abjured of the Christianity faith to recover the Islamic religion and to fight against the repression of the faith and the Muslim customs and the breach of the Capitulations of Granada and the Pragmatica Laws of Carlos I and Felipe II. This rebellion, that lasted three years and it extended by the entire province, was controlled violently by this last King.

Besides to have a good hotel industry offer and an interesting town centre, Válor has impressive natural places. But of its tourist attractions the most important one is without a doubt the Fuente Agria. It is a mining-medicinal water birth that has fame of miraculous, located in the place known as Cuesta Viñas.

Next to the town and dependant of its City council, two small and precious villages deserve the visit of the travellers: Nechite, whose name is synonymous of joy, and Mecina Alfahar, which conserves in its surrounding the rest of one of the greatest medieval castles of the region.

Its great influence over the Moorish rebellion has had as a result one of the most impressive and more traditional Moors and Christians celebrations of the province.

History

Archaeological rests that suggest the existence of human settlements in this territory in the Bronze Age and in the time of the Roman Empire have been found. Even so, the origins of this town as population centre goes back to the stage of the Muslim occupation, keeping almost totally its appearance of then. It was part of the Juviles Taha and experienced a period of splendour thanks to the crafts of the silk.

After the Christian conquest, the pressure that the new lords exerted on the Moorish caused the rise of the lord Fernando de Cordoba y Válor. He was crowned here as king of the Alpujarras with the name of Abén Humeya. But he was overthrown at hands of his cousin Abén Aboo and later assassinated. When Don Juan of Austria reduced the Moorish revolt, Válor was repopulated with Christians coming from Jaén.

Gastronomy

The marinated partridge and the soplillos, and inherited desserts of meringue and almond of Moorish pastry making, are the best recipes of Válor. The district has also a goat cheese factory and an olive oil mill.

Museums and monuments

- Casa de Abén Humeya: Data del siglo XVI, y como bien dice su nombre perteneció a Fernando de Córdoba y Válor, Abén Humeya, primer dirigente de la rebelión morisca.

- Church of San Antón: It was built at the end of the XV century; it is dedicated to San Antón, patron of Mecina Alfahar, and inside the carving of the saint built in the XVIII century rests.

- Church of Virgen de la Antigua: Church dedicated to the Virgen de la Antigua, patron of the town of Nechite. It is a small chapel built in the main square of the town. It dates from the XVI century.

- El Castillejo: The rests of its walls and vestiges of its past can still be seen. It is located to the Southeast of the fertile plain of Válor; it was defence, fortress and permanent watcher, being part of the history of the town. It was built by the Moorish to defend themselves of the attacks of the Christian troops, since the valley that goes up from Ugíjar was a easy access for its army.

- Iglesia Parroquial de San José: t is a construction of the XVI century. It has an interesting caisson of Mudejar style, besides to conserve in its interior a precious carving of the Christ of the Yedra and an Inmaculada of the Alonso Cano school.

- Puente de la Tableta: It is the Arab bridge built over the Valor river in the royal road that linked Almeria with Granada. It was built with red brick and a single eye that saves a great distance between the two shores.