Periana information
Periana which is famous for the excellent peaches and
olive oil produced on its land, stand in the foothills of
La Sierra de Alhama, near Zafarraya Gap, on gently sloping
terrain which descends into the Velez region, with La Viñuela
Reservoir providing its surroundings with an attractive
touch of colour. Its municipal origins date back to 1761,
though the village was partially destroyed by the 1884 earthquake.
Its only monument of note is the Neomudejar-style St. Isidro
Church.
History
A multitude of archaeological remains have been found in the municipal
area, notably those from the Palaeolithic period at El Cerro de Alcolea
hill and the paintings in Marchamonas Cave. Relics from the Lower Roman
Empire have also been discovered. In Arabic times, the village’s
sulphorous waters were famous for their medicinal qualities; proof of
this are Vilo Baths, which were still in use until the 19th century. Periana
acquired municipal status in 1761, when San Isidro Labrador Chapel became
a parish church and the village ended its dependence on Riogordo. Another
episode in the village’s history, remembered with sadness by its
older inhabitants, was the major tremor which occurred on Christmas Day
1884; with its epicentre in La Sierra Tejeda, it devastated most of the
north of the Axarquia region, with Periana the village worst affected
by what became known as the Andalusian Earthquake, with 57 deaths and
the destruction of large areas of the urban area. Chronicles tell us that
the task of providing rescue and assistance for the victims was extremely
difficult. On 10 January 1885, King Alfonso XII visited the site of the
catastrophe, showing concern for the plight of its inhabitants and helping
to obtain aid with which to lighten the burden of the economic ruin which
had befallen many local people practically overnight.
Malaga province
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