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The streets of Pujerra are narrow and winding

The municipality of Pujerra extends through the northern part of the Sierra Bermeja mountain range, descending towards the Genal Valley. The various peaks in the area are the Sanara, the Corcha and the Hiedra, with the Guaitará peak the highest at 769 metres above sea level. The river Guadalmansa flows through the municipality, crossing the Sierra Bermeja through a deep valley. Another important river in the area is the Genal, which waters the land north of the municipality, fed by the Bentomiz and Hiedra streams. Little is known about the early history of the town, although one can suppose it to have been populated through the ages by the various peoples that settled in neighbouring towns. Legend says that it was here the Visigoth king Wamba held land and possessions, and a brief look at the layout of the town tells us that the Moors had lived here too. Inscriptions on the facades of some of the houses show the monogram of Christ in the Greek lettering used in the second century, which would indicate that the town was already lived in at that time. At a later date Pujerra suffered the damage resulting from the Morisco (Moors "converted" to Christianity) rebellion after the re-conquest, and municipal archives from the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th centuries shed more light on the conflictive situation of that period between the Moriscos and the Christians, ending with the definitive expulsion of the Moors from Spain.

Places to be visited

Natural surroundings Like its neighbouring municipality of Igualeja, the town is surrounded by dense chestnut woods, giving way to pines as the ground lowers towards the bottom of the valley. On the way from Júzcar to Pujerra, one can see cork, chestnut and black poplars in the area known as the Molino del Puente. The best views over the town itself and the valley below can be seen from the ruins of an ancient mill in this area, and one can also see parts of the river Genal that people bathe in during the hot summer months. The combination of hot weather and cool forest land is particularly attractive during the summer, and attracts many visitors to the place. One can also take the road that links Pujerra with Jubrique, the 14-kilometre distance being ideal for walking or cycling. The road first passes through chestnut groves, turning into pine groves towards the end of the journey. The pines are visible from some distance, given their dark colour against the bright vegetation that surrounds them. From the San Pedro road one begins to see the high part of the river Guadalmina Valley, close to a house built for road workers along the way. Urban centre Interest in the architecture of the town centres on the urban centre as a whole, and its unique position on the top of the Sierra Bermeja mountains. For this reason it is one of the most visited towns in the region, its narrow and winding streets typical of Moorish urban planning, or lack of it. Most of the houses are made of rubble with whitewashed facades and Moorish-style roof tiles. The only institutional building of architectural interest is the parish church, the Church of the Espíritu Santo. It is a small building from the 16th century, with an interesting spire dating from the 18th century, built in two storeys with three angular openings, reminiscent of the Hermitage of the Aurora in Malaga City.

Main plaza with the church on the left

FIESTAS
The annual Feria in Pujerra takes place during the month of June, and it honours the patron saint of the town, San Antonio de Padua. It is the most important of the local festivals, with four days and nights of music, dancing and fun. A Romeria is celebrated in honour of the same saint on the second Sunday of August, when the Pujerra Cultural Week takes place. The festival in honour of the Virgen de Fátima is held on November 3^rd, with the traditional Tostón de Castañas (toasting of the chestnuts) taking place on the first day of that month, when the chestnuts are ripe for picking. Carnival time is February, and the Holy Week celebrations are very important in this town, with the Virgen de la Soledad brought in procession through the streets. Another important festive day is the Dia del Huerto (Day of the Vegetable garden), during which the people of the place bring products of the earth to the square to sell in a type of market, the proceeds going to charity.

GASTRONOY
The gastronomic tradition of Pujerra is similar to that of other small towns in the Genal Valley region. Here we find hot gazpacho, fried breadcrumbs, delicious herbal casseroles, dishes made from asparagus and other local vegetables and soups. The town is also well known for its excellent home-made pastries.

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