Siles

Nature

The entrance door of the Sierra de Cazorla Natural Park, Segura and Las Villas from Levante. This municipality is a forest-growing mountain territory, with a minimum part of its area dedicated to cultivation, the olive tree being the predominant crop.

Here we find natural places like the ravine of the Tejosor Laguna from Siles.

They are many their viewpoints natural above 1,500 m of altitude. Among the activities that can be practiced in the term of Siles is spelology, climbing, hiking or free flight.

It also offers us recreational areas, highlighting La Peña del Olivarwhere we can visit the botanical garden to contemplate some of the most outstanding species in the Sierra de Segura.

The area of high mountain is populated by salgarean or larice pine, sabinas, maples, acebos and thorns; the valley areas, welcomes the engraving in addition to the black pine and in the intermediate area The dense pine trees and pastures abound. Next to the rivers and banks of the swamps develop the gallery forests: chopos, birches, willows... that put a color note in the landscape with the passage of the seasons, especially during the fall.

The fauna It is also very varied, in forests are often observed large mammals like the boar, the muflon, the deer, the gamo and the goat, small mammals like the liron, the otter, the jineta and the common squirrel. Among the reptiles is the Valverde lizard, exclusive of the area, and among the fish is the common trout.

Special mention deserves some natural sites such as:

• Reservation area Las Abeas - Navas del Espino.His special characteristics have earned his recognition as Area of Maximum Reserve within the Natural Park of the Sierra de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas, being included in the Reserve Area of Las Acebe- Espino Navy. It is the maximum level of protection. To the north of Mount Acebas rises the Bucentaina, 1,395 m., separated from it by the Stone of the Hole, which, although not included in the Reserve Area, is a magnificent natural lookout. On Mount Azebeas reaches its highest peak on the Navalperal at 1,620 m., a calcareous altiplanicie, type mountain calar. Here we find various plant species, complaints, majajelos, oaks and some hazelnuts, pine forests, olives and maples.

• Laguna de Siles. The natural continental wetlands are few in the Sierra, but the Siles lagoon, a small karmic lagoon, a high mountain calar. It is surrounded by pine trees and oaks which, although water remains all year round, reach its splendor in spring. They play a role like unique biotopeswhere many species of flora are found: algae, macrophytes, palustre vegetation on the banks, etc., and the presence of faunistic groups of the humid areas is noticed.

• Tu River. Born in Siles, at the foot of the Las Acebeas- Nava del Espino Reserve Area. With an unparalleled environment, with a forest of black pines and larices where there are abundant deciduous species, maples, complaints, majuelos and thorns. Of these calcareous plains are born infinity of streams: Arroyo de la Fuente, Arroyo de Navalasna, Arroyo de la Cañada del Avellano...

Parties and Events

• San Roque.Between August 10 and 16, the major parties of Siles are held in honor of their patron. The feast begins on the 10th, when the image of the Patron is brought in procession from his hermitage to the parish Church, where religious cults will be held every day in his honor. The saint returns to his hermitage on the 16th. The most important of this week of festivities is the bulls that are repeated every day, but the one of the most interest is the one that is celebrated on the eve of San Roque, in which the last re that has run that day, "The cow of the water of San Roque" will not be pointed at the end of the festivities, but it is carried to the hermitage to be sacrificed.

• San Marcos April 25. Feel the great devotion to this Holy One, who, together with San Roque, are protectors against plague epidemics and are very linked to the celebrations of ritual immolation of bulls and cows. On that day, the Sileans pass it in the field and it is traditional to take the "Hornazo de San Marcos."

• San Miguel Fair 27-29 September. In these parties with a very playful character, there is no lack of the traditional evening bulls and verbenas. A fair was previously held where the serrans of the region made deals to buy and sell the cattle.

• San Antón 17 January and Candelaria February 2. To celebrate these parties, the ancient serrana tradition of igniting fires is maintained.

Gastronomy

In Siles we find a very varied gastronomy and related to that of the region to which it belongs. Let's quote some of your dishes.

• Ajoatao: For your preparation we need potatoes, garlic, oil, salt eggs and lemon.

• Ajopringue: to do so we use oil, pig fat, pig liver, bread crumbs, garlic, pepper, cinnamon, pepper and salt.

• Lome of Orza: prepared with pork loin and spices such as oregano, black pepper, sweet pepper, ground nail, cinnamon in branch, laurel, dry choriceros peppers, garlic, cumin, Jerez and olive oil.

• Fritao: oil, garlic, flour, water, bacon, salt and pepper.

• Gachamita: are made with bacon, oil, flour, water, garlic and salt.

• Andrajos: We need rabbit meat, mint, parsley, mass cakes, potatoes and oil.

Warehouse:

Drinks, fried rosses, panets, pestiños, flowers....

Drinks.:

• The Crow: red or white wine, sugar water, peaches, apples, prunes and lemon scraping.

History

Because of its geographical location, Siles has been the place of establishment of various populations, from the prehistoric time when caves were used, to Iberian and Roman, but the true origin of the history of Siles is in the Middle Ages.

In the time of Al Andalus, it was a prosperous population, named in the chronicles as Silis. It had a castle - fortress that was one of the most important defensive bulwarks in the control of the lifting roads. It had in its term other fortresses, Peñafleita, Tasca and the fortified population of La Peña Horadada, necessary for its strategic position. It has been the scene of multiple struggles, when Abderran III began the pacification of Eastern Andalusia.

Siles was conquered to the Muslims around 1230, by Christian militias and Fernando III donates this territory to the knights of the Order of Santiago becoming part of the extensive rule of it, based in Sierra insurance and that it was its mission to defend the border between the Kingdom of Granada and that of Murcia.

In 1397 he was granted the Title of Villa because he had expanded his defensive fence with the construction of walls and three torreons. It also had a main fortress, which in turn had two other towers and among them was the housewhere the sanctiaguists collected the tithes of bread and where Don Rodrigo Manrique lived for a long time until his death.

In the mid-19th century, the fortress was still standing. Siles was divided into two, the old part called the Villa, within the walls, which kept their almenas and three doors and the urban town outside, which was called New Population.

In the last 30 years, the population of this municipality has experienced a significant decline, leaving in some villages and only some families, when they are not uninhabited or dedicated to tourist or agricultural purposes.