Andalusia
Andalusia (
Spanish:
Andalucía) is an
autonomous community of
Spain. Andalusia is the most populated and second largest of the seventeen autonomous communities that constitute Spain. Its capital is
Seville.
Andalusia is bounded on the north by
Extremadura and
Castilla-La Mancha; on the east by
Murcia and the
Mediterranean Sea; on the west by
Portugal and the
Atlantic Ocean (south-west); on the south by the
Mediterranean Sea (south-east) and the
Atlantic Ocean (south-west) linked by the
Strait of Gibraltar at the very south which separates
Spain from
Morocco. The
British colony of
Gibraltar at the south shares its three-quarter-mile land border with the Andalusian province of
Cádiz.
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Andalusian House, showing traditional azulejos (glazed tiles) and rejas (ornate window bars) |
The name Andalusia is derived from the
Arabic name "Al Andalus", which refers to the parts of the
Iberian peninsula which were under
Muslim rule. The Islamic history of Muslim Spain can be found in the entry
al-Andalus.
Tartessos, the capital of a once great and powerful Tartessian Civilization, was located in Andalusia, and was known in the Bible by the name of Tarshish. More information about this region can be found in the entry
Hispania Baetica, the name of the Roman province that corresponds to the region.
Andalusian culture has been deeply marked by the eight centuries of Muslim rule over the region, which ended in 1492 with the reconquest of Granada by the Catholic monarchs.
The Spanish spoken in the
Americas is largely descended from the
Andalusian dialect of
Castilian Spanish due to the role played by Seville as the gateway to Spain's American territories in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Andalusia is known for its Moorish architecture. Famous monuments include the
Alhambra in
Granada, the
Mezquita in
Córdoba, the
Torre del Oro and
Giralda towers in Seville, and the
Reales Alcázares in Seville. Archaeological remains include
Medina Azahara, near Córdoba and
Itálica, near Seville.
Andalusian cuisine is known for its use of
fish and
shellfish, its
desserts, and its world-famous
sherry.
Andalusia is divided into eight
provinces named after the capital cities of these provinces:
*
Almería*
Cádiz*
Córdoba*
Granada*
Huelva*
Jaén*
Málaga*
SevillaOther Andalusian towns are:
*
Algeciras, Cádiz
*
Jerez, Cádiz
*
Marbella, Málaga
*
San Fernando, Cádiz
*
Dos Hermanas, Sevilla
*
Osuna, Sevilla
*
Lebrija, Sevilla
*
Utrera, Sevilla
*
Antequera, Málaga
*
Motril, Granada
*
Ronda,
Gaucín, and the so-called
"pueblos blancos," Cádiz and Málaga
*
Úbeda and
Baeza, Jaén
Andalusia is the home of
flamenco music and of
bullfighting.
Day of Andalusia is celebrated on
February 28.
*
Music of Andalusia*
Andalusian people*
Andalusian cuisine*
List of Andalusians*
Travel to Andalusia Picture Gallery and Information on Andalusia*
Images from Andalusia*
Statute of Autonomy *
Government of Andalusia *
Parliament of Andalusia *
Basic statistical data for Andalusia (.pdf format)
*
Andalucia Info*
History of the Andalusian Flag
