Carmona is a town of southwestern

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, in the

province of Seville The Province of Seville () is a province of southern Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It borders the provinces of Málaga and Cádiz in the south, Huelva in the west, Badajoz in the north and Córdoba in the ...

; it lies 33 km north-east of

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

. Carmona is built on a ridge overlooking the central plain of

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

; to the north is the

Sierra Morena The Sierra Morena is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain. It stretches for 450 kilometres from east to west across the south of the Iberian Peninsula, forming the southern border of the ''Meseta Central'' plateau and providi ...

, with the peak of San Cristobal to the south. The city is known for its thriving trade in wine, olive oil, grain and cattle, and holds an annual fair in April. It is ascribed both to the

comarca A ''comarca'' (, , , ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain, and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, mark ...

of Campiña de Carmona and the comarca of Los Alcores.

Geography

Location

Carmona is located in the southwest of the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

. It lies at about 249 metres above sea level, on a NE–SO ridge at the northeastern end of Los Alcores tableland, dominating over the meadows of the river, a left-bank tributary of the

Guadalquivir The Guadalquivir (, also , , ) is the fifth-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula and the second-longest river with its entire length in Spain. The Guadalquivir is the only major navigable river in Spain. Currently it is navigable from Seville ...

Climate

Carmona has a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

with a sunny spring and typically some rain in that season. In October, the average temperature ranges from a minimum of 13 °C to a maximum of 26 °C. The city experiences a moderate level of annual precipitation and has pleasant winter temperatures.

History

Carmona was originally a Tartessian-

Turdetani The Turdetani were an ancient pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula, pre-Roman people of the Iberian Peninsula, living in the valley of the Guadalquivir (the river that the Turdetani called by two names: ''Kertis'' and ''Rérkēs'' (Ῥέ� ...

settlement. With the arrival of Phoenician traders from Tyre, Carmona was transformed into a city, known by them ''Qrt-Ḥmn'' (), meaning "City of Hammon". Centuries later, it became a Roman stronghold of

Hispania Baetica Hispania Baetica, often abbreviated Baetica, was one of three Roman provinces created in Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula) in 27 BC. Baetica was bordered to the west by Lusitania, and to the northeast by Tarraconensis. Baetica remained one of ...

. It was known as ''Carmo'' in the time of

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...

(100–44 BC). The city was further fortified during the long occupation of the Moors, who erected walls around it, and built fountains and palaces within. Following the demise of the

Caliphate of Córdoba A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

in the early 11th century, Carmona (''Qarmūna'') was seized by Hammudid Berbers, and then by the also Berber Birzalid clan, becoming the head of the taifa of Carmona, a petty kingdom, which was conquered by the Abbadid taifa of Seville by 1067. An Almoravid stronghold after the Almoravid conquest of the taifa of Seville, it was finally subdued by the

Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...

s after a settlement. It was briefly occupied by Ibn Hamusk, before reverting to the Almohads in 1161. In 1247,

Ferdinand III of Castile Ferdinand III (; 1199/120130 May 1252), called the Saint (''el Santo''), was King of Castile from 1217 and King of León from 1230 as well as King of Galicia from 1231. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berengaria of Castile. Through his ...

captured the town, and bestowed on it the Latin motto ("As the Morning-star shines in the Dawn, so shines Carmona in Andalusia"). During the Late Middle Ages, the town preserved a Muslim-majority population ruled by a Christian minority. The citadel of Carmona, now in ruins, was the principal fortress of Peter the Cruel (from 1350 to 1369), and contained a spacious palace within its defences. Towards the end of the 15th century Carmona had an estimated population of about 8,000. By the dawn of the

Early Modern period The early modern period is a Periodization, historical period that is defined either as part of or as immediately preceding the modern period, with divisions based primarily on the history of Europe and the broader concept of modernity. There i ...

, Carmona's economy was agriculture-based, with the town featuring many

latifundia A ''latifundium'' (Latin: ''latus'', "spacious", and ''fundus'', "farm", "estate") was originally the term used by ancient Romans for great landed estates specialising in agriculture destined for sale: grain, olive oil, or wine. They were charac ...

, often entitled to non-local landowners, and a substantial fraction of non-active population. The 19th century '' desamortizaciones'' led to the creation of a new landowning class that came to be historiographically designated as "agrarian bourgeoisie". The population boomed in the mid 20th century.

Archaeology

In June 2024, University of Cordoba recently announced the discovery of a 2,000-year-old

white wine White wine is a wine that is Fermentation in winemaking, fermented without undergoing the process of Maceration (wine), maceration, which involves prolonged contact between the juice with the grape skins, seeds, and pulp. The wine color, colou ...

in a glass funerary urn in a tomb in Carmona. The tomb also contained the skeletal remains of two men called Hispana and Senicio, along with the remains of two other men and two women who were unnamed. Researchers noted that despite millennia passing, the tomb remained well-preserved, protecting it from floods and leaks. This preservation allowed the wine to retain its natural state.

Main sights

Saint Peter Church Carmona Andalucia Spain

*Palace of King Don Pedro, built in the 13th century by Peter I of Castile. It was damaged by an earthquake in 1504. *Moorish

alcázar An ''alcázar'', from Arabic ''al-Qasr'', is a type of Islamic castle or palace in Spain built during Al-Andalus, Muslim rule between the 8th and 15th centuries. They functioned as homes and regional capitals for governmental figures throughout ...

*Palace of Rueda *Palace of the Marquess of Torres *Seville Gate Palace *Baroque palaces of Alonso Bernal Escamilla, Aguilar, Domínguez, and Lasso *Córdoba Gate, the gate on the road to Córdoba, partly of

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

construction *Seville Gate, of Carthaginian origins, has the remains of later Roman additions, and was modified in the Middle Ages by the Moors and the Christians. *Marchena Gate, built during the

domination of Spain *Roman Bridge *Remains of the Via Augusta *Tree-lined avenue of Alfonso XIII *Roman

Necropolis A necropolis (: necropolises, necropoles, necropoleis, necropoli) is a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments. The name stems from the Ancient Greek ''nekropolis'' (). The term usually implies a separate burial site at a distan ...

, discovered in 1881. It is located close to the town, beside the Seville road, and contains more than nine hundred family tombs dating from the second century BC to the fourth century AD. Enclosed in subterranean chambers hewn from the rock, the tombs are often

fresco Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...

ed and contain a series of niches in which many of the funeral urns remain intact. Some of the larger tombs have vestibules with stone benches for funeral banquets and several retain carved family emblems. *The Tomb of the Elephant and the

Tomb of Servilia The tomb of Servilia is an Ancient Roman tomb located in Carmona, Spain. See also * History of Carmona, Spain References External links Servilii Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Spain Buildings and structures in the Province ...

in the necropolis *Roman Amphitheatre, also discovered in 1881, together with a group of tombs, all belonging to the first four centuries AD, near the original necropolis. *Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) *Cave of the Batida *Fountain of the Lions *Hospital of the Mercy and the Charity Church of

Saint Bartholomew Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Most scholars today identify Bartholomew as Nathanael, who appears in the Gospel of John (1:45–51; cf. 21:2). New Testament references The name ''Bartholomew ...

*Tower of the Peak *Market *Cerezo Theatre ;Religious buildings *Church of San Pedro (15th century). Its tower is a medieval replica of the

Giralda The Giralda ( ) is the bell tower of Seville Cathedral in Seville, Spain. It was built as the minaret for the Great Mosque of Seville in al-Andalus, during the reign of the Almohad dynasty, with a Renaissance-style belfry added by the Catholics ...

bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville. *Church of Santa Maria de la Asunción *Church of El Salvador (17th century), in Baroque style *Church of the Convent of Santa Ana *Church of San Blas *Church of San Felipe (14th century) *Church of

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...

*Convent of the Immaculate Conception *Convent of the Trinity *Convent of Las Descalzas

Discalced Carmelite Nuns A discalced (/dɪsˈkælst/, ''dis-KALST'') religious order is one whose members go barefoot or wear sandals. These orders are often distinguished on this account from other branches of the same order. The custom of going unshod was introduced int ...

* Convent of Santa Clara (15th century), with a

Mudéjar Mudéjar were Muslims who remained in Iberia in the late medieval period following the Christian reconquest. It is also a term for Mudéjar art, which was greatly influenced by Islamic art, but produced typically by Christian craftsmen for C ...

church renovated in 1664 in Baroque style *Hermitage of San Mateo (15th century) *Hermitage of Our Lady of Real or San Antón (15th century). *Ermita de la Virgen de Gracia (Our Lady of Grace, the patron saint of Carmona)

Gastronomy

Carmona's restaurants and bars demonstrate a variety of Spanish cuisine including

tapas Tapas () are appetisers or snacks in Spanish cuisine. They can be combined to make a full meal and are served cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as , which are battered, fried baby squid; or , spicy potatoes). In some bars ...

and other dishes. The city is known for its traditional Andalusian cooking. A pub crawl of various bars, called the ''Ruta de las tapas'' (Tapas Route) is noteworthy; it is marked with blue and white signs, and even appears in the seal of the city. Typical Carmonan dishes include: sopa de picadillo (a chicken soup), pringá, chickpeas, snails,

salmorejo Salmorejo, sometimes known as ardoria or ardorío, is a traditional creamy soup originating from Andalusia, southern Spain, made of pear tomato, bread, extra virgin olive oil and garlic. The salmorejo is served cold and may be garnished with dice ...

, spinach, (thistles), Serrano ham,

partridge A partridge is a medium-sized Galliformes, galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide Indigenous (ecology), native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They ar ...

from the mountains,

gazpacho Gazpacho () or gaspacho (), also called Andalusian gazpacho (from Spanish ''gazpacho andaluz''), is a cold soup and drink made of raw, blended vegetables. It originated in the southern regions of the Iberian Peninsula and spread into other are ...

, chickpea soup, tomato soup, potatoes, and cuajados (curdled eggs). Sweets include: torta inglesa, hojaldres (puff pastry), rice with milk, torrija (fried toasted bread with wine, milk or honey), polvorónes (shortbread), almond cakes, chestnut stew with cinnamon,

porridge Porridge is a food made by heating, soaking or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, fruit, or syrup to make a sweet cereal ...

sprinkled with cinnamon, and cortadillos (sweet cakes). A variety of desserts are made in the convents of the city, mainly by the nuns of Santa Clara. A common alcoholic beverage is ''

Anise Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, ...

Los Hermanos'', which is distilled and packaged in Carmona; it comes in three degrees of dryness: crisp, sweet and semi.

Films

With its rich historical and artistic patrimony lending the city an especially atmospheric appearance, Carmona has been the setting of numerous films, and continues to attract movie crews. The Location Managers Guild of America, an association that coordinates shoot locations for movie and television production companies from the United States, has shown special interest in the city centre.

Gallery

File:Puerta_de_Cordoba_di_Carmona.JPG, Puerta de Cordoba File:Puerta_de_Sevilla_di_Carmona.jpg, Puerta de Sevilla File:Molino_de_la_Romera_di_Carmona.jpg, Molino de la Romera File:Iglesia_de_Santiago_di_Carmona.JPG, Iglesia de Santiago File:Iglesia_de_San_Bartolome_di_Carmona.jpg, Iglesia de San Bartolome File:Carmona - Iglesia de San Pedro - Belltower - 3.jpg, Belltower of Iglesia de San Pedro File:Capilla_de_la_Caridad_di_Carmona.JPG, Capilla de la Caridad

Notable people

* Rodrigo González de Marmolejo (1487–1564) a Roman Catholic prelate & the first Bishop of

Santiago de Chile Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital city, capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's Chilean Central Valley, central valley and is the center ...

* Antón García Caro (1560 - ca 1624) a Spanish jurist and politician * Manuel Freire de Andrade (1767–1835) a Spanish cavalry officer * Tomás Domínguez Romera (1848–1931) a Spanish aristocrat, landholder and politician. * José Arpa (1858–1952) an artist who worked in Spain, Mexico, and Texas * Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo (born 1953) British journalist, broadcaster and former Conservative politician; lives in Carmona. * Félix Gómez (born 1977) a Spanish actor. * Rafa Marín (born 2002) a Spanish football player.

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * * *

External links

Tourism Office

Carmona Film Office

Museum of the city of Carmona

Pgou of the city
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