At a glance

Castril (Postcode 18816) is located on the A326 between Huescar and Pozo Alcon.

The altitude ranges from 855 and 2,138 meters

Population: There are approximately 2,500 people covering Castril, Campo Cebas, Fatima, Los Almontarus, Isidoras and Fuente Vera

Distance (taken from Mappy):

Granada Airport - Castril = 157kms
Almeria Airport - Castril = 224kms
Murcia (San Javier) Airport - Castril = 245kms
Malaga Airport - Castril = 264kms

So, how did Castril get it's name?

Written by Shannon, 13 years old

In 1490 Mr Hernando of Zafra and his family, were the first settler's in the village.

Before then the village as we know it today was an important rock castle and there were some protected hovels underneath the rock. Today we call "La Pena" (the rock) the high part of the village.

There are many theories how Castril got its name and here we name a few:

According to the encyclopaedia of Andalusia this is how Castril got its name: "It's thought that it was the Romans who first used the parts of the rock to build campsites to rest at. They called it "Castrol" (camp site). Then came the Arabic's who changed it to CASTULLÁN (Castril)."

The dictionary of Madoz, says: "From the ruins we can tell that the Arabic's named this village CASTULLÁN, today Castril."

González Barberán: "For a long time, before the definitive war of Granada, diverse documents conserved from records said that it came from other founders who named it CAXTEL."

In the book "Pueblos de la Diocesis de Guadix-Baza" (Towns of God from Guadix-Baza): "Somewhere on the rock there was a castle named VALGRUADO, then CASTIEL, and later CASTEL."

González Barberán said to this: "The castle was indeed called VALGRUDO which went on to being CASTIEL from MASTIEL and then Alfonso the Wise (1252-1284) then named it CASTEL"

In the year 1285, Castril was in mourning for Alfonso the Wise. Travellers passing by said they found a town called CASTEL between Quesada and Huescar.

Finally in the cathedral of Toledo in 1495, it is thought that the German teacher Rodrigo said that Castril was the 10th conquered town of the province Granada. It came under the name of CASTUL (1489). This was found out by Juan of Mata Carriazo.

Back to about Castril

Sierra de Castril Natural Park click here

Castril on Wikipedia click here