Periana which is famous for the excellent peaches
and olive oil produced on its land, stand in the foothills
of La Sierra de Alhama, near Zafarraya Gap, on gently
sloping terrain which descends into the Velez region,
with La Viñuela Reservoir providing its surroundings
with an attractive touch of colour. Its municipal
origins date back to 1761, though the village was
partially destroyed by the 1884 earthquake. Its only
monument of note is the Neomudejar-style St. Isidro
Church.
History
A multitude of archaeological remains have been found
in the municipal area, notably those from the Palaeolithic
period at El Cerro de Alcolea hill and the paintings
in Marchamonas Cave. Relics from the Lower Roman Empire
have also been discovered. In Arabic times, the village’s
sulphorous waters were famous for their medicinal
qualities; proof of this are Vilo Baths, which were
still in use until the 19th century. Periana acquired
municipal status in 1761, when San Isidro Labrador
Chapel became a parish church and the village ended
its dependence on Riogordo. Another episode in the
village’s history, remembered with sadness by
its older inhabitants, was the major tremor which
occurred on Christmas Day 1884; with its epicentre
in La Sierra Tejeda, it devastated most of the north
of the Axarquia region, with Periana the village worst
affected by what became known as the Andalusian Earthquake,
with 57 deaths and the destruction of large areas
of the urban area. Chronicles tell us that the task
of providing rescue and assistance for the victims
was extremely difficult. On 10 January 1885, King
Alfonso XII visited the site of the catastrophe, showing
concern for the plight of its inhabitants and helping
to obtain aid with which to lighten the burden of
the economic ruin which had befallen many local people
practically overnight.
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