The town of Macael sits on the slope of the Sierra de los Filabres, at the foot of its famous quarries. The origin of Macael as a town dates from the Islamic period. The first buildings were located in the Cerro del Collado area, since the Muslims were looking for a sheltered valley with abundant water. Due to the looting and the lack of protection of the inhabitants, they moved to what is now known as "Old Macael", since due to its elevated and rocky situation it was more difficult to access and thus they felt more protected.
After the flight of the Moors to the Alpujarras, due to the rebellion against King Felipe II, Macael was left depopulated. Towards 1573 it was ordered that new Christian settlers settle, settling where the urban nucleus of Macael is currently located. "Old Macael" was abandoned forever, since according to the Book of Apeos, "it is bad and dangerous land and there is no water."
Translated by Google •
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