This web page uses its own cookies and the third-party cookies to collect the information which help us make the service as good as possible. By no means is our intention to use it for gathering personal data.

Cookies policy

History of Jimera de Líbar

Diputación de Málaga
Plaza Virgen de la Salud, Jimera de Líbar

History of Jimera de Líbar

The earliest information there is about the village as it is known today is from the 17th century. However, evidence of the presence of a kind of settlement goes much further back in time. At the Finca El Tesoro some 4 kilometres from the urban centre, there are registered findings of remains of a Phoenician necropolis like pieces of ceramics, jewellery usually used in funeral decorations and different kinds of utensils which must have been used as the dead person’s dowry. This kind of burial ceremony was similar to that practices by the Phoenicians and later on copied by the local native population. Some stone axes, water jugs and other remains from the Bronze Age have also been found.

The only remaining edifice from the Arab period is the tower, which must have been the minaret in its day, attached to the La Virgen de la Salud parish church. The Arabic name of the village was Inz-Almaraz, which was changed to Ximera de Lîbar after the Christain conquest. This is the name that appears inscribed on a stone on the public fountain with the date 1789. A stroll through the village streets reveals other traces of the past like the remains of Cima Honda , los Castillejos or the bullring, which is a unique example of a work of nature.

This village considers itself to be a pioneer in rural tourism, as in the 50’s last century the Hotel Bellavista was already providing a place of rest for tired travellers from Tangiers, Ceuta and Tetuon. Many of these guests were Arabs or high-ranking army officers who had certain privileges in these old colonies. Anyway, all this changed and disappeared.

Its economy is based on small olive oil, and pig meat industries, although tourism is becoming more and more relevant an activity again as visitors return.

Almost 44 percent of the land of the municipal area is used for agricultural use, while 35 percent is is covered by forest. The average slope of the land is 41 percent, which makes for a need for different kinds of farming; both agricultural and cattle along with all kinds of crafts, almond crops, cold cuts, plum jam, olive oil, nuts, palm hearts etc. Moreover, the large amount of aromatic plants that grow wild in the surrounding area is also extremely important for the village, along with the natural beauty of the landscape, and the water springs. All this adds to the environmental value of the municipality.