The best road cycling routes around La Rambla

give it your all

Aguilar de la Frontera [2] is a Spanish municipality in the southwest of the province of Córdoba, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. The municipality is located in the region of Campiña Sur Cordobesa [3] and is the seat of the judicial district of the same name. [4] It lies at an altitude of 280 m above sea level [5] and about 47 km from the provincial capital, Córdoba. [6] In 2017, it had 13,476 inhabitants and a population density of 82.01 inhabitants/km². [7]

The municipality was founded under the leadership of the enlightened Pablo de Olavide and, by 1767, had a Central European population. Funded by the state at the request of King Charles III, the colonization was intended to promote agriculture and industry in an uninhabited area threatened by bandits, as well as to increase the security of the royal road connecting Madrid with Cadiz. Initially, the municipality belonged administratively to La Carlota, which, along with other municipalities, was also founded on this occasion.

Sebastian, and Easter eggs. It's safe to say that San Sebastián's colonial and "German" roots are still very present among its residents today, and they are often proud of them, so much so that even the local first name is "Sebastianenses" or "Alemanes." But... what about the language? Why has nothing of the language of these settlers survived to this day? The majority of the population was, of course, German, since the French settlers also came from German-speaking areas. It is believed that the first settlers and their children spoke exclusively German. However, when they came into contact with the locals, they had to learn Spanish. Therefore, it is quite possible that for several decades they spoke German among themselves, especially at home, and Spanish on the street or at work. Certainly, there were German expressions used when speaking Spanish, or words from both languages were mixed when speaking (as happens today in Gibraltar, where they speak the famous "Spanglish," a mixture of English and Spanish). Over the years and across generations, the German language fell into disuse until, almost 250 years later, it reached what it is today. It is striking that (at least as far as I know) there is not a single vernacular word or expression in German or of German origin. Proof that German expressions continued to exist in everyday life even when the Sebastianians spoke Spanish was provided to me by a good friend from the city named Sebastian. This man, about 55 years old, remembers how, when he was very young, his grandmother, who was already very old, fed the chickens instead of calling them with a voice of "PITAS, PITAS, PITAS!" He called them in German: KOMM, KOMM, KOMM! (come, come, come).

The castle of Castro del Rio, known locally as Castillo de Castro del Rio, is located in the centre of the village of the same name. The village of Castro del Rio already existed in Roman times when it was known as Postumianus Castra, Castra Soricaria or Castra Julia. In Moorish times the town was called Qasida or Qasrut and described as a 'strong'. In the 11th century the town fell under the rule of the Taifa of Granada. In the 12th century, under the rule of the Almohads, a walled medina was built. The castle was part of and situated on a corner of the city walls and probably dates from this time. In 1232 the town was conquered by Saint Ferdinand III, King of Castile. He used this border fortress as a stronghold against recurring Moorish attacks. In 1565 the town and castle of Castro del Rio were sold to the Marquis of Priego. It remained the property of the Marquis until the reign of Ferdinand VI, King of Spain, in the mid-18th century. The current ruins of the Castro del Río castle look very dilapidated. The interior of the castle cannot be visited.

New mural by Baenen artist Javier Castilla Sake. Dedicated to one of the symbols of the municipality: craftsmanship in olive wood

route with medium difficulty, good physical condition and good footwear are required,

The information panel indicates the start of the Route of the Germans, from the Landscapes with History programme. The Pozo del Agua Buena, on the street of the same name, is the starting point of our route and one of the 5 wells that already existed in San Sebastián de los Ballesteros at the time of its foundation.