Culture
Cultural heritage in the municipality is reflected in its monuments and urban heritage, its highly valued typical food and drink, its fiestas and its folklore. It is the birthplace of the trovo, traditional poetical songs composed by the “troubadours”, and you are sure to hear many of these improvised verses accompanied by stringed instruments in the festival celebrations in Murtas, which from the depths of time have provided entertainment at gatherings.
Typical Cuisine
Murtas boasts one of the most famous and delicious local specialities in the region, conejo al colorín, which is a dish of rabbit cooked with garlic, dried peppers and olive oil.
Historia
The name Murtas comes from the Mozarabic term “mirtos”, which refers to the myrtle tree. Axes and other archaeological remains from the Bronze Age allow it to be ascertained that there were human settlements in this land from as early as the Neolithic period. During the Nasrid Kingdom, Murtas belonged to the district Taha de Sahill. Following its conquest by the Catholic Kings, the Morisco population put up a strong resistance to pressure from the Christians, and an uprising took place under the command of Abén Humeya. This Revolt led to the banishment of the population which had rebelled, and the subsequent depopulation of the area. Christians from Andalusia, Castile, Galicia and Asturias were sent to resettle these lands. In the 19th century an industry based on wine and silk grew up and flourished in the district.