En ekstra overnatning i Moclín
09/05/2023
Sikke en dag! Vågner halvsvimmel med snot-hovedpine. Det kan på ingen måde betale sig at snøre støvlerne, så jeg vender mig i min seng og kommer først ud af fjererne ved halv-elleve-tiden. Tvinger mig hen til det lokale supermercardo for at købe noget mad. De har kun åbent i et par timer, så det er med, at benytte sig af chancen, når den er der. Det kan godt være, at navnet leder tankerne hen på et supermarked, men der tager man fejl. Jeg tror, at der er større udvalg og mere mad på matriklen derhjemme end i de små købmænd her, men man kan få basisvarer og det er det vigtigste.
Cirka samme tid tikker der en besked ind på min telefon. Det er muligt, at komme ind på slottet i dag og den chance, vil jeg ikke lade gå fra mig, så op og i bad.
Jeg troede egentlig, at jeg bare ville blive lukket ind og så selv bevæge mig rundt blandt ruinerne, men heldet følger mig, måske især når jeg møder kvinder der hedder Maria Angeles. Jeg fik en privat guidet tur, lige som det var tilfældet i Fiñana med en anden Maria Angeles. Da hun fandt ud af, at jeg specifikt var her for at se og opleve Andalusiens kultur og historie, fik hun munden på gled. Der var de sædvanlige sprogbarrierer, men hun gjorde virkelig alt for at fortælle mig om borgens historie.
Borgen blev bygget i midten af det 13. Århundrede som et forsvar af Nasrid Dynastiet i Granada. Den blev kaldt Hins Al-Muqlin. (Muqlin -> Moclín) De to pupillers borg. Et fortrinligt navn til et borg med den mest fantastiske udsigt. Med kikkert ville man kunne se Alhambra i Granada, til den anden side kunne man se La Mota i Alcalá la Real. På adskille bjergtoppe kunne man også se forsvars/kommunikationstårne. I lang tid var borgen arabisk. En grænseborg med muslimsk herredømme mod syd og kristne herskere mod nord. I 1486 faldt borgen i de katolske monarkers hænder.
Borgen har været svær at indtage i middelalderen. Den ligger højt placeret på en bjergtop med stejle sider. Mellem den ydre og den indre mur, lå den arabiske by. Bag den indre mur, lå selve borgen. Derinde har der været 3 vandcisterner. Den lille, som senere, efter de andre kom til, blev brugt til fængsel. På væggene har fanger for 600 år siden ridset flere eksemplarer af spillet Alquerque. En forløber for det skak vi kender i dag. Den største cisterne, som blev fyldt med regnvand, kunne man kun se omridset af, men den vigtigste stod endnu. Den fyldtes med vand fra en kilde i bjerget og ja, der var vand i den, selvom vi stod på toppen af et bjerg i 1000 meters højde. En eget vigtig ting i tilfælde af belejring.
På borgens vægge stod groede der en plante, Sarcocapnos. Mere populært kaldet “Jomfruens små sko” eller “museører” på grund af bladenes form. Det er det eneste sted i verden de gror. På væggene af Hins Al-Muqlin.
Stedet blev erklæret historisk nationalt monument i 1931, men det var borgerkrigen ligeglad med. Få år senere blev borgen desværre skudt i smadder. Neden for slottet kan man se bunkers fra dengang. I 2013 blev der bevilget penge til udgravning/genopbygning af stedet, men de forsvandt igen. Uvist hvorhen.
Det var et fantastisk besøg. Jeg var fuldstændig høj på den oplevelse. For den nette sum af 2,5 euro havde jeg fået endnu en oplevelse for livet og blevet så meget klogere på Andalusiens historie. Jeg skylder mine 2 Maria Angeles så meget.
What a day. I woke up all snotty, dizzy and with a headache. The last thing on my mind was hiking. I just rolled over in bed an went back to sleep. Woke up again about 10.30, forced myself to the supermercardo to buy some food. It was only open for a few hours, so you had to grab the chance while it's there. The name might make you think of a supermarket, but you couldn't get it further wrong. I actually think, that I have a bigger selection and more food in my house at home. However, they do have the basics and that's just what you need.
A message popped up on my phone. It was possible to visit the fortress today. Whoop!! I'm not letting that chance pass by me, so time to freshen up.
I thought, that I would be let into the fortress and just walk between the ruins on my own, but no. It was the second woman with the name of Maria Angeles. A name that seems to bring me luck. I once again, just like in Fiñana, got a private guided tour. When she learned, that I was here especially for the history, she started talking and telling me all these amazing things about the place. We faced the usual language barrier, but handled it. She did everything she could to tell me about the history of the fortress.
The fortress was built in the middle of the 13th century as a defense of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. The Arab name was Hins Al-Muqlin (Muqlin -> Moclín), Fortress of the two pupils. An excellent name for a castle with the most amazing view. With binoculars you would be able to see the Alhambra in Granada, to the other side you could see La Mota in Alcalá la Real. Towers made for defense and communication could be seen in mountain tops all around. The Moors ruled the land to the south and the Christians to the north. This was for years the last strong hold for the Arabs. In 1486 the castle fell into the hands of the Catholic monarchs.
It would have been difficult to conquer the castle back in the days, as it's located on a mountain top with very steep slopes. The Arab town was located between the outer and inner wall. The castle itself was located behind the inner wall. In there 3 water cisterns could be found. The small old one, that ended up being used as a prison. The board game Alquerque has been scratched on these wall about 600 years ago and they are still visible. Only the outline of the largest cistern could be seen. That cistern would fill up when it rained. The most important cistern would fill with water from a spring in the mountain and yes, it contained water, even though it was a mountain top with an altitude of a 1000 meters. A very important source in case of a siege.
The walls of the fortress were covered in a plant called Sarcocapnos. More popularly known as “Little Shoes of the Virgin” or “Mouse Ears” because of the shape of the leaves. It is the only place in the world where it grows. On the walls of Hins Al-Muqlin.
In 1931 the fortress was declared a historical national monument, but the civil war didn't care about that. It was bombed and the castle destroyed. On the land under the fortress you can see bunkers from the civil war. In 2013, money was allocated for excavation/reconstruction of the site, but it disappeared again. Unknown where.
It was an amazing visit. For the cost of only 2,5 euro, I got the best experience ever and I learned so much more about the history of Andalucia. I owe everything to my two Maria Angeles.
Forrige
Moclín
Nyere
Mødet med en nonne
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