El Hornillo

EL HORNILLO

This beach in the Costa Calida in the town of Aguilas in Murcia, Spain. It is located along a small bay in which one end are the yellow beach and a small island called Isla del Fraile and the other end of the bay is Stove's Wharf, great work of architecture constructed of iron and reinforced by the British engineer Gustavo Gillman and English equity firm The Great Southern of Spain Railway Company Limited, which served as a mineral jetty, from the Sierra de los Filabres directly from rail cars to ships gravity hence its height. Following the closure of the pier and after many years of neglect, he served in the eighties and nineties as marine farmed sea bream and bass, until it moved to open sea outside the bay, to improve the quality of water bath.

Aguilas Plaza

This beach is for its proximity to the railway line where the inhabitants of nearby towns Lorca and go by train to the beach. Increases during holiday periods the number of trains due to the increase of users who visit this beach. Before the end of Ferrocarril del Almanzora in 1985 was frequented by residents of the nearby provinces of Granada and Almeria. This beach was formerly outside the main town Eagles separated by railroad tracks, gradually absorbed the bay has been mainly through the town (practically already belongs to the core) except the beach or the cigar and Yellow Island Fraile, although it is in the process of building nearby.

There is a mall called Aguilas Plaza.

Calabardina

CALABARDINA 

Calabardina beaches are very popular for diving and are part of the Natural Park of Cabo Cope and Calnegre tips. Calabardina seabed characterized by the abundance of wrecks and the species that inhabit them, from underwater flora and gorgonians posidonias, to a wildlife species which also known as the octopus, shrimp and sardines banks are may find false haddock, grouper and sunfish. The traditional trap fishery accounted for Calabardina, along with its agriculture, the basis of their economic development. Although today there is still a small fishing port in the tourism and service sectors are now the economic engine of the population.

The people of Calabardina has been, and illustrious residents. Was chosen by the actor Francisco Rabal to spend days off, and the painter Manuel Coronado aguileño occasionally enjoy a second home in this hamlet. Residents of the village celebrate local festivals in May, dedicated to Santa Cruz. The day of pilgrimage is also out in procession to the Virgen del Carmen, as in all coastal towns is also patron Calabardina.

CAVE OF THE VIRGIN

It's named the cave of Virgin because there is the image of theVirgen del Carmen inside, but its original name is Neptune's Cave.The cave has its entrance about 12 feet deep and it has a many shipwrecks that make life rich in all kinds.Beside the usual big life of the Mediterranean, there are a variety of small nudibranchs. Various objects placed on the bottom help to promote ecosystem.

La Colonia & Poniente

LA COLONIA & PONIENTE

La Colonia

This beach is where I went every day. Situated at the foot of the castle and the city and along the promenade, where there are some bars, cafes and ice cream.

Poniente

On this beach there are some parks and fitness equipment.

Poniente beach was closed to swimming for several days by a wastewater discharge, is once again open to bathers after the final test to ensure that the concentration of bacteria in the discharge is within permitted levels, but held near the beach of Poniente, also affected by pollution.

After recent tests, the town of Aguilas, said in a statement that the Poniente beach would remain closed with the red flag until the water sampling results were known.

La Colonia

Cape Cope & Calnegre Tips

CAPE COPE

Cape Cope is a limestone land which projected out into the Gulf of Mazarrón (between Cape Palos and Cabo de Gata). It administratively belongs to the town of Aguilas in Murcia. The eastern side of Cabo Cope, is the Ensenada de la Fuente, named for the fresh water with a fortification called Cope Tower or Holy Christ. On the west side is the hamlet of Calabardina.

CALNEGRE TIPS

NATURAL PARK OF CAPE COPE AND CALNEGRE TIPS

Natural Park of Cape Cope and Calnegre Tips is a protected area between the cities of Lorca and Aguilas, which protects a swath of 17 km of pristine beaches along the Bay of Mazarrón. However, the park is threatened by the development of the Marina de Cope project, which envisages the redevelopment of much of it to build a resort.

Remains have been found dating from the Neolithic caves of Cape Cope. In addition, there was a settlement Argaric in Cerro de la Cruz. Cope Tower was built in the sixteenth century, in order to alert and protect themselves from pirate raids. In 1974 was the scene of opposition to the installation of a nuclear power plant by Spanish Hydro, which should be operational in 1980.


It was declared a Natural Park by the law of the Autonomous Community of Murcia (Law on Protection and Land Management in the Region of Murcia, 1992). Included within the SPA Sierra de la Almenara, Cabo Cope and Mulberry and is declared as SCI (Site of Community Importance) and LIC Calnegre and LIC-Cabo Cope. A series of cliffs and coves along the coast providing a unique landscape along 17 km of unspoilt coastline and the results of habitat diversity in a large biodiversity.

FLORA

There are many elements of natural heritage botanist. The vascular flora up to 322 species and subspecies. Many of them are considered of great interest because they are Ibero-North African and plants are survivors of the era in which Africa and Europe joined. It also highlights the Corsican population of juniper in Cabo Cope, who is separated from the rest of its range.

FAUNA

Among the wildlife that lives in the park stands the tortoise and the eagle, which in Spain are considered endangered species. Also among the reptiles you can find copies of natterjack toad, Iberian lizard, red-tailed lizard.

AVIFAUNA

Among the avifauna can be found both prey like owls and the peregrine falcon, as interior birds: Lark, curlew, chatterbox, Sardinian warbler, or the little trumpeter finch (found in the threatened category in the Iberian Peninsula .) Among marine species, gulls, terns and shags. Among the mammals that inhabit the park include fox, rabbit and wild boar. Marine species are also plentiful in the large field of oceanic Posidonia

Carnivals in Aguilas

CARNIVAL


Carnival of Aguilas is the flagship of the Region of Murcia. Was declared in 1997, a Festival of National Tourist Interest.

CHARACTERS:

 MUSSONA

The Mussona
It is one of the most representative in the history of Carnival.
The Mussona is a character with a half human and a half animal, half-civilized half wild. This represents the duality of all human beings.
It concerns the image of a bear, around the time of the carnival comes out of hibernation.
The character opposite to the Mussona is the singer-tamer. This figure represents humanity and the process of moving from the wild to the civilized state by control and music.

Ms. CUARESMA & Mrs. CARNAL

           Ms. Cuaresma              Mrs. Carnal

Ms. Cuaresma represents the opposite of the Musa or festivals. It's abstinence, modesty and compliance with religious rules.

The Saturday before the parade Ms. Cuaresma is defeated in war of words by Mrs. Carnal. Ms. Cuaresma granted a week's respite from the carnival to be held, ending Saturday winning the Piñata.


Mrs. Carnal Is the reincarnation of the god Janus. He's the character that trumps in view of Ms. Cuaresma.
He get a week of celebration, but also knows that his reign is temporary. Saturday Piñata is finally defeated by Ms. Cuaresma. 

MUSA

The Muse represents the festive spirit of carnival, the ingenuity of the people in their last days of revelry before the arrival of Lent, fantasy and humor of the Carnival dates.

HISTORY

The oral testimonies of Carnival of  Aguilas dates back to the XIX century and the first images we have of this carnival is the year 1903. Some historical sources dating back to the Carnival of Aguilas in the XVIII century, during the reign of Carlos III.


In Aguilas retains the regulation of Carnival in the City Hall Municipal Ordinances of the town dating back to 1886. In this regulation governing the hours during which people could be masked, as there was possibility that crimes were committed by the anonymity, the right to the authorities to ask for documentation to the masks, not carry any weapons, prohibition of throwing into the street or pedestrians who passed by her water or flour as well as not making loud noises.


With the Civil War and Franco's subsequent dictatorship made the Carnival of Aguilas will not pass for a good time that even came to be banned.

AGUILAS

Aguilas is a village where I was living from 1996-2002. It has a lot of beaches: Calabardina, El Hornillo, Calarreona, La Carolina, La Galera, Cocedores, etc.
Aguilas is, for me, the best village in Murcia, it' very beautyfull and carnivals are great.

CASTLE OF SAN JUAN DE LAS AGUILAS 

This is the castle of San Juan de las Aguilas.
This castle is a military fortification, which was built in the XVIII Century.


In 1579, during the reign of Philip II, it built a tower to defend the Spanish Mediterranean coast from pirate attacks.
But it  was destroyed by an earthquake and Berber attacks.


In 1751, Sebastian Feringan (chief engineer of the work of Arsenal of Cartagena) reported on the ruins of the Marquis of Ensenada and he presented a project to construct a new castle. The construction of the new castle of San Juan de las Aguilas began in 1759.

THE LOCOMOTIVE (EL LABRADORCICO)

The Company "The Great Southern of Spain Railway (GSSR), needed for its railway, a type of locomotive, which would give a mixed service for passengers and goods, to the best advantage in both tasks. After several studies, they decided on a running engine with 130 (type Mogul)

The lighting was by oil lamp. The screw was combined brake and vacuum distribution Stephenson flat rate. As for its exterior design, it was typically English.

FRIAR ISLAND (Isla del Fraile)

Spanish island, steep and stony 6'3 hectares. It's  desert in terms of vegetation, but it has one of the richest seabed peninsular Southeast, especially because of their algae. It is a transit and dolphin watching and it has a large colony of gulls. It's named friar island for its rugged silhouette, which resembles the hood of a friar.
It has been declared a Protected Natural Area.