Gojar
Gójar is a Spanish town and municipality located in the southern part of the Vega de Granada region, in the province of Granada, autonomous community of Andalusia. It limits with the municipalities of Ogíjares, La Zubia, Dílar and Villa de Otura. The Dílar river flows through its term.
The municipality of Gojeño is one of the thirty-four entities that make up the Metropolitan Area of Granada, and includes only the population center of Gójar —municipal capital—, including the urbanizations of Los Cerezos, Los Parrales and Santa Marta.
A small part of its term is occupied by the Sierra Nevada Natural Park.
Symbols
Gójar has a coat of arms and flag officially adopted on March 21, 2006.
Shield
Its heraldic description is as follows:
Gold (yellow), on silver waves (white) and azur (blue), a siple mountain (green) with the top forming two cuspids, loaded with a gold olive tree and accompanied in chief of two siple grenades, streaks (red). To the bell, Spanish closed royal crown.
Flag
The banner of the municipality has the following description:
Paño de proportions 3/2 (largo per width), divided into three horizontal stripes: 1.a and 3.a of double width than the central one, in the colors blue, white and green respectively. To the center of the cloth, the municipal shield.
Geography
Situation
Integrated in the Vega de Granada region, it is located 8 kilometers from the provincial capital. The municipal area is crossed by the GR-3209 road, which connects the city of Granada with Dílar.
| Northwest: Earnings | North: Oegjars and La Zubia | Northeast: The Zubia |
| West: Villa de Otura |  | This: The Zubia |
| Southwest: Villa de Otura y Dílar | South: Tell | Sureste: Tell |
Demographics
According to the National Institute of Statistics of Spain, in 2021 Gójar had 5,993 registered inhabitants, which are distributed as follows:
| Population unit | Hab. |
|---|---|
| Gójar | 5 888 |
| disseminated | 105 |
| TOTAL | 5 993 |
In addition to the characteristics of a municipality close to the capital, that is, rapid growth in the last century and many residential areas around the historic urban area, Gójar nevertheless offers a main nucleus that has been able to safeguard itself mostly from the modern constructions.
Evolution of the population
| Graphic of demographic evolution of Gójar between 1900 and 2021 |
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Data according to the nomenclator published by the INE. |
Economy
Evolution of outstanding municipal debt
| Graphic of the evolution of living debt of the City of Gójar between 2008 and 2019 |
 |
Living debt of the City of Gójar in thousands of euros according to data of the Ministry of Finance and Ad. Public. |
Politics
The results in Gójar of the last municipal elections, held in May 2019, are:
| Municipal Elections - Gójar (2019) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Political party | Votes | % Validity | Councillors | |
| Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) | 1.460 | 51.10% | 7 | |
| Popular Party (PP) | 593 | 20.76% | 3 | |
| Citizens (Cs) | 285 | 9.98% | 1 | |
| United Left-Gójar for People (IU) | 198 | 6.93% | 1 | |
| Vox (VOX) | 184 | 6.44% | 1 | |
| We can. | 119 | 4.17% | 0 | |
Communications
Roads
The main means of communication that runs through the municipality is:
| Identifier | Denomination | Itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| GR-3209 | From Granada (A-395) to Dilar | Grenada - Dilar |
Some distances between Gójar and other cities:
| Cities | Distance (km) |
|---|---|
| Grenada (centre) | 8 |
| Jaén | 100 |
| Almería | 161 |
| Murcia | 286 |
Public services
Health
The municipality has a primary care medical office located at Calle Iglesia, n°1, dependent on the Metropolitan Health District of Granada. The emergency service is in the health center of La Zubia.
The reference hospital area is the San Cecilio University Hospital (the PTS) located in the capital of Granada.
Education
The educational centers in the municipality are:
| Generic Denomination | Name of the Center | Nature | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child Education Centre | C.E.I. "The Gnomes Castle" | Private | C/ Abeto, 35 |
| Child Education Centre | C.E.I. "Mariló" | Private | C/ Eras Altas, 4 |
| Private College | "Granada International Montessori School" | Private | Ctra. of La Zubia, 12 |
| College of Child and Primary Education | C.E.I.P. "Virgen de la Paz" | Public | C/ Eras, s/n |
Culture
Although it is surrounded by countryside and endearing places, it is worth noting the Collado del Fraile hiking area, located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, at an average altitude of 1,371 m above sea level. Being a way to access the Boca de la Pescada hill and other places of landscape relevance. This rural section enabled to spend it with family and friends belongs to part of the popular tradition of the area and there are numerous events that are held in it by the consistory, gastronomic entities of the area and sports; besides being a place frequented by hiking routes, runners and numerous cyclists.
As a pictorial place, mention its viewpoint where you can see the entire Barranco Hondo. The vegetation is made up of pine forests, mixed scrub of medium size, holm oaks and mainly cultivated land (cereals and almond trees). This area forms a border of cultivated land for the most part, which acts as a link between the urban landscape and the mountain, highlighting its landscapes both in winter with snowfall, and in spring with the explosion of color of said place.
Monuments
The main monument of this town is its parish church, dedicated to the Virgen de la Paz, built in the XVI century and attributed to the architect Pedro Machuca, the same one who built the Carlos V Palace in Granada.
The Tres Cruces hermitage is also worth mentioning, built in the XVII century and already within the urban area due to the growth of this during the last third of the XX century, in the so-called Camino de la Fábrica; the Casa Grande, from the XVI century, a stately building with its own chapel that belongs to the Villanova family and is located on the street of the same name, and another monumental house in the square, this one from the XVIII century, also privately owned.
Parties
Its popular festivals are held every year in the last week of August or the first week of September. On September 8, the festival of Divina Pastora, patron saint of the municipality, is commemorated.
On the Day of the Cross, May 3, a cross contest is organized with the participation of the neighbors.
It is also typical of Gójar, as in the rest of the Vega de Granada, to celebrate the merendica day on April 25, coinciding with San Marcos day where people gather for the afternoon next to the Dílar river to taste the popular hornazos accompanied by green beans.
Lastly, mention the local Must Wine Festival. It is usually held in the month of December, presenting the different wines of the town for free to attendees.
Gastronomy
The most typical products come from its irrigated and rainfed agriculture and are present in its dishes, such as oil and almonds. The baked leg of lamb stands out among its recipes. Along with this type of meat, you can also taste rabbit or veal. Other traditional recipes in Gójar are the different soups and stews.