The municipality of Estepa is located in the proximities of the South Mountain range, in the Southeastern end of the province of Seville, being bordering with the one of Cordova. In 1.996 its population promoted 11,560 inhabitants. The urban nucleus is based to the north of the Mountain range of the Yearling calf, occupying a platform of 605 meters of height and the slopes that surround it.
The existing archaeological rest in these earth confirm the presence of the man from prehistoric times. The first stable settlers were the turdetanos, settled down in the Hill of San Cristóbal. The Carthaginians found Astapa on the present establishment, that is devastated by the Roman legions year 208 a.C. The place is reconstructed, happening to denominate Ostippo, existing numerous rest of Roman time in the own population and diverse villae of the surrounding space. At the end of the Muslim domination, Istabba becomes with its palace a strategic enclave of the border line with the Castilian territories. In 1.240 Santo is conquered by the troops of Fernando III. In 1.267 Military man of Santiago is given at your service and continues playing the same role of fortress of border (now in the Christian side) until the end of Reconquista. Century XVI, under the reign of Felipe II, the title of City in 1.886 becomes Marquesado, obtaining.
The strategic importance of the nucleus at Muslim time justifies the Christian reusability of the old platform of establishment, in which the topography constitutes an authentic ally to establish an effective defensive system. The urban transfomaciones were so deep that they made disappear previous the Arab rest, although is of supposition that the perimeter of the walled enclosure would remain, as well as the position of the palace and the mosque.
In century XV, with the progressive loss of the military character by the disappearance of the outer danger, the population begins to grow extrawalls, occupying the North skirt of the hill, in the environs of the Door of Coracha. It is the only possible area of expansion, because towards the south and the east they disable the pending forts and annoying winds. In century XVI, the fortified enclosure of the hill reserve for the palace of the Marquesses (the old palace) and for the church of Santa Maria. In the zone extrawalls, an urban axis becomes serious that follows the way of Seville (the Veracruz street) leading the Door of Coracha. In the skirt immediate to this one the Old Seat and the San Juan street arise, like prolongation of the Veracruz street towards the east. At the end of century, the nucleus arrives by the west beyond the church of the Remedies and by the east until the district of Santa Ana.
During century XVII, the low part of the nucleus continues growing, to the time that the hill is drained of residential content. The development follows marked by the topography, arising a new street sensibly compares to the previous one, adapted to a lower contour and starting off of the same point of origen, the church of the Remedies. The new street denominates Inns (more ahead Osborne Robert), occupying a central position in her the church of the Carmen. The space occupied by the urban nucleus at the end of the century XVIII is the same one that at the end of the XVI, but is now when colmata of constructions. The process of growth throughout different contours then originates a nucleus of linear morphology with extended apples, in which the cross-sectional streets follow the lines of maximum slope and save the unevennesses by means of perrons. In the middle of century XVIII, the palace give ins, which precipitates the degradation of the little existing residential constructions in the hill.
During century XIX, the linear development in East-West sense is broken and arise apples extended in direction the north-south, that leave from the Seat of the Carmen (that constitutes the central urban space) and they extend until the Seville-Malaga highway. Steppe presents/displays a approximately triangular form then. After the Civil War, the number of inhabitants becomes stabilized, in spite of which the locality has continued its development, colmatando the existing empty spaces between the edge of the historical center and the passage, creating new industrial and residential establishments in the level one (to the north of the highway) and locating the more annoying industries and factories in the Southeastern angle, to backs of the hill.
Estepa is declared in 1.965 Artistic Historical Set, emphasizing between its constructions of interest the Convent of Santa Clara (century XVII), the Parochial Church of Santa Maria of Asuncio'n (century XVII), the Tower of the Tribute and the own walled enclosure, the Convent of San Francisco (Xvii-xviii centuries), the churches of San Sebastián (century XVI), of the Carmen (century XVII) and of Our Lady of the Remedies, the House-Palace of Marquesses de Cerverales (century XVIII) and the Tower of the Victory.
