History of Marchena

The municipality of Marchena is located in the Southeastern quadrant of the province of Seville, within the region of the Countryside. Its population in 1.996 was of 17,921 inhabitants. The main body is based on a hill of 132 meters of altitude, that stands out on the ample surrounding plain.

The presence of the man in these earth goes back until the Age of the Bronze, existing archaeological rest that therefore testify it. But the foundation of the locality of Martia dates from year 169 a.C., in a period of peace between the Punic wars. At Roman time it had to be an agricultural operation (villa) of little population, that with the Muslims (Marsenah) reaches a great city-planning development and is walled (Xi-xii centuries). It happens to Christian hands in the middle of century XIII, during the reign of Fernando III Santo, becoming villa realenga until Fernando IV grants it to the family in señorío of the Ponce of Leon. The present name of the population comes from a decree of Kings Cato'licos.

The urban nucleus at Muslim time was made up of the fortress, located to the north, and of the small village, that extended towards the south occupying all the hill. The streets left from quiebros the fore doors and would have manifold and adarves. The apples would be irregular, with great inner patios and chained seats. During the medieval Christian period (centuries XIV and XV) the Arab city is reused, renews the small village intrawalls, reconstruct the walls, the old Fortress is transformed into an authentic satately castle and works are made in the Ducal Palace.

From end of century XV at the beginning of the XIX, Marchena tells on several doors, that they connect with the main ways of exit. By the west, the Door of Seville (well-known like "the Arc of the Rose"), that still today is opened to an outer triangular seat, and from which they leave the streets that will end up conforming the district of San Miguel. The Door of Morón, in the South angle, has arrived until surrounded us in constructions. Its outer surroundings (the today well-known seat as "the Four Castles") have constituted a key point for the development of the nucleus, by supposing the crossing of four streets, two of outer round, other coincident with the way of Morón (that the district of San Sebastián will originate) and fourth of separation between San Miguel and San Sebastián. The doors of Carmona, to the northwest, and of Osuna, to the Southeastern, are disappear, although next to this last one a seat space persists, that originates as of century XVI the district of San Andrés.

The outer expansion of centuries XVI and XVII part, therefore, of the doors of Seville, Morón and Osuna, taking like directives the ways until colmatar the hill located to the southwest of the old walled city. At the present time, Marchena is based on two hills of similar altitude, united by a lowest part of valley by which the way of Morón runs. During century XVIII, they are taken care the areas of outer growth with palaces and houses of important architectonic value. In the area intrawalls the seat of Above is constructed, of great regularity and dimension, and where it locates the old city council and the missing palace of the Dukes of Arcs. This seat is formed by houses of four plants and it is acceded to her by four great arcs, three in corners and one in the center of the western front.

In century XIX it begins to decay this seat, moving the civic center to the surroundings of the Door of Morón. The old city intrawalls (the district of San Juan) give ins and degrades, harnessing the districts of San Miguel and San Sebastián. At the end of that century, the construction of the railroad, the improvement of the highways and incipiente industrialization allow an economic recovery, that will be the base of the extraordinary development that takes place in first half of century XX. In these years the call arises Way from the Station, towards the northwest, axis computer of the residential establishments of years 60. Also the great peripheral apples of the district of San Sebastián are rearranged and they are constructed to the new quarters Juan XXIII and of La Paz. In 1.960 a new City council is built, ordering itself the seat in which it is, located in the South angle of the walled city and near the old Door of Morón.

The historical helmet has been located in the North sector of the population, since the later urban developments have been oriented mainly towards the west (district of San Miguel), southwest (San Agustín), the south (Santo Domingo, San Sebastián) and Southeastern (San Andrés). Perhaps it has influenced in it the fact that the route of the railroad runs to the north, enough near the population. In the southern sector, although something separated of the nucleus, they are located of form disperses diverse industrial and agroganaderas facilities (agricultural farms, cooperatives, conservatories, factories of conserves, olives, flour, etc.). The great equipment of governmental function (sport, educative) are located of preferred way in the peripheral sectors western and Eastern.

Marchena was declared Joint Histo'rico-Arti'stico in 1.966, emphasizing between its constructions of interest the churches of San Juan Baptist, San Miguel, San Agustín, San Sebastián, Santa Maria of the Speck, Santo Domingo and Santa Clara, the convents of Santa Isabel, San Andrés and the Immaculate Conception, the walled enclosure, the Ducal Palace and the Cilla of the Town hall.

History