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Vera
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Virgin of Anguish Hermitage (Vera - Almeria)

History of Vera


Vera has been populated since ancient times, where there are vestiges of the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Copper Age and Bronze Age, with cultures as impressive as the Millares and El Argar, which began to exploit the region's rich minerals. The Carthaginians continued with the mining operations and founded the city of Baria, near Villaricos, in the 6th century BC. Later, the Roman occupation has left abundant testimonies of its towns and villages in the region.
 
During the Muslim period, due to the mining crisis and especially because of insecurity against invasion, the city was settled on a hill; the hill of the Holy Spirit, becoming known as Bayra.

The strategic situation in the region of Vera within the kingdom of Granada led the Catholic Monarchs, in the spring of 1488, to penetrate the region in its advance to control the Kingdom. With no attempts at resistance, the mayor of Vera delivered the city to King Ferdinand II on June 10, 1488.
 
Vera (Almeria)
 
Up to this point, the Muslims in nearby towns came to take an oath of allegiance, except those in Mojacar. From that moment Vera was linked to the Crown and in 1494 the Catholic Monarchs granted privileges to the city.

On November 9, 1518, a great earthquake completely devastated the city on the hill of the Holy Spirit. It was so destroyed that it was decided to build a new one on a plain near the previous one, at the current location of the city.
 
Saint Raymond Hermitage (Vera - Almeria)

The discovery of lead deposits in Sierra Almagrera at the beginning of the 19th century, as well as the mining activity developed in the surroundings, caused a very important economic growth in the whole region, producing a great increase of the population. This was accompanied by an important agricultural development, when orange crops were introduced in the area.

The mining crisis and the decline of traditional agriculture produced a population decline until the 70s, when it began to develop tourism activity. This has been the main attraction of the region since then.