Cortijo del Moro

Country houses are a very important part of Andalusian history in many ways (more than we think), for better or for worse. They functioned as a feudal system in medieval times, most are still in use and had their golden age during the Franco years and in the years before. The country house was the epitome of rural life in southern Spain. In Zahara's most rural part there was and still is one known as the Cortijo del Moro. Now it stands alone and is used as stables and for feed storage, with less farming going on now that it has fallen somewhat into disuse. When I was little it seemed to be very far away; for us, going there was quite a trip, always dusty thanks to the Levant...