Setenil de las Bodegas

Setenil de las Bodegas or just Setenil traces its roots and history more than 25,000 years ago as many prehistoric relics are found in the Cueva de la Pileta outside the town limits.

In the first century AD, evidence shows that the Romans were occupying the Setenil region. The Moors occupied this region in the 17th or 18th century and they built the fortress which is now called the Fortaleza del Castillo.

Modern day Setenil traced its roots back to the year 1484, during the Christian conquests, after the Muslims were chased away from the region. The fortress was heavily damaged during the time the Marquis of Cádiz led the royal troops in this final battle against the Moors. The town name possibly derived from the Latin phrase “septem nihil,” which means “seven times no”, a possible reference to earlier invasions that were repelled by the locals.

In 1501, Setenil de las Bodegas, derived from the fact that huge warehouses (“bodegas”) were constructed to store goods produced in Setenil.