THE SIERRA OF ARACENA. HUELVA.

The western spur of the Sierra Morena, with gently sloping landscapes that are not very high (800m), occupies the northern part of the province of Huelva.

Its landscape is essentially a succession of holm and cork oaks - which provide the staple diet of the prized Iberian pig - chestnut, walnut and poplar trees.

Vegetable and fruit farms and livestock farms, usually surrounded by walls of stone or "adobe" (sun-dried rick), give this area a unique appearance. This land is dotted with a wealth of towns and villages, which very often appear before the traveller, nestled in the valleys or on the hillsides, at the foot of the castles.

The red-coloured roofs and the predominant white of the lime-painted facades are the striking image projected by these mountain villages, whose steep streets conserve much of their old stone paving. Features of their popular architecture include the windowpanes, which are also painted with lime, the balconies brimming over with potted plants and often set in a wide semi-circular arch, or the verandas.

The secular links between this area and Seville are reflected in the windows, with sills, upper dust ledges and grills standing out from the facade, common in Aracena. The proximity of Extramadura is appreciated in the simple layout of the houses, with the rooms and patio leading off a central passageway. The attic or loft is also common, as are socles.

However, perhaps the most characteristic feature of the mountain architecture is the ensemble of single- or double-pitched roofs with overhanging eaves, and curved tiles which cover surfaces of differing heights and dimensions. These often descend a far as horizontal areas such as the common wall or to give the finishing touch to semi-closed frontal areas. Features of special interest include the washing fountain, testimony to a tradition now nearing extinction, and the bullrings, of unrivalled beauty and popular flavour.

The most notable are in Cumbres Mayores, Aroche (on the grounds of a medieval castle), Almonaster la Real (at the foot of a Muslim mosque), and Campofrío.