Villaviciosa de Córdoba

A village located in the north of the province, in the Alto Guadiato region, in a landscape where crop fields and olive groves alternate with mountainous AREA and of immense scenic value, with its cork oak, holm oak and pine groves and undergrowth, as well as riverbank woods of willows, ashes and alders. The AREA is also an important wildlife and hunting centre.

The village itself, located on what was once the mountain road to Extremadura, now lies well off the beaten track. However, this isolation is more than compensated for by the tranquilty of its landscape and streets.

History

The devotion of to Our Lady of Villaviciosa, a figure close to the hearts of the people of Cordoba, was the origin of this village"s name. The worship of this Virgin of Portuguese origin was the reason that the present-day village was created -in the 15th century- close to the chapel of the same name.
Its first period of growth came with the arrival of inhabitants of the hamlets of Nava-Fernando, Valdesenico and Navaserrano. At the time, the village was heavily dependent on Espiel.
In the 17th century, Cardinal Pedro de Salazar, Bishop of Cordoba, set up a parish church in Villaviciosa and freed the village from the ecclesiatical jurisdiction of Espiel.
Total independence came in 1776, when Charles III granted it village status in its own right and Villaviciosa ceased to be subjected to the jurisdiction of Espiel.

Eminent citizens
Manuel Calero Cantero "Calerito", bullfighter (1927-1960).