A Hidden Gem In The Old Streets Of Almuñécar Municipal Pottery Center

Meander the pedestrian streets of barrio San Miguel and you are in for a treat, when you find the Municipal Pottery Center (Centro de Alfarería Municipal).  It’s a step back in time to the day of the Nasrid and Sexitanos, right in the heart of Almuñécar.  Located just around from the castle is a revived piece of history.  The Cerámica Alcaller is hidden in the old town walls above Majuelo Park and the perfect place to see authentic and traditional ceramics in Spain.

Pottery is the art of making objects of clay, which for centuries has allowed man to create all kinds of household goods and gadgets.  In today’s culture, some pottery has lost its usefulness and has become more of a decorative or collector’s item.  However, in Almuñécar, the ancient art of making pottery and ceramics is alive!  At Cerámica Alcaller, they try not to lose this traditional art and continue to create traditional everyday objects.

The ceramist Amalia García del Moral has been working at the municipal pottery location since 2009.  This the only pottery center in Almuñécar, where traditional ceramics are still manufactured and sold.  They also teach popular courses, which help keep this art alive.  They use decorative clay, terracotta and clay typical of the traditional crafts of Almuñequeros or sexitanos.

What’s inside the Municipal Pottery Center?

Once inside the Pottery, you can walk through the garden with a beautiful fountain and plants.  The stonework, tiles and design is from the Nasrid period, similar to the Nasrid Palace (Tourist Information Center).  This is a period when making pottery and ceramics was significant to the local economy.

The Nasrid dynasty was the last Arab Muslim dynasty in Iberia, ruling the Emirate of Granada from 1230 until 1492. The Nasrid dynasty rose to power after the defeat of the Almohad Caliphate in 1212 at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.

The garden is full of aromatic plants: sage, thyme, rosemary, myrtle, basil, and mint.  You may also enjoy roses, geraniums, as well as fruit trees: orange, tangerine and lemons.  From the garden there is a stretch of wall from the Nasrid period and also the Roman ovens.

The Wall:

Located on the west side of the gardens is a wall built from packed earth and stone.  It looks as if it once was stretched from the castle to the outer edges of the town, as you can still see remnants of the full wall in the distance.  Just below the back side of the wall in the pottery center is Majuelo Park and the fish salting factory.

Inside this Nasrid wall, there are a series of holes designed to place ceramic pottery for drying.  Below those are large openings, Roman ovens, to fire the pottery.  Over the years, there have been bits of reform, possibly from the Christian era.

The Tower:

Also from the Nasrid period, is also a massive tower located at the southwest end of the site, built with masonry and stone reinforcements at the corners.

The workshop and store:

Inside the building you will find the store with many ceramics for sale.  It is also the area where the items are made and workshops are held.

Cerámica Alcaller Hours & Contact Info:

The Almuñécar Municipal Pottery Center is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 pm for visits, and even for those people who can purchase a pottery product from their shop or online.  It is also known as the ancient pottery workshop or Cerámica Alcaller -Amalia García del Moral.

Price:  Free
Phone: 620 26 12 17
email:  alcaller_gr@yahoo.es
More info.  If you visit, please tell them Almuñécar Info sent you!

Cerámica L’Alcaller Location

Located in the narrow pedestrian streets in the barrio of San Miguel, just down from Castillo San Miguel.  It is on the edge of the old Sexitana wall which protected the old town.

Address : Calle San Crescencio, 10, 18690 Almuñécar, Granada