Address:
Plaza del Arenal
Description:
Chronology: 20th century. Author: José Manuel Díaz.
The town has had a strong agricultural character since ancient times. The richness of the land and the abundance of natural resources led to the settlement of different cultures that shared agricultural exploitation as their main activity. The Mairena landscape, even today, is dotted with orchards, cereal crops, orange groves, and olive trees. The oldest houses in the town retain elements of these practices in their layout. Topped with “soberaos” on their upper floors and courtyards at the end of the houses, they merged domestic use with storage and shelter for animals. The scene immortalized by the sculptor José Manuel Díaz in 2002 corresponds to the olive harvest, which takes place in late September.
Traditionally, olive harvesting was done by hand with the help of ladders that provided access to the tree’s canopy. To store the fruit during the harvest, a small basket hung from the neck called a “macaco” was used by the characters depicted in the monument. The most cultivated olives in Mairena are the gordal and manzanilla varieties. If you head towards the Castle, you can firsthand experience its olive grove and appreciate the agricultural landscape.
Type of monument:
Civil monument.
