Mula Today

Introduction to Mula

Mula is the gateway to the North-west of the Region of Murcia, its strategic location giving it historical importance from early pre-history.

It has a varied landscape, its rocky outcrops providing strategic defensive advantage, its fertile plains and wooded forests agricultural richness, its river and natural springs, life, with important archaeological remains from the Prehistoric, (Cueva Antón, Abrigo del Milano)  the  Argaric, but above all, the Iberian culture, which irepresented at El Cigarralejo, an important settlement to which the Museo El Cigarralejo is dedicated.

These cultures were followed by the Romans, cultivating olive oil and wine, the Villaricos Villa a large scale example with complete thermal baths and the Cerro de la Almagra, then the Moors, who built the town in its current position and also left behind the castle of Alcalá, high above the Motorway heading towards Caravaca.

Mediaeval Mula was dominated by the Fajardos, who became the Marqueses de los Veléz and built the castle of los Veléz, which dominates the Mula skyline, above the historic old quarter with its senorial palaces, including the Casa Pintada, now an art museum housing the Foundation dedicated to International artist, Cristóbal Gabarrón.

Although the historic old quarter attracts a steady stream of visitors, the town is also renowned for its traditions, the best known being its tamboristas who drum in the annual Semana Santa (Easter) celebrations on the Noche de las Tambores, commemorated in the main town square in front of the main parroquial church of San Miguel with an imposing sculpture.

Mula is also known for its dedication to the Niño de Balate, located in El Niño de Mula, which celebrates an annual Romería in September of every year, as well as other Fiestas.

Its main economic activity is agriculture, producing a mixture of dry crops including olives, wheat and grapes, as well as irrigated soft fruit crops and is also the source of another important crop: energy, new technologies creating an important solar industry in the north-west bringing  employment in associated industries.

Mula is part of the Regional park of the Sierra Espuña, as well as the Sierra del Cambrón and Sierra de Ricote, giving it a richly varied landscape, forests, plains, dry karst gullies, rivers and rich agricultural orchards all creating rural tourism income.

Today Mula is home to around 17,000 inhabitants and is a busy, historic town, with a bustling old quarter, and a new town at its foot, providing a complete cultural offering and an annual programme of fiestas and celebrations.

Where is Mula?

Mula is located in the North-west of the Region of Murcia, forming part of the Comarca del Río Mula. Its northern boundaries link with those of Calasparra, Cieza and Ricote; its eastern with Ricote, Campos del Río, Albudeite and Alcantarilla, to the south with Librilla, Alhama de Murcia and Totana; and to the West with Bullas, Cehegín and  Lorca. In its centre is Pliego, surrounded completely by Mula.

Click for map, Mula, Murcia

More information can be found by using the headings below, which provide details about the places to visit, local news and what’s on information.

Details about other municipalities can be found via the map box at the bottom of every page and the in the North west section, (use tab bar at top of every page) which gathers together local news, community info and what’s on for the whole of the North and North-west.