Prehistory and Antiquity Archaeological excavations in the Lorca area have revealed that it has been inhabited continuously since Neolithic times, 5,500 years ago. The earliest permanent settlement is in the
Guadalentín River valley, likely because of the presence of water sources, mineral resources, and the strategic positiom along a natural communication route with Andalusia. On the hillside below the castle and the town archaeological digs have revealed the remains of an important population of the
El Argar culture during the
Bronze Age. During the Roman period, a settlement here was called
Eliocroca, detailed in the
Antonine Itinerary and located right on
Via Augusta. Elicroca was important enough to become a bishopric,
suffragan of the primatial Metropolitan
Archbishopric of Toledo, but this status would be lost under Islam.
Feudal and modern era In 713, the Teodomiro Pact was signed, referring to the city and its domains with the name "Lurqa". Under this pact, the population was integrated into an autonomous Christian state, along with six other cities, governed by
Theudimer (Teodomiro). These political arrangements lasted until his death. Then a Muslim reorganization of the state took place, carried out by Abb-al-Rahman II, who turned the territory into a
Córdoba dependency. This led to the formation of the Taifa kingdoms, with the
Taifa of Lorca as one of these kingdoms, first created in 1042, when Lorca declared its independence from the
emirate of Valencia. Its first governor was
Ma'n Ibn Sumadih, its power extending from the city to
Jaén and
Baza. During the Arab period it was known as
Lurka and the old part of the town, made up of narrow streets and alley-ways, achieved its present shape under Moorish rule. The eminent scholar of the Almoravid-era,
Ibn Atiyyah Andalusi of Granada died in the town in the year 542A.H corresponding to around the year 1147. The taifa was shortly recreated in 1228, after the fall of the
Almoravids, until it conquered by the
Taifa of Murcia; in 1244,
Fernando III, King of
Castilla y León and his son and heir, Prince Alfonso, the future
Alfonso X of Castile, conquered Lorca. The main tower of the fortress of Lorca was named
Torre Alfonsina in honour of the King. The city continued to grow, as in Arab times, and became the main town in an emerging rich agricultural region, although the border hindered economic development. Lorca, known as the city of 100
Coat of Arms, is where the
Moors and the
Visigoths battled for control of the land; initially they both controlled the land up to the border on the north including the city of Larcia while in later years, the
Christians and the
Moors controlled the city and the land up to the southern border. After the threat of war with Granada disappeared, the city changed in appearance, carrying out a series of urban reforms and developing trade. The numerous public works to be carried out attracted labourers from elsewhere, resulting in an increase in the population to 8,000 people. Among the new buildings include the
College of Saint Patrick, erected in 1553, which is the religious centre of the city, as well as numerous convents, such as La Merced, Santo Domingo and San Francisco. In the seventeenth century, Lorca took shape as a modern city, but still had defensive duties due to the Ottoman threat along the coast. This century witnessed the expulsion of the Moors, the plague, which killed half the population, and droughts and locust plagues. Nevertheless, from 1660 a spectacular recovery and development began; amongst the construction of new buildings was the
Palacio de Guevara, built in 1694 and a fine example of
baroque architecture. The eighteenth century is of vital importance for the city, being one of the regions favoured by the Bourbon reforms. Lorca truly became a modern city, losing its medieval character. The population grew, and urban sprawl began as immigrants settled in the suburbs of San Cristóbal and San José. The defensive wall disappeared, which is indicative of the greater security of the times. The city became a haven for painters, sculptors and engravers. On 30 April 1802, a great calamity struck the town of Lorca. The walls of a nearby reservoir gave way, flooding the town and destroying many buildings and killing up to 700 people. In the nineteenth century, the War of Independence and
yellow fever epidemics and recurring droughts brought famine to the region and brought about the emigration of more than twelve thousand people. By 1845 Lorca had become the largest and most populous municipality in Murcia. bringing integration of the region in the domestic market, enabling the movement of mineral deposits and people. Restoration in the late 19th century brought with it a period of prosperity and political calm, the roundabouts of San Vicente, the
Teatro y Colón, the
Casino Artístico y Literario in 1885, the
Teatro Guerra in 1861, and the
Plaza de Toros in 1892, etc. were amongst the notable building developments of this time. The 1878 edition of
The Globe Encyclopaedia of Universal Information described Lorca (spelled as'' 'Liorca')'' thus: : a town of Spain, province of Murcia, on the Sangonera, W. of Carthagena. It has an old Moorish castle, and manufactures of silks, soap, dye-stuffs, leather, paper, etc... Near Liorca are important lead mines. Pop. 40,000. In the early twentieth century, intensive exploitation of mineral deposits of the coastal zone meant a revival of economic life in the region. The
Spanish Civil War paradoxically brought about the beginning of population recovery, but in the post-World War II years the population stagnated as a result of emigration. But today the flow has been reversed: the leather, pottery, cement and butcheries make the municipality an agricultural and livestock industrial tone, involving a large percentage of the population. The twentieth century in Lorca has been a technological take-off, with slow and gradual change of social structures, the specialization of the productive sectors, etc. On October 19, 1973, Lorca and
Puerto Lumbreras suffered a terrible flood that took more than 50 lives. On January 29, 2005, an earthquake of 4.6 magnitude on the Richter scale with epicentre in the districts of
La Paca (1,068 inhabitants in 2005) and
Zarcilla de Ramos (1,077 inhabitants in 2005), caused damage especially in the structure of various buildings, and in
Avilés,
Coy,
Doña Inés,
Don Gonzalo,
El Pardo,
La Canaleja and
Zarzadilla de Totana. This was however to be topped by worse. In 2008, Lorca received the annual Honorary Diploma of Europe Awards from the
Council of Europe.
2011 earthquake The town was seriously damaged by a magnitude 5.3
earthquake on 11 May 2011, killing at least nine people. The
United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the larger earthquake had a preliminary 5.3 magnitude, it was so superficial that the magnitude was like a 7 magnitude normal earthquake, and struck south-southeast of Madrid at 6:47 p.m. (1647 GMT, 12:47 p.m. EDT). The quake was about 1 km (0.6 mi) deep, and was preceded by the smaller one with a 4.5 magnitude in the same spot.
Lorca Castle, a fortress of medieval origin constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries suffered serious damages to its walls and the Espolón Tower during this earthquake. == Titular see of Elicroca ==