It has 21,000 inhabitants (2003). It is situated at 844 m above sea level, in theHoya de Baza, a valley of theSierra Nevada, not far from the Gallego River. This town gives its name to theSierra de Baza. The dome-shaped mountain ofJabalcón overlooks the town from the north-west. The Municipality lies at the southern edge of theAltiplano de Granada
The sculpture of theLady of Baza is a prehistoric artifact discovered in this area on 22 July 1971. The city was founded by theIberians in the 4th century BC and namedBasti, the name by which it was known inRoman times. As part of the Roman province ofTarraco, it was an important commercial center[2] and an early bishopric (see below).
Under theMoors, Baza was an important frontier post along the border with the kingdom ofMurcia. It was also a major commercial center, with a population upward of 50,000, making it one of the three most important cities in theKingdom of Granada.
UnderIslamic rule (713 – 1489), the cathedral, founded by theVisigoth kingReccared in about 600, and whose traditional site is occupied by the ancient church of San Máximo, was converted into amosque[2] and the bishopric was doomed.
In the 11th century, aJewish community was present in Baza. A Jewish ritual bath, ormikveh, was excavated where the old judería existed.[3]
In 1489, during theGranada War, the city fell to QueenIsabella I of Castile, after a stubborn defense lasting seven months. The cannons still adorn the Alameda.
The bishopric of Basti was in existence by 306, the date of theCouncil of Elvira, which was attended by its bishop Eutychianus. The names of other bishops of Basti also are known through their participation in variousCouncils of Toledo. The cathedral was founded by theVisigoth kingReccared in about 600; its traditional site is occupied by the ancient church of San Máximo.[2]
The diocese survived for some time theMoorish conquest but was suppressed in the 8th century, perhaps with errant bishops, while underIslamic rule (713 – 1489), the cathedral was converted into amosque[2] and the bishopric disappeared in the 13th century, but was restored in 1306.
After theReconquista, the territories of the two historical sees of Basti and AncientAcci were united on 21 May 1492 as the modernDiocese of Guadix, asuffragan of theArchdiocese of Granada. Acollegiate church, theColegiata de Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Encarnación, Baza, was established at Basti/Baza. This was reluctant to accept rule from Guadix. As a compromise, the collegiate church was given authority, under the bishop, over twelve parishes, and the bishopric adopted a second name, diocese of Guadix-Baza, indicating a union of two dioceses under a single bishop. This continued until 1851, when the collegiate church became a simple parish church and the diocese resumed the name ofDiocese of Guadix.[4][5][6]
Until 1985, Baza was served by a railway station on theFerrocarril del Almanzora, which linkedMurcia del Carmen toGranada viaLorca, Baza andGuadix. Reopening this line has been proposed.[8]
The northern branch of theA-92 highway also passes next to the town.
Pius Bonifacius Gams (1931).Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae. Leipzig. p. 3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
España Sagrada. Vol. VII. Madrid. 1750. pp. 80–96.
Lambert, A. (1932). "Basti".Dictionnaire d'Histoire et de Géographie ecclésiastiques. 1288-1291. Vol. VI. Paris.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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