Herrera, Seville

Herrera is a municipality located in the province of Seville, Andalusia. As of 2024, it has a population of 6,573 and covers an area of 53.48 km2 (20.65 sq mi). The municipality is situated approximately 120 km (75 mi) from the provincial capital, Seville.

Name origins and Coat of Arms

The town is named after the Spanish word for ironworking, "Herrera", derived from the Latin ferraria. Ironworking is also symbolized in the town's coat of arms, which contains a blacksmith and is inscribed with the Latin motto "Populus natus igne et ferro", which translates to "People born of fire and iron."

Archaeological sites

Ruins of the Muslim and Roman fortifications still exist in the area surrounding Herrera. On the outskirts of the town, there is a Roman archaeological site called "Thermal Set Herrera." It is a large Roman villa where several marble pools, space heating furnaces, and seven large-scale mosaics, including one with a pugilistic scene, have been found. Many paintings and sizable amounts of marble are present. Other former Roman towns are located in Arroyo del Padrón, Noriega, Palominas, and The Farms of Alonso, the latter of which has contained important materials for several centuries. It is in the vicinity of the river Genil (formerly Singilis), whose nearest peak hosts an Arab fortress. A Roman inscription appearing at the end of Herrera mentions Singiliensis pagus or "Genil payment".