Alqueria

An alquería (Spanish: [alkeˈɾi.a]; Valencian: alqueria [alkeˈɾi.a]; Portuguese: alcaria [alkɐˈɾi.ɐ]; from Arabic القرية al-qarīa, "village, hamlet") in Al-Andalus made reference to small rural communities that were located near cities (medinas).^[1] Since the 15th century it makes reference to a farmhouse, with an agricultural farm, found mainly in eastern and southeastern Spain, such as Granada and Valencia. Regarding the latter location Joan Fuster, in his book called El País Valenciano, makes extensive reference to the Valencian alquerías.^[2] Vestiges and documents referring to alquerias, known as alcarias in Portuguese, have been found in Portugal's southern region of Algarve. From Central Portugal to the Algarve passing through Alentejo region, a number of places in Portugal have the word Alcaria in its name.