JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA

city, Cadiz provincia, in the comunidad autnoma (autonomous community) of Andalusia, southwestern Spain. It lies northeast of Cdiz city and near the north bank of the Guadalete River. Of obscure origin but probably identical with the Roman Asido Caesariana, the city was occupied by the Moors from the 8th century until it was captured by King Alfonso X of Castile in 1264. Several towns on the border near the Moorish territories were called de la frontera (of the frontier). Notable landmarks in the city include the 11th-century Moorish Alczar (fortress palace), the Baroque 17th-century Colegiata (Collegiate Church), and the medieval Gothic churches of Santiago and San Miguel. The English word sherry comes from the 16th-century pronunciation of the name Jerez. The maturing of sherry wine in bodegas (wine sheds) is the city's chief occupation; sherry is produced for both domestic and export markets. Jerez horses, of mixed Arab, Spanish, and English stocks, are highly valued. Pop. (1984 est.) 138,700.