Untitled - Costa Del Sol

Transcription

CULTURA_interior_INGLES_botones 2008.qxp
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CULTURA_interior_INGLES_actualizado 2008.qxp
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TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
index
Málaga, Sun and Culture
Graphic design: Conmunica Mediatrader
Editing: IT Department at the Tourist Board
and Conmunica Mediatrader
www.visitcostadelsol.com
2
COSTA DEL SOL TOURIST BOARD
Plaza del Siglo, 2
29015 Malaga
Telephone: (+34) 952 12 62 72
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.visitcostadelsol.com
. ÁLORA
. ANTEQUERA
. ARCHIDONA
. BENALMÁDENA
. COÍN
. ESTEPONA
. FRIGILIANA
. FUENGIROLA
. MÁLAGA
. MARBELLA
. MIJAS
. MONTEJAQUE
. NERJA
. RINCÓN DE LA VICTORIA
. RONDA
. TORREMOLINOS
. TORROX
. VÉLEZ MÁLAGA
page 5
page 14
page 32
page 43
page 56
page 71
page 83
page 94
page 110
page 164
page 190
page 204
page 210
page 224
page 236
page 260
page 277
page 288
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TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
index. Álora
.
CULTURAL CENTRES
Álora House of Culture
page 6
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THEATRES
Cervantes Theatre
page 7
Álora
.
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Álora
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ERVANTES THEATRE
Álora
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Avda. Cervantes, s/n
29500 Álora
Tel.: (+34) 952 496 660
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]
Address: C/ Carmona, s/n
29200 Álora
Tel.: (+34) 952 496 660 (Casa de la Cultura)
The building has three floors. The
Hogar del Pensionista (Pensioner's Home), the
TV and the rehabilitation rooms are located on
the ground floor. The Tomás García Municipal
Library, the Municipal Archive, and the
auditorium, on the first floor. On the third floor are
the local departments for Culture and Tourism,
Fiestas and Youth, two exhibition rooms that
shows artworks coming from the provincial
government, workshops, art groups and paintings
participating in the Álora Painting Competition,
which enjoys high prestige in Spain. The House
of Culture was established in 1986, and its
construction was funded by Tomás García.
Open since April 2005, the theatre is
located in a modern building, and is fit to offer
different types of shows: theatre plays, ballet
performances, classical music concerts, talks,
and more. It is part of the cultural programmes of
the Government of Andalusia. The theatre
capacity is 404.
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Álora
Álora
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PÆgina 6
Cervantes Theatre
Álora House of Culture
LORA HOUSE OF CULTURE
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TOURIST BOARD &
USEFUL INFORMATION
Surface area: 103 km2.
Population: About 15,000.
Name given to the local people: Aloreños or
Perotes.
Location: In the northeast of the Guadalhorce
Valley, 40 km from Málaga City and 78 km from
Ronda. The village is some 200 m above sea
level. Average annual rainfall is 580 l/m2, and
the average temperature is 16.6 º C.
What to see: Castle, Church of La Encarnación
(Incarnation), Convent of La Virgen de las Flores,
Chapel of Veracruz, Desfiladero de los Gaitanes gorge.
Tourist Information:
Rafael Lería Municipal Museum.
Plaza Baja de la Despedía, s/n (29500).
Tel.: (+34) 952 495 577.
Town Hall.
Plaza de Fuente Arriba, 15 (29500).
Tel.: (+34) 952 496 100.
Fax: (+34) 952 497 000.
The district of Álora combines all the
features that appear throughout the province. It's
located in the heart of Málaga, where the most
diverse landscapes come together, ranging from
such impressive high mountains as the Sierra de
Huma (1,191 m) to the lowlands on the banks of
the River Guadalhorce, and the imposing
Desfiladero de los Gaitanes gorge, which is
without a doubt one of the most striking
geographical features to be found in Spain.
In keeping with this diversity, there is
considerable variability among crops and forests
within the district boundaries, so that while in the
Guadalhorce Valley, citrus and fruit trees
abound, olive and almond groves and brush
lands are typical of the area of the Mountains of
Málaga, while pines and the occasional remnant
of old holm oak groves cover the lands closest to
the adjoining region of Antequera.
Human settlement in this region dates back to
prehistory, judging from traces found at Hoyo del
Conde, and the passage of Turdetan's people
and Phoenicians has been proved. The latter,
the most notable traders and sailors of the
ancient world, left their mark in Álora, especially
on the Iberian native peoples, who founded a
village named Iluro, in Cerro de las Torres.
The Christians besieged the city on numerous
occasions. Spanish Kings Alfonso XI, John II
and Henry IV successively attempted to take
Álora so as to leave clear the road towards
Málaga, but it was not until 10 June 1484 that
the Catholic Monarchs' troops finally took the
town after a nine-day battle.
Throughout the sixteenth century, the village
experienced a notable economic boom, and
Álora definitely separated from the district of
Málaga in the following century, as states an
accord signed by Philip IV in 1628.
HOW TO GET THERE
Take expressway A-357 from Málaga City and
then the A-343. You will go past Pizarra and
arrive at Álora 6 kilometres farther along.
WHAT TO SEE
The Álora castle was an Iberian and Roman
citadel, and was modified through the centuries.
It was strategically built on one of the hills on
whose slopes the village houses huddle. Two
towers and a pointed horseshoe arch have
remained. The cemetery is inside the premises.
The Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la
Concepción (Our Lady of the Immaculate
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The Vandals took over Iluro in the fifth century.
Ruins from this period have been preserved at
The Muslim invasion was quite peaceful, since
local people were allowed to keep their religion
and customs in exchange for paying the taxes
collected by the invaders. The most significant
events of this era were closely linked to the
rebellion of Umar ibn Hafsun, whose stronghold,
Bobastro, is very close to Álora.
Álora
Álora
The district achieved great splendour under
Roman rule, and some remnants have made it
possible to reconstruct the history of that period,
such as the “miliario” (milestone) on which the
phrase "Municipium Iluritanum" can be read, and
dated 79 A.D. We can claim, thus, that Álora was
a Roman settlement ruled by Roman law in the
times of Domitian.
the fortress located on the Cerro Las Torres
mount, whose defensive structures are the
typical constructions of the Visigoths.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Álora
Álora
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TOURIST BOARD &
The Convent of Nuestra Señora de las Flores is
about 2 kilometres from the village. It was built in
the seventeenth century and underwent different
renovation stages in the eighteenth century. A
seventeenth-century polychrome wooden carving
of St. Francis of Assisi and an image of the Virgin
of the Flowers, the patroness of Álora, are the two
most interesting objects contained in this simple
church, which is also notable for its main chapel,
a Baroque work that is representative of the
plasterwork typical of Málaga.
The most remarkable thing about the Veracruz
Chapel is its graceful belfry. Apart from that, it is a
simple sixteenth-century structure, with a
strangely irregular floor plan, which has lost its
original aspect due to the modifications that were
carried out on it in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries.
FIESTAS
Holy Week in Álora ranks as the most popular
festivity not just among locals but also among
many visitors who flock to the village to witness
the ceremony known as La Despedía (Farewell),
which has been designated a Fiesta of Tourist
Interest in Andalusia and in the province.
On Maundy Thursday, two of this village's most
distinguished cofradías or fraternities, Jesús
Nazareno and La Dolorosa, perform a moving
encounter in the town square. The images
carried by the two groups greet each other from
their magnificent thrones, whose bearers must
carry out the complicated manoeuvre of bowing
them, as in a greeting, and seeing that
everything turns out as the villagers expect. The
music and the acclamations from the crowd add
a festive note to the celebration.
The patron saint fiestas in honour of St Paulinus
are held in early June with various popular
activities and a livestock fair. The local fair takes
place in early August with a programme for all
tastes, but the contest for sopa perota, a local
soup, will attract the visitors' attention. Another
very popular fiesta is the pilgrimage to the
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Álora
The Rafael Lería Museum is in the site known as
Escuela de Cristo or School of Christ, adjoining
the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la
Encarnación (Our Lady of the Incarnation). It's a
Mudéjar building from the sixteenth century,
maybe the chapel of the San Sebastián
Hospital, which no longer exists. Some time
later, the site was the headquarters of the Order
of the School of Christ. The museum has
archaeological and historic objects showing
visitors boards and videos on the history of
Álora, from its foundation to the present day.
Álora
The old quarter of the village might be considered
as a monument as well. It has developed down
the slopes of the hill on which the castle stands.
The name of the Molino del Bachiller mill derives
from the name of its first owner, Bachiller Gonzalo
Pérez de Mayorgas, a relevant figure in Álora in
the sixteenth century, when the oil mill was set up.
A century later it passed down to the chaplaincies
until the Mendizábal confiscation took place.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Conception) is the third largest church in the
province of Málaga. Construction began on it in
1600 and the work was completed a century later,
in 1699. It consists of three naves separated by
sturdy Tuscan columns. In the Gospel side (left) is
a small chapel from the eighteenth century that
houses the Virgin of the Rosary. A figure of St.
Francis of Assisi by Málaga-born sculptor Adrián
Risueño stands out in the church's art collection.
The exterior is very austere, with its three-level
tower with dressed pillars.
Álora
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TOURIST BOARD &
Flamenco tradition has very deep roots in Álora,
so a Cante Grande Festival (focusing on
traditional flamenco singing) is staged in July to
promote and encourage the emergence of local
artists. It should be noted that flamenco students
consider Álora to be the birthplace of the cante
por malagueña (traditional song).
unique among the many original sights offered
by the province of Málaga. After leaving the
area of the reservoirs that supply water to part
of the province, the River Guadalhorce flows
for 3 kilometres through a narrow canyon that
in some places is no more than 10 metres
wide. This would be only natural if the walls of
this gorge, which are almost completely
upright, did not rise several hundred metres
high. This natural wonder is as surprising as it
is awe-inspiring, and on several occasions has
been used for shooting films on location.
Caminito del Rey (meaning "King's Little Road,"
so called after Alfonso XIII and his visit to the
Conde de Guadalhorce reservoir in 1921), a
narrow wood and iron bridge suspended 100 m
high affords a view of this unique geographical
feature. Currently, it is being restored and is
therefore closed to the public.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Nuestra Señora de las Flores convent, on the first
Sunday after 8 September.
FOOD
To some extent the fame gained by sopa perota
has overshadowed the variety of foods in this
region, based on the excellent products of its
fertile farmlands. The recipe for making sopa
perota seems simple at first sight, since its
ingredients are fried tomato sauce mixed with
water and pieces of bread. Usually, it is eaten with
whatever fruits are in season (grapes, prickly
pears, oranges and even cucumbers and raw
onions). The difficult part is achieving the right
proportion and the distinctive taste of this dish.
Salmorejo (a chilled soup containing vinegar,
olive oil and pepper), migas (a dish made from
fried bread crumbs), gachas (flour and
seasonings), majillo de espárragos (a chilled
soup with asparagus) and such pastries as
empanadillas de polvo de batata (sweet potato
pies) and roscos de puerta de horno (a kind of
donut), along with pork products, complete the
traditional foods of Álora. We must not forget the
bolos, a kind of scrambled egg dish prepared with
leftovers from the sopa perota, a little olive oil and
onions.
NATURE
Álora
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Álora
The natural area of Desfiladero de los
Gaitanes gorge, which extends through the
lands of Álora, Ardales and Antequera is
Álora
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TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
index. Antequera
.
CINEMAS
Cinemasur La Verónica
page 16
.
THEATRES
Pedro Espinosa Institute
El Torcal Municipal Theatre
page 17
page 18
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CULTURAL CENTRES AND EXHIBITION HALLS
Antequera House of Culture
Casaborne Art Gallery
Antequera Unicaja Exhibition Hall
page 19
page 20
page 21
Antequera
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INESUR LA VERÓNICA
Antequera
EDRO ESPINOSA INSTITUTE
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: La Verónica Shopping Centre
Ctra. de Sevilla, A-343, Km. 6.5
Tel.: (+34) 952 706 030 / 902 504 150 (only
from Spain)
Website: www.cinesur.com
Address: C/ General Ríos
Tel.: (+34) 952 841 088
The Pedro Espinosa Theatre
operates in a site built in 1963. It has been
renovated recently, the facilities having been
improved and the stage, enlarged. It features 380
seats, patio and amphitheatre. All types of cultural
events are held in the institute -film shows,
theatre plays, conferences, concerts…
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SERVICES
Air conditioning
Disabled access
Parking
Buffet
Cyber cafe
Advance ticket sales
Morning show
Numbered seats
Late show
Childcare area
Audience Day
Student card
Youth card
Discount to people over 65
Venue hire
Audience Day: Wednesday
Tiered seats
Ticket sales by phone
Online sales
Antequera
Antequera
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Number of screens: 8
Total audience capacity: 1,270
PÆgina 26
Pedro Espinosa Institute
Cinesur La Verónica
DESCRIPTION
Antequera
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Antequera
NTEQUERA HOUSE OF CULTURE
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Ramón y Cajal, 8
Tel.: (+34) 952 841 196
Address: C/ Carreteros, 10
29200 Antequera
Tel.: (+34) 952 704 052
The theatre was built between 1933
and 1934 by architect Antonio Sánchez Esteve in
the Art Deco style, which can be observed in the
architectural design as well as in the interior
décor, which features sleek geometric lines,
unvaried repetition, symmetry, lateral projecting
bodies, and parallel horizontal trims.
Antequera House of Culture
The Culture Municipal Foundation is
working in a remarkable building in central
Antequera. It plans hundreds of leisure activities
and cultural events: exhibitions, concerts, theatre
seasons, workshops for children and
adolescents, cinema seasons, and more.
The Antequera House of Culture offers ballet,
musical and theatrical performances.
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El Torcal Municipal Theatre
L TORCAL MUNICIPAL THEATRE
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Antequera
NTEQUERA UNICAJA EXHIBITION HALL
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Callejón de la Gloria, 1
29200 Antequera
Tel.: (+34) 952 846 380
Fax: (+34) 952 706 203
Address: C/ Ramón y Cajal, 2
29200 Antequera
Tel.: (+34) 952 138 615 (Francisco Cañada)
This is a cultural space that makes
known the works of contemporary artists and all
kinds of objects art can produce. Casaborne is
proud to be a forum gathering different opinions,
and offering music, books, videos, photos,
painters, musicians and passers by.
Antequera Unicaja Exhibition Hall
The exhibition hall is located in the
busiest area in town. It promotes young artists,
mainly from Antequera.
It is the oldest exhibition hall in Antequera. It was
the former studio where Cristóbal Toral used to
work.
Open Mon - Fri, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
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Casaborne Art Gallery
ASABORNE ART GALLERY
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TOURIST BOARD &
USEFUL INFORMATION
The first settlers in this region left significant
archaeological remnants : the dolmens of Viera,
Menga and Romeral, gigantic burial structures
erected in the Bronze Age. Although there is no
abundant information on the issue, it has been
claimed that the region has been populated
even since prehistoric times, principally because
it's located in the centre of Andalusia -the natural
crossroads between upper and lower Andalusia,
making it possible for Iberians, people from
Tartessos, Phoenicians and Carthaginians to
pass through and settle here. Traces of the
latter, in fact, have been found at Cerro León,
the apparent battlefield in which Hasdrubal's
Carthaginians and the Roman legions clash took place.
It is to the Romans that the city owes its presentday name, which derives from Antikaria, also
used by the Arabs, who under the command of
Abdelaziz Ben Muza, conquered Antequera in
Bathhouses, villas, sculptures, ceramics,
mosaics, and column shafts and capitals from
the Roman period have been turning up
throughout the district. They are evidences of
Antequera's ancient splendour.
The Arabs extended and strengthened the town,
building the Alcazaba fort and surrounding the
Medina with a wall. Antequera became a
strategic site after the capture of Seville and
Jaén by the Christians who, led by Infante Don
Fernando, finally seized Antequera in 1410.
After being granted many prerogatives by the
King, Antequera entered an upward trend
period, finding its peak in the second half of the
sixteenth century and remaining a wealthy
district until the eighteenth century. During this
long period, the town was enriched with an
extraordinary artistic heritage -churches and
convents, and outstanding secular monumentsthat has remained magnificent in Antequera's
historic old quarter.
An epidemic of yellow fever and the Napoleonic
invasion decimated the local population at the
beginning of the nineteenth century. With the
passage of time, a thriving textile industry was
born, and with it, a solid bourgeoisie that gave
new life to the local economy and society. This
powerful industrial sector was to succumb in
the twentieth century and it was not until many
decades later that the town, linked by a good
transport network with the rest of
Andalusia, again entered a period of clear
economic expansion.
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Antequera
Were it not so big, the landscape could be taken
as gigantic trompe l'oeil made by an ingenious
artist. However, this dazzlingly panoramic initial
view does not fully reveal the treasure made up
of the monumental sites of Antequera, where
every corner reverberates with a thousand-yearold Mediterranean culture forged by all the
western civilisations.
the eighth century. Many traces of the Roman
era have remained both in Antequera proper and
in the nearby towns of Arastepi and Singilia
Barba, among the most important of Roman Málaga.
Antequera
Name given to the local people: Antequeranos
Location: The town of Antequera is located in
the centre of the region that bears its name, in
the north of the Málaga province, about 45 km
from Málaga City. It is 577 m above sea level,
and its average annual rainfall barely exceeds
550 l/m2, while the average temperature is
approximately 15.3º C.
What to see: Renaissance fountain, Collegiate
Church of San Sebastián, Convent of La
Encarnación (Incarnation), City Museum at the
Nájera Palace, Convent of San José, Convent
Museum of the Discalced Carmelite Order, Palace of
the Marquises of the Peña de los Enamorados,
Convent of La Victoria, Convent of Santa Eufemia,
Church of Santiago (St James), Convent of Belén
(Bethlehem), Puerta de Granada (Granada Gate),
dolmens at Menga and Viera, Convent of San Zoilo,
Church of El Carmen, Royal Collegiate Church of
Santa María la Mayor (Greater St Mary), Arco de los
Gigantes (Arch of Giants), Alcazaba (fortress), Torre
del Homenaje (Homage Tower), Puerta de Málaga
(Málaga Gate), Portico and Gallery of the Virgen del
Socorro (Our Lady of Succour), Church of Santa
María de Jesús (St Mary of Jesus), Church of San
Juan Bautista (St John the Baptist), Palace of the
Marquises of Escalonías, Church of Santo Domingo,
Bullring, City Bullfighting Museum, Convent of San
Agustín (St Augustine), Town Hall, among others.
Pza. de San Sebastián, 7 (29200).
Tel.: (+34) 952 702 505.
Fax: (+34) 952 702 505.
E-mail: [email protected].
Website: www.antequera.es.
The very first thing your eye beholds as you
start down your way towards the Antequera
plains on the N-331 (A-45) expressway is a
broad meadowland like an immense tapestry of
different shades of green or ochre, depending on
the season. To the right, the evocative Peña de
los Enamorados (Lovers' Rock) with its legend
of a doomed romance; straight ahead, gentle
hills hem in the meadows, and to the left, below
the crest of the El Torcal, Christian towers and
Arab walls rise from the brilliantly white town.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Antequera
Antequera
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TOURIST BOARD &
The quickest way from Málaga to Antequera is by
the N-331 (A-45) expressway. Once you arrive at
the Antequera lowlands, take the A-354, and after
2 kilometres, you will enter the urban area.
WHAT TO SEE
There is no way you can fully appreciate the
artistic and monumental wealth that Antequera
offers in a single day, but the town does have the
advantage of having all its sites together in the
historic town centre, thus making long trips
unnecessary. You can begin the tour at any point
selected at random, since all the attractions will
appear one after the other before your eyes. It is
advisable, though, to plan your itinerary
beforehand.
San Sebastián Square is a must-visit on any tour
of Antequera. It's a small space featuring a
Renaissance fountain designed by Pedro
Machuca in 1545. The Collegiate Church of San
Sebastián, with its plateresque entrance by Diego
de Vergara, dates back to the sixteenth century
too. Its stylised brick tower, built at the beginning
of the eighteenth century, is the tallest in the town.
The church's interior is a true museum of painting
and sculpture.
Along Nájera Street and up Cuesta de las
Barbacanas, you reach the Plaza de las
Descalzas, named after the nuns from Convento
de San José, widely known as "the Discalced
Nuns' Convent." It has an impressive Baroque
front, and currently houses the Convent
Museum of the Discalced Nuns, where
noteworthy paintings can be admired. From
here, you take Madre Carmen del Niño Jesús
Street. The Mudéjar-Renaissance façade of the
Palace of the Marquises of the Peña de los
Enamorados is immediately ahead, featuring
two watchtowers. Roaming slightly ahead, you
can see the La Victoria Convent, which has a
beautiful eighteenth-century church with a
central floor plan following the Roman model,
which can also be seen in the church of Santa
Eufemia Convent, on Belén Street. To reach this
convent, you should take Carrera Street to Plaza
de Santiago, where the double-portico façade of
Santiago's Church looms up above the passersby. Not very far away is the Convent of Belén
(Bethlehem) and its eighteenth-century church,
whose interior is profusely ornamented with
polychrome and gilded plasterworks.
The Puerta de Granada gate, at the end of Belén
Street, was erected in the eighteenth century
and exhibits the coats-of-arms of Antequera and
of King Ferdinand VI. A short stretch from this
point, you reach Menga and Viera dolmens
(2500 B.C. and 2000 B.C., respectively), two
exceptional funeral monuments. On your way
back from the dolmens, taking Cristo de los
Avisos Street and just before returning to Plaza
de las Descalzas, you shouldn't miss a visit to
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Antequera
the school of Antequera, religious sculptures,
gold and silver pieces and an exquisite
collection of works by the local painter Cristóbal
Toral are also shown in the museum galleries.
Antequera
Next to this temple is La Encarnación convent,
with a church from the sixteenth century. The
Moorish style typical of Granada can be seen in
the wooden frame over the nave, in whose centre
the main chapel sits at a considerable height. In
the adjacent El Coso Square is the Nájera
Palace, which now houses the City Museum,
which contains the famed "Ephebe of Antequera,"
an extraordinary bronze figure from the first
century that, according to experts, is among the
best Roman sculptures in Spain. Paintings from
CONVENTION BUREAU
HOW TO GET THERE
Antequera
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TOURIST BOARD &
At Plaza de las Descalzas starts the Cuesta de
los Rojas, which leads to Plaza del Carmen and
the street of the same name. There, you'll find
the Del Carmen Church, which belonged to a
convent that no longer exists. The church interior
(sixteenth and seventeenth centuries) includes a
magnificent Mudéjar framework and a striking
Churriguera's altarpiece in the high altar. A
Gothic Virgin donated by the Catholic Monarchs
to the no longer existent mosque-church of El
Salvador further increases the artistic relevance
of the religious building.
A set of stairs lead to Postigo de la Estrella from
Plaza del Carmen, from which a slope comes
out onto Plaza de Santa María, located in the
upper part of town. Here, the rich architectural
complex is made up of the Royal Collegiate
Church of Santa María la Mayor (Greater St
Mary) -next to which some Roman ruins have
been discovered-, the Alcazaba or Arab fortress,
and the Arco de los Gigantes (Giants' Arch).
Construction work in the Alcazaba began in the
eleventh century but most of the walls and the
two towers date from the fourteenth century. The
main tower is the Homage Tower. Its interior is
crowned by groin vaults, except for one which
has a wooden ceiling. The Torre de Papabellotas
(Papabellotas Tower) was built above this tower
in the sixteenth century. Its bell regulated the
irrigation of the fields. The chambers of the Torre
Blanca are distributed in two levels and
communicated with the Homage Tower through
a passage behind the battlements.
A second wall led from the Torre Blanca
southward, where the Puerta de Málaga gate
was built. This is a graceful tower with a
horseshoe arch. After the Christian conquest, it
was used as a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Wait.
Upon leaving the Alcazaba you should return to
the Arco de los Gigantes (Giants' Arch) and take
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Antequera
In 1585, the Arco de los Gigantes (Giants' Arch)
was erected in front of the Collegiate Church.
Some time ago, it included Roman tombstones
and other pieces but some of them disappeared
and others have been replaced by copies so that
the originals could be preserved. Before leaving,
a visit to the Alcazaba (fortress) is a must. It
stands on the highest part of Antequera and
offers the best panoramic views of the town and
its surroundings.
Antequera
The Royal Colegiate Church of Santa María la
Mayor (Greater St Mary) is thought to be the first
Renaissance church built in Andalusia (15301550). Its imposing façade is one of the symbols
that best represent the town of Antequera. It
displays three arches divided by buttresses, and
is crowned with pinnacles. The three naves are
roofed with Mudéjar frameworks and separated
by heavy Ionic columns that confer an
unmistakable classical air to the church interior.
A grammar school founded in this place gave
rise to the Antequera poetry group during the
Spanish Golden Age. Its most famous member
was Pedro Espinosa, whose memorial statue
stands in the square.
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the Real Convento de San Zoilo. It was founded
by Isabella and Ferdinand, the Catholic
Monarchs, in the sixteenth century, and follows
the late Gothic style. Besides the splendid
Mudéjar coffered ceiling of the central nave, this
church contains three outstanding examples of
Renaissance art: the image of Cristo Verde
(Green Christ), that of Jesús Nazareno de la
Sangre (Bleeding Jesus of Nazareth), and a
beautiful altarpiece.
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Descending along the Cuesta Real towards Plaza
del Portichuelo, you arrive at the Church of San
Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist), built in the
sixteenth century in the Mannerist style. The
image of Cristo de la Salud y de las Aguas (Christ
of Health and Waters) is worshipped in this
church. Down the steep Álvaro de Oviedo Street
to Pasillas Street, you will find the Palace of the
Marquises of Escalonias and its beautiful
Mannerist front. A few steps farther, you will see
the Church of Santo Domingo, built in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, which
preserves a polychrome Mudéjar coffered ceiling.
The lady chapel of the main altarpiece contains a
figure of the Virgen de la Paz Coronada
(Crowned Virgin of Peace), and another chapel is
devoted to Our Lady of the Rosary.
The tour continues along Cuesta de la Paz, which
leads to San Sebastián Square. You can begin
another itinerary from this point, going down
Infante Don Fernando Street towards the
boulevard of Andalucía and the Bullring, where
the City Bullfighting Museum is located.
FIESTAS
Festivities in Antequera offer the living image of
a dynamic town which, however, has
succeeded in preserving lasting traditions and
popular customs. Among popular festivities,
one stands out over the rest: Holy Week, which
was declared Andalusian fiesta of National
Tourist Interest. It is one of the oldest and most
original festivities in Andalusia because it's
completely different from those celebrated
elsewhere, while their essence is the same. It
has such powerful and singular features that
the phrase "Antequera style" is used to
underscore certain characteristics that have
influenced Holy Week ceremonies in other places.
Most images worshipped in Holy Week
processions are valuable carvings made in the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by artists
belonging to the school of Antequera. Floats are
carried on shoulders of the hermanacos, whose
place along the transporting poles is usually
assigned depending on their ancestry. The rich
processional furnishings show their full
splendour surrounded by the scenery provided
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Antequera
The Town Hall, on Infante Don Fernando Street,
was formerly the Convent of the Third
Franciscan Order. The Town Council acquired
the property in 1845. Behind its neo-Baroque
façade (twentieth century), this mansion
contains a splendid courtyard, formerly the
cloister, and an artistic marble stairway. Finally,
next to the Town Hall, visitors can see the
Convent of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios
(Convent of Our Lady of Remedies). The main
chapel's Baroque altarpiece with Solomonic
columns is worthy of special note. There, devout
followers worship their patroness, Our Lady of
Remedies, represented in a carved figure from
the sixteenth century.
Antequera
The Convent of San Agustín (St Augustine),
completed in mid sixteenth century, is on the first
stretch of this street. The main chapel has a
Gothic cross-ribbed vault. The nave's coffered
ceiling, designed by Siloé, was a veritable
masterpiece of its kind, but was replaced in the
eighteenth century by a covering in Mannerist style.
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Herradores Street towards Plaza del Portichuelo,
where the unique Chapel of Virgen del Socorro
(Our Lady of Succour is. It has an ornamented
and complex Baroque portico. Next to this original
building is the Church of Santa María de Jesús
(Saint Mary of Jesus), where devotees worship
the Virgin's image, one of the most popular of the
Holy Week festivity in Antequera.
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The August Fair is a motley mosaic of very
different activities: open-air dancing, cante jondo
(traditional flamenco songs), pop music, jazz,
food exhibitions, and bullfights led by the most
popular espadas ("swords"), a word used to
praise a skilful and brave matador. Festivities
honouring the patroness, Our Lady of
Remedies, widely popular among local people,
are held on 8 September.
Agroant, the local Agricultural and Cattle Fair, is
held in late May, within the framework of the
Spring Fair.
FOOD
As far as food is concerned, Antequera has also
made known some dishes that have become
very popular beyond the district's borders, and
today they can be found in every corner of
Andalusia. The well-known porra antequerana
(made with bread, tomato, and peppers) is
undoubtedly the star dish of the region, a pole
position it shares with molletes, a kind of Arab
bread made with local olive oil that is a must for
breakfast.
cabello de ángel (kind of sweet made with
pumpkin and honey).
The taste for tapas, an old tradition not just in
Andalusia but in many other places in Spain, is
deeply rooted in Antequera, proof of which are
the numerous sites offering these delicious small
bites. From the wide range of tapas available,
excellent choices would be stewed rice, ribs,
porra, potato stew, eggplant and, of course, all
the different pork products that continue to be
handmade in this region.
NATURE
El Torcal Nature Site is some 14 kilometres
south of Antequera. Its startlingly strange and
beautiful terrain derives from a geological folding
that raised the seafloor and formed a hill range.
Over millions of years, the wind and the rain
have eroded and shaped the rocks into a
fantastic showcase of the most original and
varied forms imaginable. Their resemblance to
easily recognisable objects will stir your
imagination so you'll believe you're in front of
castles, cathedrals, screw-shaped columns, and
monsters.
Visitors can follow two well-defined routes to
explore this extraordinary 12-sq km karstic
landscape. One of them is more suitable for a
quick visit, and the other for a more thorough
tour to get to know some of the flora and fauna
of this extraordinary site.
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Antequera
Antequera is also renowned for its pastries.
Christmas sweets like polvorones, mantecados,
and alfajores, baked in traditional ovens,
especially those in the cloistered convents, have
achieved a well-deserved fame due to a refined
cooking tradition. One of the most typical
desserts of this district is bienmesabe, made
with almonds, cinnamon, sponge cake, and
Antequera
30
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by the architecture of the historic centre and its
steep, narrow streets. One of the most singular
rituals in Antequera's Holy Week is called correr
la vega ("running across the meadow") and
consists in carrying the sacred images' floats
while running up a very steep slope.
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a
RT SPACES
Archidona
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index. Archidona
CONVENT OF SANTO
DOMINGO HOTEL-SCHOOL
Address: C/ Santo Domingo, s/n
The old nave of the church that belonged to the
Convent of Santo Domingo, which has been
converted to a hotel-school managed by the
Tourism Ministry of the Government of Andalusia,
holds cultural events like dance performances,
concerts, and recitals. Above all, this venue
serves as a fantastic space for "Archidona
Cinema" - Andalusian and Mediterranean Film
Festival, a world-class film event in the
Autonomous Community of Andalusia.
"EUGENIO LAFUENTE"
MUNICIPAL EXHIBITION HALL
Address: C/ Fresca, s/n
(Municipal Market, ground floor)
.
CULTURAL CENTRES
Art Spaces
USEFUL INFORMATION
Archidona Town Hall
Address: Plaza de la Victoria, 1
29300 Archidona
Tel.: (+34) 952 714 480
Website: www.archidona.org
pág. 33
This gallery has been conceived as a neutral and
multi-purpose venue. Its large walls and surface
area (133 sq m) welcome both the traditional
annual exhibition programme and a wide range of
special exhibitions (group exhibitions, travelling
exhibitions, and so forth).
ARCHIDONA MUNICIPAL MUSEUM
Address: Plaza de la Vitoria, 1 - La Cilla Building
The Archidona Municipal Museum and Centre for
Historic and Cultural Heritage exhibits its
permanent collection and also holds temporary
exhibitions focusing mainly on local history, arts
or traditional culture. It runs shows hailing from
other locations as well.
"LA BOHÈME" CULTURAL CENTRE
Address: C/ Pavía, 2
La Bohème is a multi-purpose centre drawing
artists in the realm of the performing arts,
literature, and plastic and visual arts. The centre
promotes artists' coexistence and creativity and
fosters experimental initiatives. La Bohème is an
innovative cultural project in Andalusia, in contact
with leading European cultural centres. It's
supported by the Government of Málaga and the
Archidona Town Council.
Archidona
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TOURIST BOARD &
USEFUL INFORMATION
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Archidona
HOW TO GET THERE
If you are travelling by car, take the A-92 (SevilleAlmería), A-359 (Pedrizas-Salinas), N-342
(Antequera-Archidona-Salinas) or the N-331
(Málaga-Córdoba-Madrid).
BRIEF HISTORY
Surface Area: 187.1 square kilometres
Population: about 8,500
What the natives are called: Archidoneses
Monuments: the Ochavada plaza, Las Mínimas
convent, La Victoria church, La Cilla building, the
hermitages of Nuestra Señora de Gracia, San
Antonio, and El Nazareno, the Santa Ana church,
Santo Domingo convent and the ruins of the
medieval castle.
Geographical Location: in the northeast part of
the province of Málaga, in the Antequera region
and adjoining the province of Granada. The
village centre is 50 kilometres from the city of
Málaga and 20 from Antequera. It sits 716 metres
above sea level and the average annual rainfall is
nearly 600 litres per square metre. The average
temperature is 15º C.
Town Hall, Paseo de la Victoria, 1 (29300).
Telephone: (+ 34) 952 714 480
Fax: (+ 34) 952 714 165.
Tourist Office, Plaza Ochavada, 2.
Telephone: (+ 34) 952 716 479
The oldest archaeological remains found in
Archidona and its environs date back from
prehistory; one of them is Las Grajas cave.
There are also protohistoric walled settlements
like La Hoya and Capacheras. Roman ruins can
be seen at La Alcaidía and La Camila. Muslim
Arsiduna was the capital of the Rayya district.
Only the walls, some ruins of the castle and
parts of the old mosque (present-day Shrine of
the Virgen de Gracia) have survived. In 1462,
Archidona was taken from the Moors by Pedro
Girón, first Duke of Osuna, whose descendants
continued to rule the village for years. The
Flemish Renaissance illuminator Joris
Hoefnagel published the first prints depicting
panoramic views of Archidona in Civitates Orbis
Terrarum. Archidona has numerous monuments
from the Modern Era, particularly in the
seventeenth and eighteenth-century Baroque
style. One emblematic work from that period is
the Plaza Ochavada. A Royal Decree of 1901
granted Archidona city status.
WHAT TO SEE
Archidona
Archidona
The Municipal Museum has a permanent
collection and a visitor centre where out-oftowners can learn about Archidona's historic and
cultural heritage. The museum is the first site to
see before your tour of Archidona, since it will
help you make the most of your visit.
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In 1980, the city of Archidona was designated a
site of historic-artistic interest due to its historic
and cultural assets, and especially its
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Convent of the Minim Nuns, founded in the
sixteenth century. It has a church built in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries whose
brick tower and ceramic ornaments evoke the
Mudéjar style. It houses the Virgen del Fuelle, a
sixteenth-century Renaissance painting of the
Flemish school.
Established in 1757, the Old Pious School came
to be one of the main learning centres in
Andalusia. The school was active until the 1950s,
and the building was then home to a public high
school and vocational school. At present, it is the
"Luís Barahona de Soto" high school.
Construction work ended in 1794. Colegio Street
divides the school into two blocks that are
connected via an elevated passageway over a
barrel vault where the street is, thus, covered.
The two main fronts, from the eighteenth century,
look onto Carrera and Pilarejo Streets. The
building is home to the "Doctor Ricardo Conejo
Ramilo" Municipal Public Library and the
Municipal Archives as well.
The site known as La Cilla was used by the Dukes
of Osuna to store grains and ground rent. The
Dukes of Osuna were the lords of the village, and
their coat of arms is on the eighteenth-century
façade that opens to the Plaza de la Victoria. At
present, the building is the local Town Hall and is
home to the Municipal Museum.
The construction of the Parish Church of Santa
Ana commenced in the early sixteenth century in
the Gothic style, as can be observed at the head
of the polygonal temple covered with a sixpartite
vault. The front façade dates back to the
eighteenth century. The church underwent major
renovation in the nineteenth century. It has an
original triangular tower and contains
Renaissance wooden doors at the entrance to
The Shrine of Virgen de Gracia, Patroness of
Archidona, is nestled high in Cerro de Gracia. It
has preserved a part of the mosque of the
fortified site built by the Arabs. It features horse
shoe arches on columns with shafts from
Roman times. The tower has retained some of
its minaret structure. The renovation made in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries involved
the enlargement of the building and the addition
of vaults with plasterwork. In the shrine, there is
a painting depicting the local Patroness, Virgen
de Gracia, an anonymous work whose canvas,
the legend goes, is a remnant from the flag of
Pedro Girón, who conquered Archidona in 1462.
The beautiful fifteenth-century vitrified ceramics
baptismal font is noteworthy.
The Convento de Santo Domingo School-Hotel,
dependent on the Government of Andalusia, is
housed in the former convent, a sixteenthcentury building that underwent major
renovation and refurbishment. One aisle on
whose end are two chapels covered in
magnificent eighteenth-century plasterwork
have survived from the old building.
The streets of Archidona's old quarter add an
interesting architectural environment with its
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The Plaza Ochavada is the monument of
Archidona par excellence. Built between 1780
and 1786, the square was built in a fine
The Church of La Victoria was a part of an old
convent that belonged to the Minims of St Francis
of Paola. The convent was established in the
sixteenth century, but it was confiscated later on, in
the nineteenth century. The present-day building
dates back to the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries. The church's outstanding elements are
the belfry, the brick façade and the Rococo
altarpiece devoted to preaching. The official figures
of the fraternities of El Huerto, El Dulce Nombre and
La Pollinica are kept in La Victoria.
the archives, a large decorative candlestick to
hold the Easter candle, and a polychrome wood
altarpiece from the old Convent of Santo
Domingo. The large altarpiece in the high altar
and the wooden inner door at one end of the
building date from the eighteenth century. Worth
mentioning are the figure of the Virgen del
Rosario and the official figures belonging to the
fraternities of La Humildad and La Soledad. In
the presbytery, there is a large painting of The
Pietà (1928) by Eugenio Lafuente, an artist born
in Archidona.
Archidona
Archidona
The Church of El Nazareno was built between the
seventeenth and the eighteenth centuries,
presumably on the site of a sixteenth-century
chapel. When the Pious School was founded, in
1757, El Nazareno came to be the church-chapel
of the school until the religious order left the
place. A marble pulpit with the name of the order
has been kept. The main altar is presided over by
the Mannerist image of the Nazarene, from the
late sixteenth century.
Andalusian Baroque style and shows the
eighteenth-century enlightened spirit. The Plaza
Ochavada has a monumental and strongly
scenographical appeal. Its brick fronts and the
austere architectural lines make up eight
different yet harmonious façades. The square
can be reached through three monumental
arches. A great number of Archidona's major
festive and cultural events take place in it. In
addition, it is a meeting point for local people to
voice their concerns and enjoy their leisure time.
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architectural landmarks. The following sites are
not to be missed:
Archidona
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FIESTAS
Archidona has a festival-packed calendar.
Archidona
FOOD
Porra archidonesa is the typical dish of
Archidona, a cold dish made with bread, tomato,
pepper, garlic, salt and olive oil. Traditional foods
are ajoblanco, pimentón, porrilla de setas,
gazpachuelo, guisillo de San José, cazuelilla
moruna, migas, papandujas de bacalao, gachas
de mosto, among others. The mollete (muffin) is
what local people usually have for breakfast. In
Archidona, you will be able to taste mouthwatering pastries and desserts like bollos de
manteca, pestiños, aceitados, or the sweets
prepared by the Minim nuns. In Archidona they
make an exceptionally good olive oil.
NATURE
The municipal district of Archidona has natural
spaces with great environmental value: next to
Salinas there are the lakes called Lagunas de
Archidona (Grande and Chica), an area
designated Nature Reserve of Andalusia that
teems with bird life. The Marín stream flows into
the Guadalhorce river and forms the Hoz de
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In July and August, the Plaza Ochavada turns
into a true stage on which cultural activities and
events are run, one of them being the World
Music and Dance Festival. On 15 August,
Archidona pays tribute to the Virgen de Gracia,
the local Patroness, whose procession toward
Her hilltop shrine on Cerro de Gracia starts the
night before. Repiques (chime of bells) and
luminarias (lights on the streets) are two of the
traditions related to the festivity of the local
Patroness. The Royal Fair is held from 14 to 18
August and comprises both a Day Fair and a
Night Fair. Finally, the summer festive period
ends the last Saturday of August or the first
Saturday of September. The figure of the Virgin
is taken down to the Parish Church of Santa
Ana, where it stays nine days before they take
Her back to Her own chapel. In autumn,
Archidona plays host to the Andalusian and
Mediterranean Film Festival, also known as
Archidona Cinema, a leading cultural event in
the Autonomous Community of Andalusia. Of
course, on Christmas Day, New Year's Day and
Epiphany, the village leaves the old year behind
and welcomes the new one. Nativity scenes,
Correr las latas (children running along the
streets making noise with cans to "call" the
Three Kings who will bring them presents), the
Three Kings' Parade, etc. are typical of these
days in the winter season. Finally, in January
Archidona stages the traditional canary bird
show.
Archidona
In February, there are the Candelaria bonfires, a
tradition linked to the day of the Virgin's
Purification. Carnival time is basically a time for
revelry and partying. Fun begins several weeks
in advance with the Jueves de Compadres,
Jueves de Comadres, Jueves de Padres e
Hijos, when people eat sweet pastries and drink
chocolate together while they plan and get ready
for the festival. When Carnival arrives, the party
takes the streets. Local people dress up for the
occasion, they sing coplillas, take part in
parades and play the "cántaros" (jugs) game,
attend the entierro del boquerón (burial of the
sardine), etc. Holy Week, designated Fiesta of
National Tourist Interest in Andalusia, is the most
important religious feast in Archidona. The
processions are led by the six local "cofradías"
or fraternities: La Pollinica, El Huerto, El
Nazareno, El Dulce Nombre, La Humildad and
La Soledad. All of them established an
association in 1927 called Agrupación de
Cofradías de Semana Santa de Archidona.
Two months later, in April, Archidona holds the
Book Fair, a major cultural event full of
activities. The May Crosses is festival where
people set crosses decorated with flowers in
the headquarters of several associations and
children take part in processions carrying floats
and the Holy Cross along the streets. On 15
May, Archidona celebrates St Isidore the
Farmer's festival, which is particularly
remarkable in the districts of Huertas del Río
and Salinas. There, local residents organise
popular festivals, they go camping and have
fun together. Also in May, a dog show is held.
Although it started only a few years ago, the
show has already been designated of tourist
interest in Andalusia and the province as well.
It features tests and trials, vendor booths, etc.
In sum, it is a good opportunity to get closer to
the world of dogs and pets. In June, the district
of San Antonio, where the seventeenth-century
San Antonio Chapel can be found, holds its
own feast, and in July, the district of La
Romera, around the Station of Archidona,
celebrates St Aurelio Day.
CONVENTION BUREAU
traditional houses, squares, alleys, and so on.
The basic elements that took part in the
emergence and growth of the modern village
can be seen around Carrera and Nueva streets,
which run towards the former Placeta de los
Mesones, currently known as Plaza or Paseo de
la Victoria. The village is built upon a hill, Cerro
de Gracia, which commands magnificent views
of the fertile countryside. If you look farther,
you'll see the well-known Peña de los
Enamorados (Lovers' Rock), which actually lies
in Antequera but is closely linked to Archidona.
Legend has it that two lovers, one a Moor, one a
Christian, killed themselves at this rock as their
love was forbidden.
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All these sites are easily accessible if you take
the GR-7, specifically the stretch that runs from
Villanueva de Tapia toward Villanueva del
Trabuco. The PR-A 157 is an attractive trail also
known as Archidona-Hoz del Arroyo Marín, and
there are other roads across the municipal
district of Archidona.
IMPORTANT FIGURES
Archidona
Several legends set in Archidona tell stories of
characters who lived by or at the time of the
Christian conquest of the town.
One of such legends is that of the Peña de los
Enamorados: Legend has it that the peña or
rock bore witness to a tragic tale of a love affair
between Hamet Ahaiar, a young Christian from
Antequera, and Tagzona, a Muslim princess
from Archidona. They fell in love but their
romance was not approved of. They fled to the
rock with troops on their heels. Rather than
spend a lifetime without each other, they threw
themselves from the rock in a loving embrace.
In Tales of the Alhambra, Washington Irving
collects the tales of how the Virgin appeared to
the Christian army and guided the men up a
mysterious path in the mountains, which had
never before been known. When the Moor of
Archidona's castle saw the Christians coming,
he was astonished, and springing with his horse
from a precipice, was dashed to pieces. The
marks of his horse's hoofs are to be seen in the
margin of the rock to this day.
.
Among the people who were not born in
Archidona but left their mark in the town's history
Archidona
Index
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40
LEGENDS
Archidona
A great number of prominent people were born
in Archidona. Bartolomé Marín, for instance,
founded the town of Archidona in Ecuador in
1563; Miguel Cabello de Balboa was a wellknown sixteenth-century writer in Peru; Martín
de León y Cárdenas was Bishop of Pouzzoli and
Palermo, Italy, in the seventeenth century; José
Alcántara Navarro (1787-1848) was appointed
Royal Minister; José Alcántara Pérez (18341898) was a military governor in Melilla; Juan de
Astorga was one of the leading sculptors in
Andalusia in the nineteenth century; Miguel
Lafuente Alcántara was a famed politician,
historian and scholar who lived in the nineteenth
century; and Augusto Miranda Godoy (18551920) was Navy Minister under the reign of
Alfonso XIII.
we can name Abd ar-Rahman I, first Umayyad of
Al Andalus, who was proclaimed prince in
Archidona; Luís Barahona de Soto -prestigious
poet and humanist praised by Cervantes-, from
Lucena, served as alderman in Archidona, in the
sixteenth century; and Blas Infante, the Father of
the Andalusian Nation, studied at the Pious
Schools of Archidona from 1896 to 1900.
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Arroyo Martín amidst the mountains, a beauty
spot teeming with a native tree, the Aleppo pine.
On the outskirts of Archidona lies the Molino Don
Juan, a green lung with a town swimming pool,
sports facilities and hiking trails. And there is a
second green area surrounding the defensive
wall: the Cerro de Gracia Suburban Park. The
municipal district houses the largest oak wood in
the entire province, since it goes from Salinas to
the town boundaries. This woody area makes up
a valuable ecosystem where Mediterranean
bushes grow as well.
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index.
Benalmádena
.
Benalmádena Municipal Auditorium
Arroyo de la Miel House of Culture
Bil Bil Castle
Benalmádena Exhibition Centre
page 44
page 45
page 46
page 47
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RROYO DE LA MIEL HOUSE OF CULTURE
Benalmádena
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: La Paloma - Arroyo de la Miel
29631 Benalmádena
Tel.: (+34) 952 440 640
Address: Avda. de la Constitución, s/n
29631 Arroyo de la Miel - Benalmádena
Tel.: (+34) 952 444 689 - 952 444 698
The Auditorium is part of a group of
initiatives undertaken by the Benalmádena Town
Council, and aimed at offering cultural options in
the district through the organisation of different
quality shows and performances that require an
appropriate space to be staged.
The cultural centre at Arroyo de la
Miel is situated in a nice building that boasts
traditional architectural features. It has a long
tradition in the district, since it was home to the
local schools, and currently is the space in which
most events, exhibitions and celebrations take
place. The building has an auditorium,
classrooms, a library with books in different
languages and exhibition halls. It is home to the
local Culture Department.
The Auditorium would be used only in the
summer, but soon they decided to extend the
offer because the Costa del Sol's weather is
excellent all the year round and the Auditorium
premises can hold a wide range of events.
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Moreover, its location is perfect to host any kind
of public or private event, since it's near the green
area of the Costa del Sol (La Paloma Park), the
fairground at Arroyo de la Miel, and other leisure
and recreation facilities.
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Arroyo de la Miel House of Culture
Benalmádena Municipal Auditorium
ENALMÁDENA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM
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The Bil Bil Castle is an Arab-like
construction, with a red front with tiles and
decorated with bas-relief after the exquisite
Nasrid tradition. On the sides are fountains also in
Arab style. The spot commands magnificent
views of Benalmádena's beaches.
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ENALMÁDENA EXHIBITION CENTRE
Benalmádena
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Avda. Antonio Machado, 78
29630 Benalmádena Costa
Tel.: (+34) 952 444 320
Address: Avda. Antonio Machado, 33
29630 Benalmádena
Tel.: (+34) 952 562 820
Fax: (+34) 952 576 163
Website: www.benalmadena.com
Benalmádena Council bought the castle to use it
as a cultural centre.
The 850 sq m building has an
exhibition area covering 600 sq m (work is
underway to enlarge it up to the whole block), four
levels, warehouse and office area. The attic can
be used as a classroom and also has a space for
catering service. There are between six and eight
exhibitions throughout the year: paintings,
sculptures, archaeological or historic objects,
architecture and photos.
The castle was built in the 30's by León and
Fernanda Hermann. The architect Enrique
Atencia, from Málaga, was in charge of the
design and construction work. Before even
moving to the castle, when the Spanish Civil War
broke out, in 1936, the Hermanns decided to sell
the property. The Schestroms, an American
family, acquired and lived in it until the 80's. After
a series of events and negotiations, the
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Benalmádena
Benalmádena
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The local Town Council organises a wide variety
of cultural activities such as exhibitions, talks,
concerts, and weddings on Saturdays.
Benalmádena Exhibition Centre
Bil Bil Castle
IL BIL CASTLE
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Surface area: 26.60 km .
Population: Around 60,000.
Name given to the local people:
Benalmadenses.
Location: In the western region of the Costa del
Sol, 20 km from Málaga city and about 280 m
above sea level. Its average annual rainfall is 610
l/m2 and the average temperature is 18º C.
What to see: Santo Domingo Church, El Muro
Gardens, Museum of Archaeology, Bil-Bil Castle,
Colomares Castle, Las Águilas Garden, Buddhist
Stupa, watchtowers (Torrebermeja, Torrequebrada,
Torremuelle), Plaza de España, Benalmádena
Pueblo's old quarter, Benalmádena Costa's
Roman ruins.
Tourist Office,
C/ Antonio Machado, 10,
Benalmádena Costa (29630).
Tel.: (+34) 952 442 494 / 952 441 295.
Fax: (+34) 952 440 678.
E-mail: [email protected].
Website: www.benalmadena.com.
2
This town stretches from the southern
foothills of the Sierra de Mijas range down to the
sea and has a population of 40,000. It has three
urban centres, which almost merge with one
another, but yet each is quite distinct:
Benalmádena Pueblo, Benalmádena Costa and
Arroyo de la Miel.
Benalmádena Pueblo is the oldest one, a
typically Andalusian whitewashed town with its
maze of narrow streets, plazas to relax in, and
great views over the Costa del Sol, since it is
300 m above sea level and close to the coast.
Arroyo de la Miel is a suburb that grew around
the local railway station. It's the financial centre
of the district, and the place where most
population lives in. Moreover, most municipal
agencies are located here. Benalmádena Costa,
on the other hand, is the most international area
offering all the main "sun and sand" tourist
attractions: large hotels, a casino, marina and a
wide range of shops.
Due to its location, its excellent hotels and
whole host of leisure activities on offer
(beaches, marina, hiking, cable car, theme
parks -Tivoli, Selwo Marina, Sea Life-, golf
fields… in addition to an intense cultural
programme including art, theatre and music),
Benalmádena is one of the top tourist
destinations in the province of Málaga.
Christian troops not only captured the town but
also destroyed it, along with its castle, where
residents put up strong resistance against the
Catholic Monarchs' army. At the end of the
sixteenth century, Old Christians took up
residence in the town, but they did not stay long,
mainly due to the constant threat of attacks from
the sea. The watchtowers that still stand along
the coastline date back to this period.
In the eighteenth century, several pulp mills set
up in the area. It was then that the area began to
regain a stable population, which kept growing
over the years with the vineyards gaining
importance. However, they disappeared at the
dawn of the twentieth century as a result of the
phylloxera plague. The tourist boom started in
Benalmádena in the 60's, which came as a great
boost to the areas economy.
HOW TO GET THERE
The town can be easily accessed from every
part of the Costa del Sol by taking the Autopista
del Mediterráneo motorway (AP-7, N-340), by
train (local), or from the nearby cities of
Fuengirola, Torremolinos and Málaga.
WHAT TO SEE
In Benalmádena Pueblo, you will find the Santo
Domingo Church, which dates back to the
seventeenth century, but was later rebuilt so
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Benalmádena
The current name might derive from Ibn alMadin, which means "sons of the mine," a
reference to the region's ancient iron mines. This
is not the only hypothesis with regards the
town's name, but it is the most widely accepted
among experts and historians.
Benalmádena
The oldest human settlement dates back to the
Late Palaeolithic, as proven by the remains
found in the Toro Caves, Los Botijos and Las
Zorreras. The Phoenicians settled in this region
in the eighth and seventh centuries B.C., and
Phoenician artefacts were found on the coast as
well. Later the Romans settled here (salting
factories in Benal-Roma and remains in
Torremuelle and Capellanía). But it was the
Arabs who gave the district its name.
CONVENTION BUREAU
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thoroughly that nothing remained of the original
structure. Close to the church, there is also a
wonderful viewing point and, in the same area,
the Muro Gardens, designed by architect César
Manrique, affording panoramic views with the sea
as a backdrop.
The Museum of Archaeology (Avenida Juan
Peralta, 43; Tel.: (+34) 952 448 593) has the best
collection of Pre-Columbian art in Europe, along
with Neolithic and Roman artwork. The marble
floor comes from an eighteenth-century vessel
that shipwrecked off the coast of Benalmádena,
as does a sixteenth-century image of Diana the
Hunter, which is on display in one of the
museum's rooms.
Close to the beach stands the Bil-Bil Castle: this
is an Arab-style building, with a red front and
decorated with tiling and reliefs that are an
exquisite example of Nasrid tradition. There are
Moorish fountains on either side of the castle,
from which visitors can enjoy great views over
Benalmádena's beaches. In this spot, the local
Council organises exhibitions, conferences,
concerts, various cultural activities and civil
wedding ceremonies (on Saturdays only).
Benalmádena
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Benalmádena
The building was constructed in the 30's by León
and Fernanda Hermann. An architect from
Málaga, Enrique Atencia, was awarded the
construction project. The Hermanns never
actually lived in the castle, since, when the
Spanish Civil War broke out, in 1936, they
decided to sell it. An American family, the
Schestroms, bought the villa and lived there until
the 80's. Eventually, the Benalmádena Council
acquired the property and began using it as
cultural centre.
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La Paloma Park is the town's main green and
the only city park on the Costa del Sol, covering
an area of over 200,000m2. It includes an
artificial lake with ducks, pelicans, turtles… You
can also catch a glimpse of other animals such
as parakeets, parrots, rabbits, goats, sheep, etc.
Even more extravagant is the Colomares
Castle, a tribute to the discovery of America
built between 1987 and 1994 by Dr. Esteban
Martín y Martín, with the help of two builders.
This building features examples of every
architectural styles you could think of,
combined in almost dream-like fashion, making
a strong visual impact. Adjoining this
architectural oddity, there is the Las Águilas
Garden, which offers falconry shows.
The Estupa de la Iluminación is another of the
town's major attractions. Unveiled on 4 October
2003, this Buddhist stupa is the largest in the
Western world, standing 33 m high over a base
of 25 m. It is crowned with a gold cone which can
be seen from the coastline between Fuengirola
and Benalmádena. The meditation hall covers
an area of over 100 m2 and is 6 m high. Its walls
feature paintings by Himalayan artists depicting
the most significant moments in Buddha's life.
This type of Buddhist monuments symbolise
harmony, prosperity and peace, and their origins
go back 2500 years.
Benalmádena
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The Torrebermeja, Torrequebrada and
Torremuelle watchtowers were part of the
defensive line that former inhabitants used to
defend themselves from pirate attacks.
Torrebermeja and Torrequebrada erected
under Arab rule, and the latter was built a little
later, after the Christian conquest, probably in
the sixteenth century. Its cone-shaped profile is
one of the most characteristic sights of the
Benalmádena coastline.
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The Cumbre del Calamorro Recreational Area
has an additional leisure area for people wishing
to take a cable car ride up the Calamorro peak
(770 m). The area has viewing points, pathways,
cafés, horse riding trails, dressage areas, and
also offers falconry shows.
It is difficult to name just one typical dish in an
area that has been receiving foreign influence
for decades and therefore offers a wide range of
international food. However, given that this is a
coastal region, pescaíto frito or fried fish can be
savoured at any seaside restaurant and many
other restaurants in town; it is one of the most
traditional and typical dishes served here, along
with gazpacho (a chilled soup made with vegetables).
FIESTAS
LEISURE
Benalmádena's calendar of fiestas is varied
enough to satisfy all tastes and interests, offering
so-called highbrow entertainment as well as
popular cultural events, sports, street parties, and
religious festivals.
The Benalmádena Marina is one of the top tourist
attractions of this city and the whole Costa del Sol as
well. Apart from offering almost 1,000 mooring sites
for all kinds of boats, a diving centre and all the typical
marina facilities (jet skiing, sailing), the marina
features popular bars, restaurants and discos that
attract millions of people every year.
The major holiday here is Corpus Christi, when
the streets are blanketed with flowers and
balconies are adorned with brightly-coloured
displays. Holy Week is another important holiday.
During Holy Week, processions wind through the
streets of Benalmádena and Arroyo de la Miel;
moreover on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday
there is also a re-enacting of Jesus' Passion
known as El Paso, in which around 200 locals
take part. It lasts for two hours and takes place on
a natural stage near the town.
In the marina's surroundings, you will find Sea
Life Benalmádena, an impressive aquarium with
specimens of the major life forms that inhabit the
Mediterranean Sea, tropical seas and oceans.
The shark and seahorse enclosures are
particularly outstanding.
Selwo Marina is a new kind of marine wildlife
park, at which visitors will enjoy a memorable
experience and will be able to see South
American aquatic mammals and birds. On this
unique expedition through the New World, you
can enjoy the first-ever Dolphin Aquarium in
Andalusia and marvel at the clever bottle-nosed
dolphins. Selwo Marina also has the only
penguin ice enclosure in Andalusia, which
reproduces the natural habitat of different
penguin species.
CONVENTION BUREAU
The Aula del Mar (Sea Centre) is an aquarium
featuring both Mediterranean marine wildlife and
educational activities.
Tivoli World, in Arroyo de la Miel, is the Costa del
Sol's theme park par excellence. With over 30
years' experience, this pioneering leisure park,
set among leafy gardens and beautiful
fountains, has moved with the times while
keeping its traditional flavour. There are
attractions for all ages, restaurants for all tastes
and open-air theatres featuring the most popular artists.
At Tivoli's promenade is the entrance to the
cable car, which takes visitors to the Calamorro
Peak (724 m). The great views from this vantage
point sweep over the coastline and also take in
areas further inland. There is a bar-restaurant,
and donkey rides are available too.
Benalmádena
Benalmádena
The Festival of San Juan (June), celebrated in
Arroyo de la Miel, offers a range of different
events and activities, and the Fiesta del Carmen
in mid-July pays tribute to the region's seafaring
tradition.
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The local fiesta in honour of the Virgen de la Cruz,
the local patroness, in mid-August, is also rooted
in popular tradition.
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L ANDALUS CINEPLEX
Coín
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
USEFUL INFORMATION
index. Coín
Address: La Trocha Shopping Centre Ctra. de Coín - Cártama, Km. 1
29100 Coín
Tel.: (+34) 951 315 039
Website: www.cinentradas.com
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CINEMAS
Al Andalus Cineplex
page 57
Blas Infante House of Culture
Sala Sótano
Las Vistillas
page 58
page 59
SERVICES
Dolby digital sound carrying different channels
according to rooms
Disabled access
Parking
Bar
Tiered seats
Student card
Morning show
Evening show
Numbered seats
Online sales
Phone sales
page 60
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DESCRIPTION
Al Andalus Cineplex
. CULTURAL CENTRES AND EXHIBITION HALLS
Coín
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ALA SÓTANO
Coín
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Manuel García, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 453 377
Address: Plaza de la Alameda, 10
29100 Coín
This cultural centre opened in 1982.
The main room, seating 255 people, offers
theatre play performances, talks, meetings and
concerts. Moreover, it has halls in which painting
and sculpture exhibitions are run.
This recently inaugurated exhibition
space is located in the Town Hall.
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Sala Sótano
Blas Infante House of Culture
LAS INFANTE HOUSE OF CULTURE
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Coín
TOURIST BOARD &
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AS VISTILLAS
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Ctra. de Mijas,
Km. 2 - Urbanización Los Montecillos
29100 Coín
Tel.: (+34) 952 45 13 63
Fax: (+34) 952 45 13 63
Web: www.ceramicalasvistillas.com
The village lies in the southern part of the
Guadalhorce valley. The hilltop viewpoint affords
views of the entire district, from Serranía de
Ronda to Málaga City.
In the pottery studio, you'll find pieces in different
production stages and tools like a pottery wheel,
a kiln, enamels, and so on.
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Las Vistillas
Traditional pottery, Las Vistillas "Coín
Vida Rural" Ethnography Museum, the panoramic
views, and the market gardens turn Coín into a
tourist and cultural attraction in the Valle del
Guadalhorce district.
HOUR
Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
and from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Admission is free. Advance reservation is
required for groups. Cultural activities and events
planned on a regular basis.
Las Vistillas "Coín Vida Rural" Ethnography
Museum brings out-of-towners closer to Coín's
recent history and provides information to young people
who are interested in the past of their own community.
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Coín
The exhibition showcases the finished objects,
which have been made using the same
techniques and colours as those used in Coín
over three hundred years ago.
The country estate has a traditional orchard with
a wide variety of fruit trees, holm oaks, carob
trees, olive trees, fig trees, etc. Among the
indigenous aromatic herbs or low shrubs that
grow in the area there are thyme, rosemary,
fennel, camomile, and esparto grass. Some of the
domestic animals that are found there are
Andalusian donkeys, hens, turkeys, pheasants, etc.
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Surface area: 128.40 km2.
Name given to the local people: Coineños.
Location: In the southern part of the
Guadalhorce Valley region, 38 km from Málaga
and 210 m above sea level. The average annual
rainfall is 610 l/m2 and the average temperature is
17º C.
What to see: Churches of Santa María de la
Encarnación, San Andrés and San Juan, Chapel
of Nuestra Señora de la Fuensanta, Torre de los
Trinitarios tower, Archaeological hall (in the
Church of La Encarnación).
Town Hall. Plaza Alameda, 10 (29100).
Tel.: (+34) 952 453 018.
Fax: (+34) 952 453 284.
Tourist Office.
Plaza de Santa María
(La Encarnación convent).
Tel.: (+34) 952 453 211.
Fax: (+34) 952 453 211.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Coín
Coín's district stretches from the
considerable heights of the Sierra de Alpujata
range, one of the mountain masses that
separate the interior of the province from the
western coastal area, to the centre of the
Guadalhorce Valley region. The terrain
descends slowly down to the lowlands but there
are strong contrasts to be seen not only in the
changing contours of the land but also in the
types of crops and vegetation. Thus, while pines
and cork oaks abound in the mountains, the
landscape you can see while you lose height is
dominated by orchards and gardens, and near
the River Guadalhorce farms with citrus and
even subtropical fruit trees abound.
Not surprisingly, humans settled here as early as
in the Paleolithic because they found a
temperate climate, a friendly terrain and
abundant water, since the Rivers Pereilas and
Grande, tributaries of the Guadalhorce, flow
through it. The site known as the "Taller"
(meaning "workshop" in Spanish) of Ardite
furnished materials for making tools during that
period, while sites from later ages, when metals
were introduced, are Cerro Carranque and Llano
de la Virgen, designated Site of Cultural Interest.
Another archaeological site, Cerro del Aljibe,
provides evidences that Greeks, Phoenicians,
Iberians and Romans passed through this area.
Burial sites set by the Visigoths have been found
at Cerro de las Calaveras. All these facts are
proof that the district of Coín has been inhabited
continuously since early in the development of
human cultures to the present day.
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Coín
But Coín was actually founded during the
Muslim era. According to the chronicler of the
Umayyad ruler Abd-ar-Rahman III, the Roman
settlement was fortified in the year 920 by a
dignitary from Córdoba named Dakwan (Coín).
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Dakwan played a key role in Abd-ar-Rahman III's
campaigns against the Muladí rebel Umar bin
Hafsun, which lasted until 928, when Bobastro,
Umar bin Hafsun's general headquarters, was
captured by the Umayyad ruler.
Three centuries later, the historian from Morocco
Ibn Adhari referred to Coín as Castro Dakwan
(Dakwan Fortress), which has made scholars
think that the origin of the city's name is Roman or
at least Mozarabic, especially when they consider
the existence of a Mozarabic cave basilica near
the village, which indicates there had been a
Mozarabic community by the arrival of the army
led by Abd-ar-Rahman III.
During the Muslim period, agriculture was
especially developed in the district and, as in
other areas in Andalusia, some of the irrigation
infrastructure has been preserved. By 1480,
Dakwan was a medium-sized town of the Nasrid
kingdom, with a population of around 3,000. It
should be noted that at that time, Málaga had
some 20,000 inhabitants and Granada, about
50,000.
The city was captured again by Christian troops in
1485, an event that is depicted in the carved
wood of the choir stalls in the Cathedral of Toledo.
Soon afterwards, the Catholic King ordered that
the fortress should be demolished, as keeping the
necessary troops to defend it would be extremely
expensive. Two years after the Reconquest, the
area was repopulated and the lands distributed.
The local population was increasingly larger,
starting in the sixteenth century. Some authors
say Miguel de Cervantes, who collected taxes for
the Crown at that time, visited Coín in 1594.
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There were 700 orchards and market gardens in
1773, in which all kinds of fruits and vegetables
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HOW TO GET THERE
There are four ways to reach Coín from the Costa
del Sol, but the best one is to leave Málaga City
on the A-357 towards Campillos. You will first
arrive at Cártama, and soon afterwards, you
should take the A-355, which leads straight to
Coín. You can also get to the town taking the N340. Halfway from Málaga to Torremolinos, you'll
find the exit onto the A-366, which first passes
through Churriana, Alhaurín de la Torre and
Alhaurín el Grande before getting to Coín.
The other two roads to reach Coín can be
accessed from the Mediterráneo expressway,
also known as N-340. Near Benalmádena, take
the A-368 and passing through Mijas, take the A387 towards Alhaurín el Grande, and then the
A-366 which leads to Coín. Finally, from
Fuengirola take the A-387 towards Mijas, and
from this town follow the directions described
above.
WHAT TO SEE
The Church of San Andrés and the La Caridad
Hospital were originally built on the Plaza de San
Andrés, and in 1520 they were already occupying
their present-day location. The church has an
unusual L-shaped floor plan, apparently the
purpose was to place the ill in one of the branches
in such a way that they were separated from the
rest of the faithful. There are only four churches
boasting this floor plan in Andalusia. The church's
Mudéjar coffered ceiling and stained glass
windows are especially valuable works, as are its
cloister and its unusual eighteenth-century threelevel façade with belfry, a construction that stands
out for its unique beauty.
Completed in the middle of the sixteenth century,
San Juan is a good example of the typical
Renaissance churches in Andalusia. This
building mixes classical, Gothic and Mudéjar
furnishings that live together in harmony.
However, the Baroque style has ruled since the
renovation work done in the eighteenth century.
In the interior are a remarkable Mudéjar coffered
ceiling and two sculptures, one of Our Lady of
the Angels, from the sixteenth and the other of
Our Lady of Fuensanta, patroness of Coín. The
latter is a late Gothic work only 11 cm tall, dating
back from the late fifteenth century. They say it
was brought to the village by the Christians that
captured the village in the fifteenth century.
The former Chapel of Nuestra Señora de la
Fuensanta, by the road leading to Monda, was
there even in the sixteenth century, but the
present-day one dates from 1680 and was
refurbished in the eighteenth century. Worthy of
note is its main chapel, an open structure whose
Rococo decoration resembles that of the chapel
in the Church of La Victoria, in Málaga City.
The Torre de los Trinitarios (Trinitarians tower) was
built outside the walls of the village, also by the road
leading to Monda. It is one of the three towers with
a triangular base in Andalusia (the other two being
that of the Santa Ana Church, in Archidona, and that
of the Las Mínimas Convent, in Écija). It had
belonged to the Church of Santo Cristo de la Vera
Cruz, in the convent that was used first by the
Trinitarians and later by the Franciscan Order. The
latter left the site after the Mendizábal confiscation,
in the first half of the nineteenth century.
The Archaeological Hall in the Church of La
Encarnación (Plaza de Santa María; tel.: (+34)
952 453 211) houses more than 59 pieces from
the prehistory and early history of the district.
FIESTAS
In Coín, May has a pervasive festive flavour. In
early May, the district celebrates Orange Day as
a tribute to the fruit the district is famous for. The day
is, in addition, a showcase of local and regional
products and branches out into enormously popular
entertainment events. On May 3 the Day of the
Cross is held. This day the village's streets are
beautifully decorated, the traditional "May Crosses"
are set and the procession of the Christ of
Forgiveness and the True Cross takes place.
One of this area's most popular pilgrimages is
the one devoted to Virgin of Fuensanta, the local
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The Church of Santa María de la Encarnación
(St Mary of the Incarnation) was the first church
built in Coín on a former mosque. A religious
community was established by the Franciscan
Order in early eighteenth century, and years
later a convent was built featuring a magnificent
Baroque cloister.
Coín
Coín's historic and artistic heritage focuses
mainly on its religious architecture. The town the
seat of one of the vicariates into which the
Bishopric of Málaga was divided, with jurisdiction
over 14 villages in the province. The importance
of Coín in the religious scenario is marked by the
fact that seven brotherhoods had been
established by the sixteenth century.
CONVENTION BUREAU
were grown. The countryside produced wheat,
maize, olive oil, barley, hemp, figs, honey and
silk, among other products, and it also had 14 oil
mills and 20 flour mills, at a time when the
population was 1,800. Coín entered the modern
age in the twentieth century (1913) with the
opening of the railway (it isn't operating at
present) that linked Coín with Málaga City, and in
1930 Alfonso XIII granted it the status of City and
its Town Council, the right to be addressed as
Excellency.
Coín
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patroness, held in the first week of June. Local
people have a deep devotion to this Virgin of
diminutive size -the statue is only 11 cm in
height-. The Virgin is carried to her Chapel a
month earlier. The villagers, many of them on
carriages or on horseback, arrive on Saturday to
spend the night there and return the next day to
the San Juan church with the Virgin on the float
that has won the prize in the competition held previously.
In late July, the local Council organises the
Popular Dance Festival on the Alameda. Every
year, local groups and others coming from
different countries participate so that the event
boasts a variety of sounds and rhythms. And in
late July or early August, the Cante Flamenco
Festival kicks off, with performances by the
most gifted artist.
In 1765, King Charles III granted Coín "the
privilege to hold a four-day fair, from 10 to 14
August." The monarch was referring to an
agricultural fair aimed at fostering the economy,
but today this goal only appears in the archives of
history, since this district's fair shows the same
features as does any other Andalusian district:
fun and frolic, singing, dancing, horses, and good
food and wine.
Sopa cachorreña (a soup made with bitter
oranges), different stews, gazpachuelo (a kind of
soup), pepper and tomato soup, mojete (a
spiced potato dish) are the most traditional
dishes in Coín, with gazpacho (a cold soup), of
course, as in any other place in Andalusia.
Baked sweet potatoes, gachas con arrope,
rosquillas, raisins in raw brandy and fig rolls are
the best samples of this district's sweets and desserts.
LEGENDS
"La historia de Abindarráez y la Hermosa Jarifa"
(The Story of Abindarráez and the Beautiful Jarifa),
"En Cártama me he criado
nací en Granada primero
mas fui de Álora frontero
y en Coín enamorado"
(In Cártama I was raised/ But in Granada I was
born/ To the border with Álora I was sent/ And
in Coín I fell in love).
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Coín
FOOD
is an anonymous sixteenth-century romance. With
a happy ending, the poem tells the complicated
story of a Moorish man and a Christian woman who
are in love in a period of not-so-easy relations
between their respective communities. The brave
Abindarráez was coming to visit the beautiful Jarifa
when a Castilian knight arrested him. Most
probably, the knight was concerned about amorous
feelings more than about war issues, since once he
learned of the Moor's love, he allowed the latter to
go and see his Jarifa for the last time. The Moor
promised to come back to prison once the visit was
over, and he did return. When the knight realised
that the prisoner had honoured his promise, he set
him free. The following are some lines in the poem:
Coín
In Coín they love horses, and this can be seen in
the local Horse Show, held on 27 October, when
highly decorated horses parade along the village
streets, and then everybody gathers at the
fairgrounds where horsemen and non-horsemen
alike sample the traditional local products.
Coín's Holy Week is one of the most deeply
rooted in tradition in the province of Málaga, and
even has a live enactment of the Passion. The
unfortunate events of 1936, however, changed
this tradition dramatically, and it wasn't until the
90's that it made its comeback. At present, Easter
Week begins on Palm Sunday with Jesus
entering Jerusalem on a young donkey. On
Maundy Thursday two eighteenth-century
images of Jesus of Nazareth and the Virgin of
Sorrows are carried through the streets. On
Good Friday the Crucified Christ, the Sepulchre
and the Virgin of Sorrows are taken in a
procession. The last procession, devoted to the
Resurrected Christ, is held on Easter Sunday.
Coín
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index. Estepona
.
THEATRES
Estepona Exhibition and Conference Centre
page 72
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Exhibition Hall - House of Culture
page 73
Estepona
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XHIBITION HALL - HOUSE OF CULTURE
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Ctra. Cádiz - Málaga, Km. 156
29680 Estepona
Tel.: (+34) 952 803 512
Fax: (+34) 952 803 861
Address: Plaza de las Flores
29680 Estepona
Tel.: (+34) 952 790 500
Fax: (+34) 952 793 434
All halls and rooms have audiovisual devices,
office equipment, lighting system, storing facilities
and sign writing services.
Opening hours: from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and
from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
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The Exhibition and Conference Centre covers a
surface area of 21,000 sq m and features the
following facilities:
Located in downtown Estepona, the
exhibition hall at the House of Culture runs art
exhibitions and arts & crafts shows all the year
round, both of local or foreign artists and
craftspeople.
Estepona
The premises can be used to hold a wide variety
of events, such as trade shows, workshops,
exhibitions, conventions, meetings, product
presentations, performances, theatre plays,
fashion shows, concerts…
- Landscaped area covering nearly 15,000 sq m,
with heliport and parking with a vehicle capacity
of 300
- Multi-purpose pavilion, with a surface area of
3,000 sq m
- Lecture hall, 500 sq m, with an audience
capacity of 220
- Meeting room, 300 sq m, with a capacity of 140
- Assembly hall covering 100 sq m, with a
capacity of 50
- Common area including coffeehouse, offices,
toilets, lounge, catering area and 24-h interior
and exterior security surveillance
Estepona
.
Estepona
The local Exhibition and Conference
Centre is 30 min. away from Marbella, one hour
from Málaga Airport and 30 min. from Gibraltar
Airport, La Línea and Algeciras. It can be
accessed on motorway N-340, Km. 156, taking
the first exit from highway to Estepona, towards
Málaga-Cádiz.
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Exhibition Hall - House of Culture
Estepona Exhibition and Conference Centre
STEPONA EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE CENTRE Estepona
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Estepona
USEFUL INFORMATION
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Estepona
Estepona
Name given to the local people: Esteponeros.
Location: On the western part of the Costa del
Sol. The district borders the region of Ronda to
the north and the urban area is on the coast.
Average annual rainfall is 900 l/m2 and the
average annual temperature is 17º C.
What to see: Church of Nuestra Señora de los
Remedios (Our Lady of Good Remedy), Torre del
Reloj (clock tower), Calvario chapel, the Castle
walls, Marqués de Mondéjar Palace, Casa de la
Borrega, watchtowers, Ethnography Museum,
Bullfighting Museum, Palaontology Museum,
Archaeology Museum.
Town Hall,
Plaza de Blas Infante, 1 (29680).
Tel.: 952 801 100.
Fax: 952 793 977.
Tourist Office,
Avenida de San Lorenzo, 1.
Tel.: 952 802 002.
Fax: 952 792 181.
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Thus, the area is extraordinarily important in
ecological terms, with a spectacular landscape
and monumental peaks that offer breathtaking
views over the coast. From the mountains, you
can see as far as the Atlas Mountains, in Africa.
In the lower parts, the water that flows down
through the mountains feeds into short rivers
to the east (Padrón, Castor and Velerín) on
whose banks there are orchards of citrus and
other fruit trees. To the west, there are some
fruit trees, cropland, low mountains and
pasturelands, in sharp contrast with the
coastal strip, where, in addition to the town,
you will also find many residential areas, since
Estepona is a top tourist destination.
However, the town has attempted to avoid falling
into the trap of creating a giant urban sprawl and
so there are still large green areas in between
heavily built-up areas, and even these offer
some open spaces. The excellent urban
development planning led the town to be
granted the "Live in Spain-CISA 2004" award.
The town was subject to the jurisdiction of
Marbella until 1729, when Phillip V granted its
independence by means of a carta de villazgo
(town charter), which is kept in the town
archives.
HOW TO GET THERE
Since it is on the western tip of the Costa del
Sol, Estepona can be easily reached from the
AP-7 motorway or the N-340 coastal road: just
follow the signs.
WHAT TO SEE
Of particular note is the Virgen de los
Remedios Church, in the Plaza de San
Francisco. Its large tower has four levels and
the uppermost is crowned by a roof with
ceramic tiles in two different colours, which can
be seen from anywhere in the town. It was built
in the eighteenth century and initially was part
of the Franciscan monastery that was later
dismantled, like so many other religious
buildings in Spain after the anticlerical
measures applied in 1835. Its interior is divided
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Estepona
However, it is known that the town was besieged
by Lucius Marcius because its residents had
remained loyal to the Carthaginians until it fell to
the Romans in 208 B.C. Later, and after the
usual clashes between Muslims and Christians Alfonso XI won a historic battle near Estepona in
1342, crushing the resurgent Moors- the town
was conquered by Henry IV, under whose rule
the San Luis Castle was built. The ruins of this
castle can still be seen today in Castillo Street.
Estepona
The town's origins are uncertain, but it seems
that the Phoenicians settled here and turned it
into a trade centre which they named Astapa.
Some historians link Estepona with the Iberian
settlement of Saldaba (whereas others believe it
was in Marbella), and some even cite Cilciana
as the town's origin. Anyways, on El Torreón hill,
ruins were found that may well be part of this
ancient settlement.
CONVENTION BUREAU
The district of Estepona is almost entirely in
the shadow of the majestic Sierra Bermeja, a
mountain range with huge volcanic rocks that
contain peridotite, a mineral rich in iron oxide
that tinges the land with a reddish hue. Here you
will find Los Reales de Sierra Bermeja Natural
Area, with the highest peak reaching 1,449 m
and the largest masses of peridotite in southern
Europe. This area, covering a surface area of
1,236 hectares, contains the only Spanish fir
forest that grows on this type of rock.
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into three vaulted naves and a transept with a
dome, and its façade has a beautiful stone
Rococo entrance incorporating some features
that recall late Latin American Baroque style.
The walls of the fifteenth-century Castle and the
ruins of El Nicio Castle in the area of El Padrón
are more important for their historical rather
than their architectural value, since only some
remains have been preserved. Only part of the
walls and several towers are still standing
today, but this ninth-century fortress played an
important role in Omar Ben Hafsum's rebellion
against the Caliphate of Córdoba. There are
also several stately homes or palaces from the
eighteenth century, such as the palace of the
Marquis of Mondéjar and the Casa de la Borrega.
museums here. The Ethnography Museum at
the Bullring has an interesting collection of
utensils and tools used for fishing and farming,
activities that are still carried out in the town today.
close by, from the Palaeolithic period up until the
fifteenth century. These two museums are also
housed within the Bullring.
On the way into and out of Estepona, along the
coast, you will see a series of watchtowers that
were built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries,
primarily for defence against Berber pirate
attacks, which were so frequent at that time.
There are a total of seven Muslim and Castilian
towers along 21 km of coastline.
If visitors have enough time during their stay in
Estepona, they can explore the town's long
history and traditions by visiting the four
The Antonio Ordóñez Bullfighting Museum, also
in the Bullring, has a collection of photographs,
posters and costumes that once belonged to
very famous bullfighters. The Paleontology
Museum has a collection of fossils from the
Pliocene epoch (some four million years ago)
that have been found in Estepona. It contains
more than 2,000 fossils representing 600
species. The Archaeology Museum has a
collection of objects from all archaeological sites
The country is reflected in the festivities
honouring San Isidro Labrador (Saint Isidore
the Farmer, 15 May) when an image of the
Saint is carried through the town in a
procession. The major fiestas take place in the
first week of July, and are now held at the
fairground and in the town centre. A few days
later, on 16 July, the locals show their devotion
to the Virgen del Carmen in a moving
procession that pays tribute to the sea, a
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Estepona
Estepona
The Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower) was part of a
former parish church that was built in the last third
of the fifteenth century. It underwent extensive
restoration in the nineteenth century following the
Classical style and some of the decorative
features are even Baroque, a style that has been
popular in Andalusia since its inception. El
Calvario (Calvary) Chapel, like the Virgen de los
Remedios (Our Lady of Good Remedy) Church,
also dates back to the eighteenth century. From
an architectural point of view, it is a very simple
little building with a square floor plan.
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tradition seen all along the coast of Málaga. Fire
is at the centre of the fiesta held on the night of
St John, when the júas (figures of Judas) are
burned in several places around the district.
FOOD
Traditional local cuisine has been expanded on
as a result of the huge influx of tourists into the
area, so much so that almost every restaurant
now offers international cuisine. However,
Estepona's seafaring tradition has not only
survived but, precisely because of tourism, has
been given a boost, and the delicious pescaíto
frito (small fried fish) is one of the most typical
dishes here.
LEISURE
The tourism boom that Estepona has
experienced in recent decades resulted in the
creation of a number of high quality leisure
centres that are top tourist attractions in the area.
Mention should be made of the Escuela de Arte
Ecuestre Costa del Sol (Costa del Sol School of
Equestrian Arts), which puts on nice horse shows.
The recently constructed Palacio de Congresos y
Exposiciones (Convention and Exhibition Centre),
which can hold up to 2,500 people, has hosted a wide
range of different activities since it was first opened.
The local marina offers the usual water sports as
well as a very lively late night scene, with
restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
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Estepona
Selwo Aventura (Autovía Costa del Sol, Km.
162.5; Tel.: 902 190 482) is one of the largest and
most interesting parks of its kind in Europe.
Visitors can see over 2,000 animals from the five
continents, living in a semi-wild environment, in
an area that covers more than a million square
metres. The park offers a tour by jeep and there
is also an ethnic village with huts where you can
spend the night.
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index. Frigiliana
.
"Casa de Aperos" Cultural Centre
Krabbe Art Gallery
page 84
page 85
Frigiliana
.
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c
The building of the "Casa de Aperos"
Cultural Centre, in Frigiliana, is part of the
complex that makes up the Condes de Frigiliana
Palace.
Frigiliana
k
RABBE ART GALLERY
Frigiliana
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Cuesta de Aperos, 10
29788 Frigiliana
Tel.: (+34) 952 534 261
Address: C/ Rosarico "La Joaquín," 12
29788 Frigiliana
Tel.: (+34) 952 534 214
collection is that coming from the excavations in
the Cortijo de las Sombras necropolis. Currently,
the museum building is being extended.
Frigiliana
. Hall to show temporary and travelling
exhibitions. It's also used to host different cultural
activities such as courses, meetings, concerts,
film screenings, and others.
Krabbe Art Gallery was founded by
Dorthe and Caroline Krabbe, mother and
daughter, both from Denmark, who have been
living in Spain since 1981. For several years, they
had been looking forward to opening an art
gallery, when two garages appeared at the right
time and place. Three months later, following
renovation work, the garages opened their doors
to the public transformed into art gallery, on 12
June 2004. The first art show exhibited paintings
and sculptures, the exhibit being named "Arte
Contemporáneo Andaluz" or Andalusian
Contemporary Art. Visitors were able to enjoy the
interesting variety of works of art and meet the
artists in the charming village of Frigiliana.
Caroline Krabbe is the manager and Dorthe is a
ceramist and the art gallery's director.
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.
It's a 2-floor brick-and-mortar building boasting
considerable beauty and historic value, a good
example of the architectural style from late
sixteenth or early seventeenth centuries. Easily
accessed, it has a big parking area.
Its facilities are:
. Frigiliana Archaeological Museum. It takes
visitors to the oldest days of Frigiliana. The star
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Krabbe Art Gallery
Casa de Aperos Cultural Centre
ASA DE APEROS CULTURAL CENTRE
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Frigiliana
USEFUL INFORMATION
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Frigiliana
Frigiliana
Name given to the local people: Frigilianenses.
Nickname: Aguanosos.
Location: Eastern part of the Axarquía region, at
the foothills of the Sierra de Almijara range. The
village is more than 430 m above sea level, 56 km
from the capital of the province, and only 6 km
from Nerja. The average annual rainfall of the
area is around 600 l/m2, and the average annual
temperature, 18° C.
What to see: St. Anthony's Church, old public
granary, Palace of the Counts of Frigiliana, Ecce
Homo Chapel, De Lizar Castle Walls, Del Apero
Palace, menhir (Argaric culture), Phoenician
necropolis.
Town Hall, C/ Real, 80 (29788).
Tel.: (+34) 534 261.
Fax: (+34) 952 533 434.
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Part of the district of Frigiliana sits on the
southern slope of the Sierra de Almijara range.
This area shows a more complex relief, rich in
contrasts, with peaks not as high as the
mountains but well over 1,000 m high, as the
Sierra de Enmedio range (1,164 m), or very near
that height, such as El Fuerte peak (976 m).
The Chíllar River marks the boundary between
the districts of Frigiliana and Nerja, and its
tributary, the Higuerón River, at the so called
Gorges of the Higuerón River, gives these lands
one of the most beautiful natural spots of the
area, which together with the cliffs and gorges of
the Chíllar, make up a truly astonishing
landscape. The terraced market gardens that go
down from the village towards the coastal area,
between the dazzling white of the houses and the
deep blue of the Mediterranean, is another
characteristic feature of the area that will remain
in the visitors' memory for a long time.
It's more than likely that travellers coming to
Frigiliana for the first time have a preconceived
idea of the village, because many clichés usually
used to describe the typical Andalusian mountain
village overlooking the sea have been used to
depict it. In this case, however, all the clichés are
true, but are overridden by an unutterable
sensation, which is as difficult to explain as it is
easy to perceive, and which perhaps can only be
described as sheer fascination.
Frigiliana
The Romans settled here in 206 B.C. through
treaties with the native population, and Frigiliana
became part of Conventus de Gades. The name
of the village is of Roman origins and derives
from Frexinius (maybe some local character we
know nothing about) plus the suffix -ana, which
in Spanish indicates origin and property, that is,
place or village of Frexinius.
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The remains found in 1987 in the De los
Murciélagos Cave show the presence of man in
this territory from the end of the Neolithic period
(3000 B.C.) until the Chalcolithic period or
Copper Age (2000 B.C.). From the Argaric
culture that came later there is a menhir that
shows that man also roamed the area in those
days. And very near the village, at Cerrillo de
las Sombras, there's a necropolis that dates
from Phoenician times (seventh and sixth
centuries B.C.).
Frigiliana
The old part of the village of Frigiliana is
considered one of the best preserved in the
province, as it keeps its original Moorish plan. Its
chaotic layout -chaotic from a twenty-first
century point of view- keeps the visitors in
constant amazement. Unexpected architectural
features and streets, alleys, passages, stairs,
flowers and plants in the most unlikely places
offer the visitor a mixture of different aromas of
unknown origin, ancient history in modern
whitewash. And once out of the cosiness of the
narrow streets, there's the wideness of a
superb landscape on the eastern Costa del Sol.
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From that date on, until the nineteenth century,
Frigiliana suffered misfortune after misfortune either a plague decimating the population, or a
storm destroying the crops, or an earthquake, or the
phylloxera infesting the grapevines, or an outbreak
of yellow fever that ravaged the population. It was
only with the arrival of tourism that Frigiliana, like the
rest of the Costa del Sol, entered a booming era.
But little by little, the Moors were stripped of the
few rights they had been left (they farmed the
worst lands, were forbidden to speak or write in
their language and wear their customary
clothes). Then the Moorish uprising in Las
Alpujarras took place, which was brutally
crushed by the Christians. The Moors of the
Axarquía and Montes de Málaga regions,
waiting for the help promised by Aben Humeya
(Umayyad) from Las Alpujarras and also from
the north of Africa, took shelter in the peak
called El Fuerte (the fort), where approximately
7,000 of them gathered.
Take the Autovía del Mediterráneo (A-7; N-340)
towards Motril, and before getting to Nerja, take
the MA-105, which leads straight to Frigiliana.
On May 28, 1569, the mayor of Vélez launched
the first assault with the unfortunate outcome of
20 dead and 150 wounded among the Christians.
Just at that time, 25 galleys of the Spanish tercios
of Italy were sailing the Mediterranean, and Vélez
asked their help to crush the rebels of Frigiliana.
This time, 6,000 men fought the Moors, who in
spite of their fierce resistance, were defeated on
June 11, 1569. There were 2,000 dead among the
Moors, and 3,000 were taken prisoners (2,000
ran away). On the Christian side, 400 soldiers
died and 800 were injured.
The old part of town, as we have already
mentioned, is a gift to the eye that no one should
miss. Perhaps tourism, especially in high season
(from July to September), mars the enjoyment of
the many singularities of this village, but it's the price
one has to pay when tourists flock to a place. This
doesn't mean that the village is just a display for
visitors. On the contrary, it's a living town that was
destined to share its peculiarities with people from
all over the world, and still admirably preserves its
cultural and historical heritage for those who know
how to find it.
St. Anthony's Church is the most important religious
building of Frigiliana. It was built in the seventeenth
century and renovated in the eighteenth. It has
three naves separated by pilasters, covered by a
wooden framework. The transept is higher thanks
to a lanterned dome. The temple houses an
eighteenth-century statue of St. Anthony carved in
polychromatic wood. On the outside, the church
has a simple brick façade with a semicircular arch
and a three-level bell tower.
The royal silo of the old granaries is a building
dating from the eighteenth century located in the
The Ecce Homo or Santo Cristo de la Caña
(Holy Christ of the Cane) Chapel dates from
the eighteenth century. It's a very simple
building with a single nave accessible through
an atrium with a semicircular arch. In the upper
part of town, fragments of the walls of the
ninth-century Lizar Castle still stand. The
entrance ramp to the fortress can also be
seen. The Del Apero Palace (seventeenth
century) used to be linked to the sugar mill,
though its original function was to serve as
barn, stables, and farming tool storehouse. It
has a rectangular floor plan and its rooms are
placed around an internal patio. It houses the
Archaeological Museum, which displays a
series of Iberian-Phoenician tombs, among
other artefacts.
Of the archaeological sites of Frigiliana, the
aforementioned menhir, from the Argaric culture
(1500 B.C.), located at the Mudéjar quarter, and
the Phoenician necropolis, at Cerrillo de las
Sombras, are the most important.
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WHAT TO SEE
As the sugar mill is concerned, it's worth
mentioning that for many years, the Axarquía
region based its economy on sugar production,
which today has been replaced in part by
tropical fruit growing. The sugar mill was the
place where sugar cane was transformed into a
readily edible product.
Frigiliana
The battle of Peñón de Frigiliana has been
represented as a blind's man ballad on glazed
ceramic panels created by Amparo Ruiz de Luna,
which can be seen in several parts of town.
HOW TO GET THERE
old part of town. It has been turned into private
housing, and only the arcades of the main
façade of the old building remain. The Palace of
the Counts of Frigiliana is an old mansion of the
sixteenth century that was later turned into a
sugar mill. It was built in Renaissance style, and
takes up an area of 2,000 m2. The ashlars of the
façade belonged to the pulled-down Arabian
castle of the area.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Since the arrival of the Moors to the Iberian
Peninsula, in 711, until the end of the ninth
century, when the fortress was built, very little is
known of the history of Frigiliana, except that it
was under the leadership of Umar ibn Hafsun
and that from the thirteenth to the fifteenth
century, it belonged to the Nasrid kingdom. The
village surrendered to Christian troops in 1485,
without any bloodshed.
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TOURIST BOARD &
The patron celebrations in homage to St.
Sebastian take place at the beginning of the year,
on January 20, but since 1967 they have been
reduced to their religious character: a Mass and a
procession with the images of St. Sebastian, St.
Anthony of Padua, and St. Anthony Abbot, as the
popular celebrations have been transferred to St.
Anthony of Padua's Day, June 13, due to the
weather conditions at that time of year. In
February, during carnival time, there are theatrical
and musical performances, and a night party is
organised.
The most important day of the Holy Week is Good
Friday, when the Parish Church stages Jesus'
death and his taking down from the cross, after
which the procession of the Holy Sepulchre takes
to the streets. However, the procession of the
Virgin of Solitude is the most solemn -the streets
are lighted by the candles carried by women,
which gives the town an unusual appearance.
May 1 is the Day of the Horse, and the
celebrations take place at the Cañada del Ingenio
dell, where people try the typical foodstuffs of the
area, and afterwards attend a horse taming
exhibition. Two days after that, the villagers
gather flowers, food and drink in preparation for
May Crosses celebration, in which religious,
culinary and folkloric traditions are combined to
make a big popular night party at the Church's
Square.
CONVENTION BUREAU
FIESTAS
August, congregates numerous national and
international folk groups who show their
traditional dances at the village sports centre. At
the beginning of September, the candle
celebrations (Candelarias), bring old music to
the beat of the zambombas and the almireces
(traditional percussion instruments).
FOOD
Being so close to the coast and welcoming such
large numbers of visitors resulted in the village
cuisine including international dishes in addition
to local specialties. The latter include kid served
with different sauces, ajocolorao (a kind of
soup), flour migas (a dish based on flour, water,
oil and garlic), and Holy Week stews, made with
cod. These dishes, together with egg and flour
omelettes dipped in sugar-cane syrup (a highly
appreciated product in the area), make up the
most typical cuisine of Frigiliana.
Arropía and marcochas, whose main ingredient
is golden syrup, are the most traditional sweet
dishes of the district, where sweet potato with
sugar-cane syrup is also very popular. According
to some historians, the muscatel wine produced
in Frigiliana is famous since Roman times, no less!
Frigiliana
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Frigiliana
On June 13, St. Anthony of Padua's Day, a
pilgrimage is organised. The image of the Saint is
taken on an oxcart to Pozo Viejo, a place by the
Higuerón River, where the pilgrims gather to have
a picnic in the coolness of the shady pines. The
popular dancing contest, at the beginning of
Frigiliana
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INESUR MIRAMAR
Fuengirola
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
USEFUL INFORMATION
index. Fuengirola
Address: Avda. de la Encarnación, s/n
Opposite Sohail Castle. Parque Miramar
29640 Fuengirola
Tel.: 902 504 150 (only from Spain)
(+34) 952 198 600
.
.
page 95
page 97
page 98
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SERVICES
Surround sound Dolby Digital Surround EX
Big screens
Wide ergonomic seats
Tiered seats
Disabled access
Films in original version
Air conditioning
Buffet
Children's seats
Student card
Youth card
Parking
Morning show
Late show
Online ticket sales
Venue hire
Tiered seats
page 99
page 100
page 101
page 102
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Fuengirola House of Culture
Sohail Castle
Colectivo Imagen
RU-H
H Contemporary Art Gallery
DESCRIPTION
page 96
Cinesur Miramar
CINEMAS
Cinesur Miramar
Alfil Cineplex
THEATRES
Palacio de la Paz
Salón Varietés Theatre
Fuengirola
.
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LFIL CINEPLEX
PÆgina 96
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ALACIO DE LA PAZ
Fuengirola
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Camilo José Cela, s/n
29640 Fuengirola
Tel.: (+34) 952 593 587
902 221 622 (only from Spain)
Address: Recinto Ferial, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 585 836
DESCRIPTION
Recently opened, this is a new
cultural centre, located in the fairground. It has a
total audience capacity of 800. The building
design makes it perfect for any cultural activity
one can think of. It has all the necessary stage
equipments, sound and lighting systems to
feature different audiovisual shows. It is used
mainly to host big exhibitions, trade shows and
concerts.
Couple Day: Thursday
Palacio de la Paz
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Fuengirola
.
Jointly with the permanent fairground premises,
in April every year the Peoples' International Fair
takes place, in which folklore and food from the
five continents find their special space. This event
has become the biggest cultural fair of Spain,
since it draws in around one thousand artists and
800,000 visitors.
.
Alfil Cineplex
10:23
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.
f
UENGIROLA HOUSE OF CULTURE
Fuengirola
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Emancipación, s/n
29640 Fuengirola
Tel.: (+34) 952 474 542
Fax: (+34) 952 463 659
Address: Avda. Juan Gómez "Juanito," 12
29640 Fuengirola
Tel.: (+34) 952 599 349 / 952 589 349
Fax: (+34) 952 589 357
The Salón Varietés Theatre is a
space that offers concerts and plays in English.
The edifice was built in 1925 and was converted
into a cinema theatre in 1956. Further renovation
works transformed it into a theatre featuring
tragedies, comedies, jazz concerts and ballet
performances -once in a while, it offers Spanish
classical dance shows.
The site is part of the Fuengirola
Town Hall. It organises different cultural events,
such as exhibitions, training courses and
workshops, music concerts and poetry recitals.
It is busy all the year round, offering art shows,
theatre plays, music concerts and dance
performances.
At present, the theatre gets support from an
association of friends (FOTA) whose members
are mostly out-of-town people; lately, however,
many Spanish citizens have joined the group.
.
This theatre, located in a square in the centre of
Fuengirola, has turned its terrace into a singular
meeting point on the Costa del Sol.
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PÆgina 98
Fuengirola House of Culture
Salón Varietés Theatre
ALÓN VARIETÉS THEATRE
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Fuengirola
OHAIL CASTLE
c
OLECTIVO IMAGEN
Fuengirola
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Ctra. N-340 towards Marbella
29640 Fuengirola
Tel.: (+34) 952 589 349
Address: Puebla Lucía - C/ Maestra Ángeles
Azpiazu, s/n
29640 Fuengirola
Website: www.colectivoimagen.com
Opening hours: Mon, Wed, and Fri,
from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
The auditorium at this Islamic castle offers all
types of cultural events in a magnificent
environment, from music performances to theatre
plays, dance festivals, and more.
Colectivo Imagen
Sohail Castle
PÆgina 100
USEFUL INFORMATION
Old fortress that has been renovated
to be used as a space to host music shows.
In the summer, it hosts the "Ciudad de
Fuengirola" International Dance & Music Festival,
a huge Medieval market and the "Tapeo" Fair.
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Fuengirola
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
U-H
H CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY
USEFUL INFORMATION
The RU-H aims at showcasing and
trading contemporary artworks, with a single idea
in mind: "We bet on quality contemporary arts,
beyond any 'isms'."
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Fuengirola
.
RU-H
H Contemporary Art Gallery
Address: C/ del Castillo, 5
29640 Fuengirola
Tel.: (+34) 952 474 982
Website: www.galeriaru-h.com
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TOURIST BOARD &
USEFUL INFORMATION
Name given to the local people: Fuengiroleños
Location: On the western tip of the Costa del Sol,
bordering the towns of Mijas and Benalmádena.
The city is 27 km from Málaga and 8 km from
Mijas. Average annual rainfall is 570 l/m2 and the
average annual temperature is 18º C.
What to see: Sohail Castle, archaeological site at
Suel, Finca de Acevedo and Finca de Secretario,
City History Museum.
Tourist Office,
Avda. Jesús Santos Rein, 6 (29640).
Tel.: (+34) 952 467 457
. Fax: (+34) 952 465 100.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Fuengirola
Given the size of its population and its
popularity with tourists, it is almost paradoxical
that Fuengirola only covers an area of 10 km2,
when it also has an 8-km beach. The paradox
might be explained by the fact that when the
land was first divided up, no one could have
foreseen that the tourist boom of the twentieth
century would shatter not only the governmentimposed boundaries, but even more so, the
nineteenth century notion of natural urban
development.
With its own boundaries overrun by a formidable
increase in travellers' flow, the city has had to
expand towards the neighbouring town of Mijas,
with the curious result that half of a particular
street belongs to Fuengirola and the other half to
Mijas. Historical records show that Phoenician
settlers founded Fuengirola, although it seems
probable that several Iberian tribes had also
been present in this enclave, which sits halfway
between Cádiz and Málaga. The Phoenicians
set up a salted fish trading post at a place they
called Suel, and from there they traded with
other Mediterranean cities. The Romans made
Suel a federated town, which was assigned by
Augustus to the conventus of Gades (Cádiz). It
is believed that in those times there was a very
powerful oligarchy in place here and that the
inhabitants worshipped Neptune.
Fuengirola
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Fuengirola
There are hardly any records of the Visigoth era,
but we do know a lot about the Muslim period.
During the caliphate of Abd-ar-Rahman III, the
castle in the western part of the town was
enlarged. The castle nestles on a hill next to the
river also called Fuengirola. It was in this castle
that Henry II of Castile and Yusuf I, a Nasrid
ruler, signed a truce in 1340 that led to a trade
boom. The fortress has now been restored and
converted into an open-air auditorium. The
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TOURIST BOARD &
Following the Catholic Monarchs' conquest in
1487, the castle was destroyed, but the frequent
pirate raids that plagued the Mediterranean coast
forced them restore it. Years later, during the War
of Independence, French, English and Spaniards
fought over the fortress due to its status as a
strategic defensive location.
The city's current name comes from the term
girolas, ships that Genovese sailors used to fish
for small fish or boliche, a word that was also
used for the previously separate township of
Santa Fe de los Boliches, which is now a part of
Fuengirola proper.
HOW TO GET THERE
The Autopista del Mediterráneo motorway (A-7;
N-340) provides an excellent communication link
between Fuengirola and the rest of the Costa del
Sol. You can also get here by train (Route C-2 on
the Cercanías or commuter line) from Málaga,
Torremolinos and Arroyo de la Miel
(Benalmádena) or from the airport.
WHAT TO SEE
Due to the profound and rapid changes that
have taken place in the city over the last three
decades, hardly any traces remain of the former
fishermen's neighbourhood, and even less of the
market gardens that used to stretch right down
to the sea. This area is completely taken up with
a magnificent seafront promenade -one of the
longest on the Spanish coast- where locals and
visitors alike gaze out to sea. Bars, large
terraces, shops, restaurants and landscaped
areas line the 8 km of promenade, which also
includes a bustling marina and beach restaurants
where you can sample the local seafood.
In contrast with this modern tourism-related
infrastructure, the archaeological sites in the
area offer visitors the chance to discover
Fuengirola's ancient history. In Suel, by the
mouth of the River Fuengirola, remains have
been unearthed of an aqueduct, mosaics,
epigraphs and parts of ancient dwellings, as
well as several burial sites south of the castle.
All of this was linked to the salted fish industry,
in particular the production of garum (a kind of
fish sauce).
On the left bank of the river there is a cemetery,
and Finca de Acevedo still has traces of a salted
fish trading post with dwellings and a late
Roman necropolis, while at Finca del Secretario,
by the Pajares Stream, salting troughs have
been found in addition to bathhouses, ovens,
dwellings and a sculpture of Venus from the
second century A.D. Likewise, in Torreblanca del
Sol, near Las Presas Stream, some bathhouses
have been found that had been converted into a
salted factory, as well as a cistern and a Visigoth
necropolis.
106
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museum with models that describe the
monument's history.
Fuengirola
The Sohail Castle, which was destroyed and
rebuilt several times, is without any doubt the
most emblematic monument in Fuengirola,
both for its long and eventful history and its
unmistakable profile, which has become the
symbol of the city. The fortress is surrounded
by imposing square towers, and every part of it
has been meticulously restored to prevent
deterioration and turn it into a cultural and
tourism site. It is now home to a remarkable
open-air auditorium and inside there is a small
CONVENTION BUREAU
Arabs changed the name from Suel to Sohail, this
being the name of a star in the Argos constellation
that, the story goes, could only be seen from the
castle itself.
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TOURIST BOARD &
FIESTAS
In Fuengirola, the fiestas begin with Holy Week,
a period that combines magnificent processions
with the start of the beach season, since the
region's mild climate permits sunbathing this
early in the year, except on the rare occasions
that it rains. On the eve of St. John (23 June),
Fuengiroleños also burn the júas (Judas) and
on the day of the Virgen del Carmen in July, the
small neighbourhood of Los Boliches
commemorates its seafaring tradition by
carrying a statue of the Virgin in a procession,
first on fishing boats -a beautiful ritual
performed in all coastal villages in Málaga- and
then through the streets of the town.
Over the summer, the town really comes alive
with festivities. In July, the Fuengirola Music
and Dance Festival is held at the Sohail
Castle, featuring leading artists and famous
orchestras. The Musical Theatre Festival has
recently been added to the festive calendar,
bringing the best musical shows to the Palacio
de la Paz. In August the Veladilla del
Veraneante (Holidaymaker Day), which marks
the end of the summer festival season, serves
as the prelude to the great Feria de Octubre
(October Fair) in honour of the Virgen del
Rosario (Lady of the Rosary).
The International Nations' Exhibition takes place
over four days in late March or early April, giving
visitors the chance to find out about typical food
and folklore from over 30 countries and Spanish
regions.
FOOD
The highly cosmopolitan nature of the town led
its cuisine to adapt to modern times, so it is not
easy to talk about typical local cuisine except, of
course, for the fish caught off its coast, which are
generally served fried. Pescado a la sal or
pescado al horno (fish baked in salt) is also a
traditional dish, as is of course rice with seafood.
LEISURE
The Palacio de la Paz is a recently constructed
cultural complex that covers an area of 2,000 m2
and can hold up to 1,800 people. Its facilities can
host any kind of event or show, even those that,
due to their nature, cannot be held on a
conventional stage.
Fuengirola Zoo (Tel.: (+34) 952 666 301),
located in the heart of the city, was designed so
that the animals could enjoy the greatest
possible freedom, and great care has been
taken to recreate the natural habitat of the many
species that live here. Animals from all five
continents are separated from one another by
spacious green areas, playgrounds and water
attractions that draw the visitor into an
astonishing landscape.
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In the evening, there's special excitement both
at the fairground -a model that has been
exported to other parts of Andalusia- and inside
the numerous tents. But horses take centre
stage at the fair, stamping the most famous
image of this celebration on the entire town.
Fuengirola
The Rosario fiestas are among the most
popular in Andalusia, and are internationally
renowned for their equestrian shows. There are
bullfights, horse and carriage exhibitions,
dressage and riding shows, all combined with
the best flamenco performances.
CONVENTION BUREAU
The City History Museum looks back at over 2600
years of local history in this beautiful
Mediterranean city.
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Málaga
LAMEDA CINEPLEX
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
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USEFUL INFORMATION
111
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116
Address: C/ Córdoba, 9
29001 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 213 412
page 117
pág. 118
page 119
page 120
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page 122
DESCRIPTION
SERVICES
Total audience capacity: 734
Air conditioning
Buffet
Youth Card
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Alameda Cineplex
CINEMAS
Alameda Cineplex
Albéniz Cineplex
Cinesur Málaga Nostrum
Cinesur Larios
Rosaleda Cineplex
Yelmo Cineplex Plaza Mayor
THEATRES
Ateneo de Málaga
Lux Cinemax Vialia Málaga
Provincial Cultural Centre
Alameda Theatre
Cánovas Theatre
Cervantes Theatre
Centre of Contemporary Art
Civic Centre
Provincial Cultural Centre (C.C.P. Government of Málaga)
Málaga Federation of Physicians
San Telmo School of Art
Espacio Tres Málaga. Contemporary Art
Picasso Foundation
Alfredo Viñas Art Gallery
Arte y Diseño Art Gallery
JM Art Gallery (Javier Marín)
Nova Art Gallery
Benedito Art Gallery
Cincoechegaray Art Gallery
Gacma Art Gallery
Customs Palace
Ámbito Cultural Exhibition Hall
Cajamar Málaga Exhibition Hall
Alameda Exhibition Hall
Federaton of Master Builders - Exhibition Hall
Unicaja MENA Exhibition Hall
Episcopal Palace Exhibition Hall
Didier Daurat Exhibition Hall
Moreno Villa Exhibition Hall
Gades Hall. Cervantes Theatre
Amigos del País Association
Gravura Prints & Art Gallery
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Málaga
INESUR MÁLAGA NOSTRUM
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Alcazabilla, 4
29015 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 215 898
Address: Ctra. Azucarera Interhorce
29004 Málaga
(+34) 952 176 318
SERVICES
Air conditioning
Disabled access
Parking
Buffet
Cyber cafe
Venue hire
Tiered seats
Online ticket sales
Morning show
Late show
Childcare
Youth card
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.
DESCRIPTION
Air conditioning
Parking area
Late show
Málaga
SERVICES
.
DESCRIPTION
Cinesur Málaga Nostrum
Albéniz Cineplex
LBÉNIZ CINEPLEX
10:26
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PÆgina 114
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USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Larios Shopping Centre - Paseo
de los Tilos, s/n
29002 Málaga
Tel.: 902 504 150 (only fron Spain)
(+34) 952 369 260
Address: Avda. Simón Bolívar, s/n
29011 Málaga - Rosaleda Shopping Centre
Tel.: (+34) 952 394 708
SERVICES
DESCRIPTION
Disabled access
Air conditioning
Parking
Buffet
Venue hire
Youth card
Online ticket sales
Morning show
Late show
Surround sound
SERVICES
Air conditioning
Parking
Morning show
Late show
Surround sound
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Málaga
.
DESCRIPTION
.
Málaga
OSALEDA MULTICINES
Rosaleda Cineplex
Cinesur Larios
INESUR LARIOS
10:27
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Málaga
Málaga
TENEO DE MÁLAGA
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Plaza Mayor Leisure Park - Avda
Alfonso Ponce de León, 1. Highway E-15.
Exit: Parador de Golf
29004 Málaga
Tel.: 902 902 103 / 902 220 922 (only from
Spain)
Fax: (+34) 951 231 993
Website: www.yelmocineplex.es
Address: Edif. San Telmo - C/ Compañía, 2
Tel.: (+34) 952 040 128
Website: www.ateneodemalaga.org
Since it started operating in its
current premises in 1966, it has played a
significant role in the cultural and social life of the
capital of the province. It offers lectures,
presentations, painting or sculpture exhibitions,
among other cultural events.
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Disabled access
Air conditioning
Parking
Bar
Tiered seats
Children's seats
Youth card
Student card
Morning show
Late show
Numbered seats
Surround sound
Online ticket sales
.
SERVICES
Audience Day: Monday
.
a
USEFUL INFORMATION
DESCRIPTION
Málaga
PÆgina 116
Ateneo de Málaga
Yelmo Cineplex Plaza Mayor
ELMO CINEPLEX PLAZA MAYOR
10:27
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ROVINCIAL CULTURAL CENTRE
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Explanada de la Estación, s/n
29002 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 360 081
Website: www.luxcinemas.com
Address: C/ Ollerías, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 133 930
SERVICES
Audience Day: Thursday
Disabled access
Air conditioning
Bar and coffee shop
Children's seats
Discount for people over 65
Youth card
Student card
Morning show (weekends and public holidays)
Late show
Numbered seats
Surround sound
Online ticket sales
With the support of authors from
Málaga, the Government of Málaga built this
space in 1999. Its goal is to promote and develop
culture in all its fields: theatre, music,
performances by young artists and a wide range of
shows. It has a capacity of 300.
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DESCRIPTION
.
PÆgina 118
Lux Cinemas Vialia Málaga
UX CINEMAS VIALIA MÁLAGA
12:32
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ÁNOVAS THEATRE
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Córdoba, 9
Tel.: (+34) 952 213 412
Website: www.teatroalameda.com
Address: Plaza del Ejido, 5
Tel.: (+34) 952 260 611
Website: www.teatro-canovas.org
Recently built, this modern space is
located in the heart of Málaga City. It has three
halls and a total capacity of 734. Main activities:
film, lyric performances, theatre plays.
A project of the Culture Ministry of
the Andalusian Government inaugurated in
September 2002. Most performances -theatre,
music, dance- are framed within the modern
movement. It has a capacity of 340.
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Cánovas Theatre
Alameda Theatre
LAMEDA THEATRE
10:28
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PÆgina 122
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ÁLAGA CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTRE
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Ramos Marín, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 224 109
Website: www.teatrocervantes.com
Ticket sales by phone: 902 360 295 (only
from Spain)
Address: C/ Alemania, s/n
29001 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 120 055
Fax: (+34) 952 210 177
Website: www.cacmalaga.org
The Miguel de Cervantes Theatre,
built over the ruins of the Príncipe Alfonso
Theatre, was re-opened on 6 April 1987 by
Queen Sofía, and was granted the category of
Historic-Artistic Monument. At present, it has a
capacity of 1,171, including seats and boxes.
Opera, music, theatre and dance are included in
the Cervantes's varied cultural offer.
The Málaga Contemporary Arts
Centre, known as CAC Málaga, is a gallery that
showcases twentieth- and twenty-first-century
works of art. Opened in 2003, it has already
established itself as one of the leading galleries
dedicated to contemporary art in Europe and, of
course, in Spain.
Málaga
HOURS
The CAC is open Tue-Sun from 10:00 a.m. to
8:00 p.m., or Tue-Sun from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00
p.m. and from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the summer.
Closed on Mondays. Admission is free.
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The CAC Málaga runs temporary exhibitions by
renowned Spanish and international artists, and it
has an important permanent collection. In
addition, the CAC is a centre to see the work of
novel artists who have never put up an exhibition
in Spain before. It also holds workshops and
courses that bring art closer to the public.
Centre of Contemporary Art
Cervantes Theatre
ERVANTES THEATRE
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ROVINCIAL CULTURAL CENTRE
Málaga
(C.C.P. GOVERNMENT OF MÁLAGA)
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Avda. Los Guindos, 48
Tel.: (+34) 952 069 100
Fax: (+34) 952 239 780
Address: C/ Ollerías, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 133 950
Fax: (+34) 952 133 983
E-mail: [email protected] (Eduardo Herrero)
Website: www.dpm-cultura.org
The Provincial Cultural Centre is
located in Málaga City, in the former Orphanage,
created in 1573 by the carpenters' union and
called "Casa de los Niños de la Providencia." It
was renovated and enlarged in the seventeenth,
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and
transformed into a space dedicated to culture.
The centre has an auditorium for press
conferences and lectures, a historic archive, an
exhibition hall, a library, and offices.
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The Civic Centre of the Provincial
Government is a meeting point of the province
and also of other provincial, national and
international communities. It is an instrument for
the Government of Málaga to encourage citizens'
participation in the social, cultural and economic
development of the province.
Civic Centre
IVIC CENTRE
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AN TELMO SCHOOL OF ART
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Curtidores, 1
29006 Málaga
Tel.: 951 019 400
Fax: (+34) 952 348 450
Address: Plaza del Ejido, 3
Tel.: (+34) 952 252 410
Fax: (+34) 952 253 006
E-mail:
[email protected]
It features a space dedicated to
exhibitions and cultural events.
The San Telmo School of Arts
teaches different courses on arts & design.
Students get college or BA degrees -graphic
design, photography, interior decoration, window
dressing, clothing design, ceramics, wood
carving, wood gilding and polychromy, and
pottery.
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San Telmo School of Art
Málaga Federation of Physicians
ÁLAGA FEDERATION OF PHYSICIANS
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Málaga
ICASSO FOUNDATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Alemania, 3, ground floor
29001 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 223 047 / (+34) 636 475 786
Fax: (+34) 952 223 047
Address: Plaza de la Merced, 15
29012 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 060 215
Fax: (+34) 952 215 107
E-mail: secretaria@fundacionpicasso
Website: www.fundacionpicasso.es
Espacio Tres was established in
Málaga as a Cultural Association of Artists on 16
October 1995. Its articles of associations were
officially approved on 21 November 1995.
The Pablo Ruiz Picasso Foundation,
Museum-Birthplace, was created on 26 February
1988 by the Málaga Town Council, to which the
Foundation belongs. It is part of the Spain's
Museum System since 1991. Picasso was born in
the Foundation's headquarters.
The association is aimed at fostering artistic
activities, especially in the fields of painting and
sculpture, but it doesn't leave aside other artistic
expressions.
On the ground floor, the Foundation hosts a room
for temporary exhibitions and shows collections
linked to Picasso and his cultural interests. On the
first floor, it exhibits works by the artist and his
father, José Ruiz Blasco, and memories
belonging to Picasso and his family. On the
second floor is a document centre and library with
materials that teach us all about the artist and his
work.
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Espacio Tres pays particular attention to
contemporary arts (painting, sculpture, installations…) It
attends national and international art trade shows to
promote its artists. It participates in the European
Artists for Peace organisation and shares exhibitions
with other associations and art galleries, such as
Marcos, in Sintra, Portugal; Montaje Studio Gallery,
in Castleton New Yorkshire, England; Espacio
Abierto, in Torremolinos; Nou Mil.leni, in Barcelona,
among others.
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PÆgina 128
Picasso Foundation
Espacio Tres Málaga. Contemporary Art
SPACIO TRES MÁLAGA. CONTEMPORARY ART
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RTE Y DISEÑO ART GALLERY
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address:
C/ José Denis Belgrano, 19, 1st floor
Tel.: (+34) 952 601 229
Fax: (+34) 952 601 229
Web: www.alfredovinas.com
Address: C/ Afligidos, 3
29015 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 609 761
Fax: (+34) 952 609 761
Alfredo Viñas Art Gallery was
founded in 1993. It focuses on contemporary art
promotion.
Located in Málaga, this art gallery is
one out of the many interesting spaces in the
capital of the province where art is the real star.
Arte y Diseño Art Gallery
HOURS
The gallery is open Mon-Fri from 11:00 a.m. to
1:30 p.m. and from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.; and Sat
from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It is closed on
Sundays and public holidays.
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Alfredo Viñas Art Gallery
LFREDO VIÑAS ART GALLERY
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OVA ART GALLERY
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Duquesa de Parcent, 12
29001 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 216 592
Fax: (+34) 952 216 592
Address: Paseo de Sancha, 6
29016 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 211 550
Fax: (+34) 952 211 558
Many contemporary artists exhibit
their work here.
The gallery opened in November
1990 with the individual exhibition of the painter
from Málaga José Puyet. It holds exhibits of wellknown or new artists. The space features two
rooms, one showing individual exhibitions, and
the other one for permanent collections and
works by different artists.
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Nova Art Gallery
JM Art Gallery (Javier Marín)
M ART GALLERY (JAVIER MARÍN)
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INCOECHEGARAY ART GALLERY
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Niño de Guevara, 2
Tel.: (+34) 952 223 877
Fax: (+34) 952 226 011
Website: www.galeriabenedito.com
Address: C/ Echegaray, 5
29015 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 609 352
Website: www.cincoechegaray.com
The art gallery, in Niño de Guevara
Street, in the centre of town, exhibits sculptures
paintings by artists from Málaga and other towns.
Membership is available for a monthly payment.
Members can buy paintings and other artworks.
Cincoechegaray Art Gallery
Cincoechegaray is a place like no
other in the capital of Málaga Province. It offers
an exquisite literary and musical selection. Vinyl
records, music unpublished in Spain, genre
literature, special editions and more, in a carefully
and exclusively designed space.
The store features listening and reading points,
and important extras that make Cincoechegaray
the place to buy books and records.
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Benedito Art Gallery
ENEDITO ART GALLERY
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USTOMS PALACE
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Fidias, 48-50
Tel.: (+34) 952 246 272 / 952 245 855
Fax: (+34) 952 245 855
Website: www.gacma.com
Address: C/ Alcazabilla, s/n
29015 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 213 680
A privileged space of over 500 sq m
with exhibitions of work by the most prestigious
artists both at the national and international
levels. Its staff is expert in contemporary art.
Located in the heart of Málaga, the
building is one of the most relevant in town. It has
several government offices and exhibition halls.
Customs Palace
Gacma has gathered major works of art by
renowned local artists -Picasso, Miró, Chillida,
Tapies, Saura, Barceló, Piensa… and others
coming from abroad, like Richard Serra, Bruce
Nauman or Joseph Beuys.
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Gacma Art Gallery
ACMA ART GALLERY
10:31
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Gacma has a library-bookstore with books visitors
can read or buy. These books deal with different
contemporary artists whose work is exhibited or is
part of the permanent collection of the gallery.
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AJAMAR MÁLAGA EXHIBITION HALL
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Edificio Corte Inglés - C/ Hilera, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 076 544
Fax: (+34) 952 281 360
E-mail:
[email protected]
Address: C/ Tomás Heredia, 14
29001 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 138 829 (Mª José Herrero)
(+34) 952 138 852 (Alicia)
Fax: (+34) 952 138 852
A space belonging to El Corte Inglés
on Hilera Street and used exclusively to offer
talks, exhibitions, and conferences. It has an
exhibition hall showing the work of numerous
artists.
Cajamar Málaga Exhibition Hall
This is an exhibition hall run by
Cajamar in Málaga. Sculptures, paintings, photos
and other creations are shown in this space.
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Ámbito Cultural Exhibition Hall
MBITO CULTURAL EXHIBITION
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EDERATON OF MASTER BUILDERS-E
EXHIBITION HALL Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Alameda Principal, 19
29001 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 133 904
Fax: (+34) 952 227 853
Address: C/ República Argentina, 18
29016 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 225 180
Fax: (+34) 952 223 356
It exhibits works by artists who come
to the capital of the province.
Federaton of Master Builders-E
Exhibition Hall
It offers different exhibitions
throughout the year. Paintings are the stars in this
hall, but other forms of artistic expressions are
also represented in it.
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Alameda Exhibition Hall
LAMEDA EXHIBITION HALL
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PISCOPAL PALACE EXHIBITION HALL
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Calvo, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 611 896
Website: www.unicaja.es
Address: Plaza del Obispo, s/n
29015 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 602 722
Fax: (+34) 952 602 722
This hall belongs to group Unicaja. It
exhibits paintings and other artworks as well.
Episcopal Palace Exhibition Hall
The Episcopal Palace is home to the
Church's headquarters in Málaga. It has large
rooms that welcome many artists and their work.
It operates as a museum as well.
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Unicaja MENA Exhibition Hall
NICAJA MENA EXHIBITION HALL
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ORENO VILLA EXHIBITION HALL
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Málaga Airport - Avda. García
Morato
29004 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 048 798
Fax: (+34) 952 048 786
Address: Cervantes Theatre - C/ Ramón
Marín, s/n
29012 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 220 710
The Didier Daurat space, at Málaga
Airport, opened in 1999. It has hosted many
temporary exhibitions, and offers a space to local
artists who want to exhibit their creations.
Moreno Villa Exhibition Hall
This hall has a varied offer -classical
and contemporary plastic arts, photographs, crafts…
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Didier Daurat Exhibition Hall
IDIER DAURAT EXHIBITION HALL
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MIGOS DEL PAÍS ASSOCIATION
Málaga
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: School of Dance - C/ Cerrojo, 5
Tel.: (+34) 952 224 109 (Cervantes Theatre)
Fax: (+34) 952 212 993
Address: Plaza de la Constitución, 7
29005 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 229 396
Fax: (+34) 952 226 410
The Gades Hall has a 9 x 8 m stage,
15 m in height, seating 250 people. It is perfect to
stage alternative music shows and theatrical
plays, and thus complement the activities of the
Cervantes Theatre and other stages in town. It
offers also shows for children.
Amigos del País Association
This exhibition hall is located in Plaza
de la Constitución. There are several rooms that
host temporary exhibitions and collections by
several artists.
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Gades Hall. Cervantes Theatre
ADES HALL. CERVANTES THEATRE
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Málaga
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
RAVURA STUDIO
USEFUL INFORMATION
Gravura Studio was established in
1979 by the painter and engraver Paco Aguilar. In
Gravura, Paco Aguilar organises a range of
activities centred on engraving: courses, printing
and stamping, and promotion of contemporary
artists, whose works are displayed in the studio.
Gravura has been organising courses since
1980. Renowned engravers teach beginners and
advanced students special printing techniques.
Gravura's holdings include artworks by Paco
Aguilar, José Faria, Ana Bellido, Enrique
Brinkmann, Óscar Pérez, Michele Lehmann,
Lorenzo Saval, Pablo Alonso Herrainz, Francisco
Peinado, José Ganfornina, Christian Bozon,
Vargas Machuca, Javier Roz, Natalia Resnik,
Diazdel, Rafael Alvarado and Sebastián Navas.
Gravura started hosting art shows back in 1990.
Nowadays, the gallery's exhibitions focus on
works on paper by acclaimed or young artists.
.
Gravura Prints & Art Gallery
Address: C/ Nuestra Sra. de los Dolores de
San Juan 3, 1st floor
(opposite the church on C/ San Juan)
29005 Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 210 141
The studio has developed a character of its own,
collaborating with public and private organisations
and institutions, displaying the valuable prints that
make up its permanent collection, and participating in
fairs like Estampa or the International Contemporary
Print Fair, where it was granted the award for the
best set of artworks by the Madrid Association of Art
Critics in 2002.
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The studio has become a meeting point for metal
engraving lovers, since it is a space open to artists
who get there to learn and experiment with new
techniques. A great number of editions have been
published by Gravura, either group or solo works
accompanied in many cases by literary texts.
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USEFUL INFORMATION
The landscape levels out to the west, shaping
what is known as Hoya de Málaga, which is the
lowland formed where the Guadalmedina and
Guadalhorce river valleys merge, before they
flow out into the Mediterranean Sea. In this area,
the seaward-facing part of the city, which
stretches out to the west, blends with the
sugarcane fields, orchards and market gardens
that form the last remnants of an agricultural
tradition that is steadily being absorbed by
industrial parks and the airport.
The urban layout of the city stretches from east
to west for some 12 km and the old town nestles
in a huge semicircular area right in the middle.
Practically all Málaga's monuments and tourist
attractions are situated here save for the historic
gardens, which are on the outskirts.
Later on, the city fell under the control of Berber
tribes, followed by the Almoravids, the Almohads
and the Nasrids. Despite these constant changes,
the city retained its trading activity, owing largely to
the protection of its strong walls and the lookout
post provided by the Gibralfaro Castle.
Christian troops besieged the city of Málaga for a
century, until 1487, when the Moors finally
surrendered. The unconditional surrender entailed
slavery or exile for a large number of Málaga's
residents. Following its Christianisation, the city
underwent a process of radical change. It started to
spread beyond the old city walls and the Church
quickly began to build its own places for
worshipping and monasteries. The Moorish
rebellions of the sixteenth century -which ended
with their expulsion in 1614- and the subsequent
shortages were followed by the flooding of the River
Guadalmedina and epidemics that spread
throughout the city. Afterwards, the population,
which had to face pirate and Berber incursions and
attacks by French and British fleets, limped towards
the end of the seventeenth century in a state of utter
exhaustion.
In the following century, Málaga entered an era
of greater stability in every sense of the word
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Faced with Assyrian expansion and the
progressive desertification of their lands,
Phoenicians from Tyre reached the Andalusian
coast in around 800 B.C. and founded Malaka.
At first, it wasn't so much a city as a trading post
around the port. Some time later the Greeks
founded the neighbouring site of Mainake, which
was destroyed by the Carthaginians, who in turn
were defeated by the mighty Romans in the late
third century B.C. in the Second Punic War.
Export activity boomed under Roman rule,
based mainly around garum (fish sauce or
paste), wine and olive oil. By end of the first
century A.D., the city was already a federated
town with important buildings, including the
theatre on the slopes of the Alcazaba (fortress),
which still remains today. As Roman domination
waned, the city passed onto the hands of
different Germanic peoples, such as Vandals
and Visigoths, and following the Islamic invasion
it belonged to the Emirate, and subsequently the
Caliphate, of Córdoba.
Málaga
Málaga
Population: 630,000
Name given to the local people: Malagueños.
Location: On the southern Mediterranean coast,
50 nautical miles from the Strait of Gibraltar and
520 km from Spain's capital city, Madrid. Average
annual rainfall is 470 l/m2 and average annual
temperature is 18.5º C.
What to see: Roman Theatre, Alcazaba (Arab
Fortress), Gibralfaro Castle, Cathedral, Church of
El Sagrario (The Sanctuary), Episcopal Palace,
Picasso Museum, Church of Santiago (St
James), Plaza de la Merced, Picasso Foundation,
Customs Hall, Paseo del Parque, ViceChancellor's Office of the University of Málaga
(former Post Office), Bank of Spain, Town Hall,
Gardens of Puerta Oscura, Gardens of Pedro
Luis Alonso, Fountain of Tres Gracias (the Three
Graces), Bullring, Law Courts (former Miramar
Hotel), Monument to the Marquis of Larios, Larios
Street, Génova Fountain, Pasaje de Chinitas,
Economic Society of Friends of the Country,
Málaga Athenaeum, Church of Santo Cristo de la
Salud (Holy Christ of Health), Church of Santos
Mártires (Holy Martyrs), Museum of Popular Arts
and Traditions, Puerta de Atarazanas (Archway),
Sanctuary of Virgen de la Victoria (Virgin of
Victory), Finca de la Concepción, Contemporary
Art Centre (CAC), Málaga Art Heritage Museum.
Tourist Office, Pza. de la Marina, 11.
Tel.: (+34) 952 122 020.
Fax: (+34) 952 122 023.
Málaga is the third largest district in the
province after Antequera and Ronda. It
combines at least two very different kinds of
landscape. To the north lies the Sierra de
Málaga, a heavily wooded and mountainous
area, very valuable in terms of ecology and
landscape, so much so that it has been declared
a Nature Park by the Andalusian Regional
Government. Towards the east, the country
resembles that of the Axarquía and features the
highest peaks, such as Santo Pitar (1,020 m).
CONVENTION BUREAU
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In the nineteenth century, the city not only faced
the Napoleonic invasion but also the conflicts
between Liberals and Absolutists, which ended in
the execution of General Torrijos and his
companions by a firing squad on San Andrés
beach in 1831, during the reign of Ferdinand VII.
Towards the middle of the century, Málaga started
a period of industrialisation based around textiles
and steel, which converted the area into the most
important as far as these industries were
concerned.
The Larios and Heredia families were the driving
force behind this thriving economic activity, and
the city showed them its gratitude by erecting
statues and naming some of its main streets after
them. It was in the nineteenth century that Málaga
focused on its urban layout: the working class
neighbourhoods and factories were located in the
western districts, and in the east were the large
mansions of the new bourgeoisie, while in the
centre some of the streets were widened and
architecturally striking edifices were built.
From anywhere on the Costa del Sol, take the A7 (N-340) motorway; exits for Málaga are well
signposted. If you're coming from inland
Andalusia, first follow the signs to Antequera,
and then get onto the A-45 (N-331) motorway,
which leads to Málaga.
WHAT TO SEE
Except for the Phoenician remains found on the
site of the Picasso Museum, the city's most
ancient monument is the Roman Theatre (first
century A.D.) located at the foot of the Alcazaba.
Its structure is similar to the Acinipo theatre in
Ronda. Parts of its proscenium, an entrance
gallery, traces of the orchestra pit and a large
part of the cavea (16 m high, and a radius of 31
m) have been preserved. Its stone was used for
the construction of the Alcazaba and for the
foundations of the Casa de la Cultura (Cultural
Centre), a building that was pulled down in 1995
to restore the ancient monument.
The Alcazaba or fortress dates back to the dawn
of the eleventh century, but some decades later
King Badis of the Granada taifa turned it into one
of the most important Muslim fortresses of that
time by providing it with a triple fortified complex
with several towers. Inside the fortress, there
was a palace for the Muslim high authorities and
quarters for their servants. After the Christian
conquest it became a royal residence for the
Catholic Monarchs and Phillip IV.
The Gibralfaro Castle, which sits on the crest of
the mountain that bears the same name, is
connected to the Alcazaba by a corridor
(coracha) that runs between two walls.
Construction began on this strategic fortress in
the late eighth century under the rule of Emir
Abd-ar-Rahman I. Apparently, there had been a
lighthouse on the summit, at least according to a
seventh-century document, which refers to the
mountain as Gebel Faruk (lighthouse mountain).
When the city fell to the Catholic Monarchs, the
fortress was used as a military garrison, and in
the eighteenth century a magazine was built
inside it, which has now been converted into a
visitor centre. The castle was partially destroyed
during the Napoleonic invasion and later rebuilt,
but it retains some parts of the earlier structure.
It should be noted that in addition to its
extraordinary historical value, the complex (with
car access) offers the best views over the city.
Immediately after the city was conquered by
Christian troops, the former mosque was
consecrated under the name of Virgen de la
Encarnación (Our Lady of the Incarnation), and
30 years later construction work began for the
Cathedral on the site of the former mosque. The
new church was designed in flamboyant style,
but when Diego de Siloé took charge of the
project he decided to go for a Renaissance style.
However, it took over two centuries to build it, so
successive
architectural
styles
were
incorporated, particularly Baroque with some
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The fortress was abandoned during the
eighteenth century and in the mid-nineteenth
century it was turned into a neighbourhood
where poor people dwelled. It was declared a
National Monument in 1931, and its restoration
and reconstruction began at that time under the
direction of local historian Juan Temboury and
architect Guerrero Strachan. The most
interesting features are the Arco del Cristo (Arch
of Christ), the Plaza de Armas (Parade Ground),
the Torre del Homenaje (Keep) and the Cuartos
de Granada (palace chambers). Today the site
can be accessed by lift.
Málaga
Málaga
However, a new economic crisis was looming.
The flourishing industry began to falter and the
phylloxera plague destroyed most vines, which
had traditionally been one of the mainstays of the
province's economy. Málaga's economy had
many ups and downs, and did not really take off
until the 1960s, when the Costa del Sol became a
standard in international mass tourism.
HOW TO GET THERE
CONVENTION BUREAU
and, most importantly, the economy began to
strengthen, mainly due to farming products'
exports. The end of the monopoly on trading with
the Indies had a direct influence on the extension
of port activity.
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The magnificent stonework, culminating in the
main façade, features some of the most
remarkable details and artistry ever to be seen in
the city. One example is the seating area for the
choir, carved by Pedro de Mena and other artists.
De Mena is responsible for 42 figures and the
ends of the choir. There are also two grandiose
eighteenth-century organs located on either side.
The Cathedral has 15 chapels and 25 altars. La
Encarnación chapel is in the centre of the
ambulatory. It has a lavish Neoclassical marble
altarpiece. The Santa Bárbara Chapel has a
Gothic altarpiece that belonged to the former
mosque-cathedral, although the main image is by
Fernando Ortiz (1765). The Virgen de los Reyes
chapel contains a Gothic figure of the Virgin that
was donated by Isabella the Catholic and two
sculptures representing Ferdinand and Isabella in
prayer, also carved by Pedro de Mena, who also
sculpted the exquisite Dolorosa (Weeping
Madonna) in Los Caídos Chapel, which is
overlooked by a Crucifix carved by his father,
Alonso de Mena.
In the Virgen del Rosario Chapel, there is an
impressive painting by Alonso Cano: the best
painting in Málaga Cathedral. The two
seventeenth-century pulpits made of pink stone
are also remarkable.
The Cathedral's Puerta de los Naranjos
(Naranjos Gate) opens out onto San Agustín St.
This is for sure one of the most traditional streets
in Málaga, where the Palacio de los Condes de
Buenavista (Counts of Buenavista's Palace) is
located. This is one of the few secular
Renaissance structures in Málaga and dates
back to 1520. Its austere façade has some
Plateresque features and the lookout tower
gives it a fortress-like appearance.
Since October 2003, this beautiful palace has
been home to the Picasso Museum. The
museum owns the private collection of Christine
Picasso, which she kindly donated to the city
that was the birthplace of the most emblematic
artist in twentieth-century Spain. The former
mansion, which also houses the Provincial
Museum of Fine Arts, was meticulously
renovated and then adapted to its new role as a
museum, following the guidelines of modernity
and respect for the original sixteenth-century
structure at the same time. The transformation of
the premises has been praised as exemplary by
international experts.
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In the Plaza del Obispo, to the left of the Cathedral's
main façade, stands the Palacio Episcopal
(Episcopal Palace), a group of buildings from the
sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries. The most remarkable thing about the
splendid Baroque façade, divided by pilasters
into five vertical panels, three storeys high, and
crowned with a pinnacled balustrade, is the
white, pink and grey marble work with a niche at
the top that houses a statue of the Virgen de las
Angustias (Our Lady of Sorrows). An artistic
stairway with a decorated vault starts in the inner
courtyard, which has elegant Tuscan columns.
The main floor of the palace is currently used for
exhibitions.
Málaga
The Sagrario Church, attached to the Cathedral
on the north side, is notable for its sixteenthcentury flamboyant Gothic façade. Inside, there is
a single barrel vaulted nave with a magnificent
Plateresque altarpiece that was brought from a
village in Palencia.
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Neoclassical features. The southern tower was
never completed, so Málaga's Cathedral is known
as La Manquita (one-armed building).
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that are unique on our continent, have
adapted well to this location, and therefore
catch visitors' attention.
The Plaza de María Guerrero adjoins the Plaza
de la Merced, and Alcazabilla St. begins there.
On this street, you will see the back of the
Picasso Museum, the Roman theatre and the
entrance to the Alcazaba, with the Palacio de la
Aduana (Custom House) opposite. This is one of
the most emblematic buildings in Málaga. It was
planned and begun in the late eighteenth
century to take the place of the old custom
house in Puerta del Mar, and was finally
completed early in the nineteenth century.
There are several Romantic arbours along the
promenade, featuring busts of the poets
Salvador Rueda and Rubén Darío and a
sculpture by Jaime Pimentel of a traditional
vendor of biznagas (a local flowering plant). The
Cervantes Ave. runs parallel to the Paseo del
Parque and here there are three remarkable
early twentieth-century buildings. The former
Post Office, now the Chancellor's Office of the
University of Málaga, has a peculiar NeoMudéjar design, and the Bank of Spain building
features an elegant Neoclassical style. Málaga's
City Hall was built in a quite simple Baroque
style and was designed by Guerrero Strachan
and Rivera Vera. Of particular note are the main
staircase, the assembly hall and the Salón de
Los Espejos (Hall of Mirrors).
Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born in 1881 in the
northern part of the square, in one of the socalled Casas de Campos. The building where
he was born has housed the Picasso
Foundation since 1988 and is considered to
have one of the most comprehensive archives
of documents relating to this artist in the whole
world. It also has a museum section exhibiting a
choice selection of prints, photographs, and
Next to the Custom House is the Paseo del
Parque, a promenade that stretches between
the port, Cortina del Muelle and the slopes of
the Alcazaba. This green space, which is
approximately 800 m long and sits on land
reclaimed from the sea in the late nineteenth
century, is less a park in the usual sense than
a botanical garden. Numerous tropical and
subtropical tree species, including one or two
The Puerta Oscura Gardens are behind the City
Hall, under the south wall of the Alcazaba, on the
site of an ancient Roman villa. The gardens are
organised into terraces and zigzag paths in
order to take advantage of the mountain slope.
Opposite the eastern wall of the City Hall are the
Pedro Luis Alonso Gardens, where nineteenth-century
landscaping blends with Spanish-Muslim
features such as a pool with water jets and rows
of orange trees.
The eastern end of the Paseo del Parque runs
into the Plaza del General Torrijos, in the centre
of which is a nineteenth-century fountain named
Las Tres Gracias, which previously stood in the
Plaza de la Constitución. If you continue along
the Paseo de Reding you will see the Plaza de
Toros (a nineteenth-century Neo-Mudéjar
bullring) and on the right, around 100 m further
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A few metres further along is the Plaza de la
Merced, a typical example of nineteenth-century
town planning. The convents of La Paz and La
Merced and the Santa Ana hospital once stood
here, but no trace of them remains. The
monument to General Torrijos was erected in the
centre of the square in 1842, eleven years after
he was executed by a firing squad on San Andrés
beach only for being a Liberal. The monument is
by Rafael Mitjana, who designed a slender
obelisk crowned with a wreath of laurel.
Its Neoclassical structure is based on a square
floor plan and has an austere dressed stone
façade. The interior is arranged around a
courtyard and has a double portico crowned with
a balustrade featuring Roman sculptures. It was
used for a whole host of different businesses even a tobacco factory- before being eventually
turned into local government offices. In a few
years' time, though, it will be converted into the
Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology, whose
items are not being exhibited right now due to
the lack of a suitable space to display them. In
the meantime, some of the best works from the
Museum of Fine Arts are on display on the
ground floor.
Málaga
Málaga
The Picasso Museum opens onto the pedestrian
area of Granada St, and is just a stone's throw
from the Santiago Church, where Picasso was
christened. The church was modified in the
eighteenth century but two important features of
the original Mudéjar construction remain: the
brick façade with a pointed arch and the
Almohad-style brick tower. Its interior is profusely
adorned with stuccowork, especially the side
chapels.
ceramics and even a recreation of what the
house belonging to the Picasso family looked
in the late nineteenth century.
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The permanent collection, made up of over 200
works by the genius from Málaga, is displayed in
several rooms that have retained the palace's
magnificent Mudéjar coffered ceilings. Paintings,
sculptures, prints and ceramics represent the
different creative periods of this artist, who finally
returned to his hometown under the best possible
condition in terms of exhibition venues.
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Back in the city centre, you will find the Plaza de
la Marina, between the port and Málaga's two
main streets, Larios and La Alameda. This
square has been remodelled many times, and on
the latest occasion, sections of the Nasrid walls
and the seventeenth-century port walls were
uncovered and are now preserved in the
underground car park. The monument to the
Marquis of Larios, by Mariano Benlliure,
overlooks the Plaza. The Marquis of Larios was
the driving force behind Málaga's new aspect
and this was why Larios St. was named after
him. It links the port district directly to the Plaza
de la Constitución. Larios St., the street for
shopping in Málaga's, was designed by Eduardo
Strachan in late nineteenth century according to
the Chicago School standards. It was recently
remodelled and is now the best kept part of the city.
Larios St. leads into the Plaza de la Constitución,
a former Muslim market square that was turned
into the city's main square after the Christian
conquest. It was remodelled at the same time as
Larios St. and here they placed the Renaissance
(sixteenth century) Fuente de Génova (Genoa
Fountain), which previously stood on one of the
arbours dotted along the Paseo del Parque. The
eastern side of this square leads onto a little lane
known as Pasaje de Chinitas, with its typical
echoes of García Lorca's bulls, flamenco dancing
and singing.ç
If you continue along Compañía St. to Los
Mártires Alley, you end up at the square and
church of the same name: the Iglesia de los
Santos Mártires (Church of the Holy Martyrs),
commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs. Work
began on it in the sixteenth century but it was
remodelled in the eighteenth century, so the
decoration is late Baroque.
Back on Compañía St. and heading west
towards the River Guadalmedina, take the
Pasillo de Santa Isabel, which runs parallel to
the river. At number 10 you will find the Mesón
de la Victoria, a tavern built in the seventeenth
century over a former fifteenth-century mosque.
Since the 1970s, it has been home to the
Museum of Popular Arts, Customs and
Traditions, offering a glimpse of what life in
Málaga was like in centuries gone by, the city's
rural, mining, industrial and bourgeois past,
along with a well-preserved collection of
utensils, tools and furnishings.
As you leave Pasillo de Santa Isabel, you will
come across Plaza de Arriola and the Central
Market, where the Puerta de las Atarazanas, the
gateway to the former medieval shipyards, still
stands. Although it has been considerably
restored, this gate still features a large pointed
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has an artistic façade and a beautiful eighteenthcentury style courtyard. The adjacent building,
the Ateneo de Málaga (Málaga Athenaeum),
was formerly a School of Arts and Trades, where
Picasso attended his first art lessons. These two
buildings and the Santo Cristo de la Salud
Church (on Compañía St.) belonged to the
Society of Jesus. The seventeenth-century
church has a circular floor plan crowned with a
large dome. It houses a magnificent altarpiece
dating from 1633 and Pedro de Mena's tomb.
Málaga
On the northern side of the square, you will find
the former Consulate, now the central offices of
the Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País
(Economic Society of Friends of the Country). It
CONVENTION BUREAU
along, the former Miramar Hotel, which is now the
Palacio de Justicia (Courthouse). This is another
great building designed by Guerrero Strachan in
the 1920s.
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horseshoe arch, the only element remaining from
a large 5,000 m2 building that in the Christian
period served as an arsenal which collapsed after
the explosion of several gunpowder mills in the
seventeenth century. After its reconstruction, it
was turned into a hospital, and in the nineteenth
century it was used as a college to train surgeons
and even as an artillery garrison, until the
decision was made in 1868 to demolish all of it,
except for the southern gate, in order to build the market.
The Santuario de la Virgen de la Victoria (Our Lady
of Victory Sanctuary) is outside the old quarter but
still in the city centre. It was originally a chapel built
on the site where Ferdinand the Catholic set up
camp as he prepared to take Málaga. In the
seventeenth century, the chapel was replaced with a
Baroque church, whose construction was funded by
the Count of Buenavista.
Inside the church, of particular note are the Lady
Chapel, which has exuberant Rococo artwork
intermingled with angels, plant motifs and Marian
symbols, as well as the crypt belonging to the
Counts of Buenavista. The latter is morbidly
dramatic, with white plasterwork ornaments
against black backgrounds, which gives it a
macabre dramatic character.
Málaga
Villalcázar revamped it as a court garden, with
beautiful fountains, sculptures and water effects.
FIESTAS
Málaga has two major popular celebrations:
Holy Week and the August Fair. There are,
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A little farther away (3 km away from the Coín
road exit from N-340 motorway) stands El Retiro
Estate, built as requested by bishop Alonso de
Tomás in the seventeenth century. The garden
was turned into a patio in the eighteenth century
by the Counts of Buenavista. Later, the Count of
Málaga
Leaving Málaga by the Autovía de Las Pedrizas
(A-4; N-331) you will see a sign indicating the exit
for Finca de la Concepción, one of the best
tropical gardens in Europe. It was built in the
nineteenth century by the Marquises of Casa
Loring, who erected a Classical-style palace on
the site. The estate has an unusual display of
forests with bridges, small waterfalls and a
graceful Doric bandstand. Countless motion
pictures have been shot here. It was declared a
Historic-Artistic Garden in 1943, and was
acquired by the City.
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fairground auditorium. Bullfighting fans also await
for the fair to start because the best bullfights take
place in La Malagueta on these days.
During Holy Week, Málaga becomes a gigantic
stage where the cofradías or fraternities re-enact
the Passion of Christ in the streets, amid
tumultuous popular fervour that goes through the
whole range of human emotions. Grandeur,
devotion, luxury, sobriety, joy, the singing of
saetas, silence, cheers and applause... all
forming a whole that is hard to explain but quickly
embraced by anyone willing to experience it.
However, visitors generally prefer to try local
specialties, and there is no doubt that pescaíto
frito (small fried fish) is the local dish par
excellence. Pescaíto frito can cover a range of
different types of fish and seafood, but you will
FOOD
Málaga is an open tourist town and you can
sample almost any type of food at its many
restaurants, be it local, regional or international.
There are restaurants to suit all tastes and
budgets, from more modest and affordable sites
to more exclusive restaurants, including the
Michelin-starred Café de Paris.
mainly find boquerón (anchovies), jurel (horse
mackerel), salmonetes (red mullet), calamares
(squid), and pijotas (baby hake). You could also
try espetos de sardinas (grilled sardine
skewers), almejas (clams) and coquinas (type of
clams). The list goes on, but this is the most
common combination. Pescaíto frito is served in
most restaurants around the city but it is
especially traditional in beachfront restaurants.
CONVENTION BUREAU
however, other festivities that are deeply
ingrained in popular tradition, such as Carnival in
late February, Corpus Christi in late May or early
June, the Virgen del Carmen celebration with its
maritime procession in mid-July, and the Fiesta
Mayor de Verdiales (traditional Andalusian music
festival) on 28 December at the Venta de San
Cayetano in the neighbourhood of Puerto de la
Torre, where you can enjoy the traditional
verdiales competition while sampling the local
wine and dry cured pork. And, in addition, each
neighbourhood also organises its own fiestas.
Other typical dishes are gazpacho and ajoblanco
(chilled garlic and almond soup), gazpachuelo (fish
soup) and ensalada malagueña (a salad of boiled
potatoes, cod, oranges, hard-boiled eggs, olives,
onions and olive oil). Plato de los Montes is typically
served in the taverns that surround the city and is a
dish of fried potatoes, pork loin in lard, chorizo
sausage, fried peppers and fried eggs.
The August Fair commemorates the taking of
Málaga by the Catholic Monarchs and lasts for
nine days full of fun and revelry. Over the last few
decades, Málaga's fair has been held in two
different places: the historic district hosts the socalled Feria de Día (Day Fair) and the Cortijo de
Torres, outside the city, where the activity
continues on through the night. In the city centre,
traditional bars get crowded, whereas at Cortijo
de Torres, there are public and private marquees
that draw in the crowds.
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The official programme for these dates is full of
events and there is something to meet all tastes.
There is special emphasis, however, on local
folklore and flamenco and on contemporary music,
especially for young people, who can attend
performances by famous groups and singers in the
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A CAÑADA
Marbella
TOURIST BOARD &
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USEFUL INFORMATION
index. Marbella
Address: La Cañada Shopping Centre
Ctra. OJén, s/n
29603 Marbella
Website: www.cinesa.es
.
CINEMAS
La Cañada
Cinesur Plaza del Mar
Gran Marbella Cineplex
page 165
page 166
page 167
.
page 168
page 169
page 170
page 171
SERVICES
Disabled access
Air conditioning
Parking
Bar
Children's seats
Youth card
Student card
Credit cards accepted
Late show
Numbered seats
Online ticket sales
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page 174
page 175
page 176
page 177
pág. 178
pág. 180
pág. 181
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Marbella
Cortijo de Miraflores
Black Box Theatre
Collumbrans Gallery
El Catalejo Arte Gallery
Pedro Peña Art Gallery
Exhibition Hall - Marbella Casino
Marbella Art Galery
San Pedro Alcántara Art Galery
Puerto Banús Art Galery
.
DESCRIPTION
La Cañada
THEATRES
Parque de la Constitución Auditorium
El Ingenio Cultural Centre
Ciudad de Marbella Theatre
Exhibition and Conference Centre
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RAN MARBELLA CINEPLEX
Marbella
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Plaza del Mar Shopping Centre
Avda. Camilo José Cela, s/n 29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 902 504 150 (ticket sales)
(+34) 952 766 942 (information)
Address: Avda. Julio Iglesias, s/n. 29660
Puerto Banús. Marbella
Tfno: ( +34) 952 81 64 21 (ticket booking)
Fax : (+34) 952 813 577
Web: www.cinesgranmarbella.com
SERVICES
Disabled access
Air conditioning
Bar
Late show
Surround sound
Original version films
2-hour free car parking
Online ticket sales
Numbered seats
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.
DESCRIPTION
Air conditioning
Disabled access
Parking
Buffet
Venue hire
Tiered seats
Online ticket sales
Morning show
Late show
Numbered seats
Audience Day
Student card
Youth card
Marbella
SERVICES
.
DESCRIPTION
Gran Marbella Cineplex
Cinesur Plaza del Mar
INESUR PLAZA DEL MAR
10:37
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L INGENIO CULTURAL CENTRE
Marbella
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Avda. de España.
Parque de la Constitución.
29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 859 483
Address: C/ La Morera, s/n
29670 San Pedro Alcántara
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 786 968
The building is 110 years old but was
renovated in 1992. It has a capacity of 250. It
offers theatre plays, children's theatre plays,
stand-up comedian shows, jazz and quarter
concerts.
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Located in the central area of the
Parque de la Constitución and surrounded by a
rich vegetation is this auditorium with a total
capacity of 700. Music shows and theatre plays
are offered in the summer, from June to
September.
El Ingenio Cultural Centre
Parque de la Constitución Auditorium
ARQUE DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN AUDITORIUM
10:37
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XHIBITION AND CONFERENCE CENTRE
Marbella
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Plaza Ramón Martínez, s/n
29603 Marbella
Fax: (+34) 952 82 34 43
Tel.: (+34) 952 903 159
Address: C/ José Meliá, 2
29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 828 244
Fax: (+34) 952 821 461
Website: [email protected]
This modern building, located in
central Marbella, was inaugurated in 2001. It has
504 seats and a varied programme: dance,
opera, music shows.
Exhibition and Conference Centre
The Marbella Exhibition and
Conference Centre has a privileged location, in
the heart of the Costa del Sol, 20 min. from
Málaga International Airport, in the town of
Marbella. This makes it easily accessible and the
perfect location for visitors to stay in its hotels, go
shopping to its great shopping centres, eat in its
good restaurants, etc.
.
The upper floor covers 3,112 sq m, ideal for
events related to big conferences: lectures and
presentations, gala dinners, smaller exhibitions or
workplaces.
.
Ciudad de Marbella Theatre
IUDAD DE MARBELLA THEATRE
10:38
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Its semicircular roof, supported by wooden
arches and featuring big glass panels that let the
light in, offers a stunning stage to host exhibitions,
fairs or other kinds of big events. The centre is
easily accessible, both to unload goods and
equipment or have an independent entrance.
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LACK BOX THEATRE
Marbella
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Avda. José Luís Morales y Marín, s/n
29601 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 90 27 14
Fax: (+34) 952 90 23 57
Address: C/ Notario Luis Oliver, 6
29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 779 172
Website: www.blackboxteatro.com
Built back in 1706, the Cortijo de
Miraflores used to be a country house that was
home to a sugar mill and an olive oil press. It
boasts decorative elements from earlier
constructions, like the medallions with images of
saints. The building has a Mudéjar framework
similar to that in the assembly hall of the Town Hall.
Black Box Theatre is a private
enterprise, a creative space for researching and
innovating freely with a genuine and independent
commitment to the arts. It's a project by artists
targeted to art lovers. Black Box has a 500 sq m
hall that puts on theatre plays, music shows and
dance performances. It holds quality art events by
national and international creators and stages
contemporary plays by renowned and young
playwrights. Its managers bet on contemporary
dance, dance-theatre, flamenco music, children's
plays, puppet theatre, storytelling, festivals, and
themed seasons.
On the front are two coats of arms, one belonging
to the Franciscan Order and the other one to the
Domínguez family. The Cortijo de Miraflores has
also a beautiful garden boasting exotic plants.
.
Following refurbishing, it has become the Cortijo
de Miraflores Cultural Centre, which hosts
temporary exhibitions, lectures, film screenings,
and concerts, among other cultural events. It
hosts the Municipal Historic Archive and a
nineteenth-century olive oil press.
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Black Box Theatre
Cortijo de Miraflores
ORTIJO DE MIRAFLORES
10:38
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L CATALEJO ART GALLERY
Marbella
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Avda. del Mar, 4
29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 858 221
Address: Avda. Príncipe Alfonso de
Hohenlohe Urb. Marbella Real
29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 777 031
Fax: (+34) 952 777 031
Web: www.galeriaelcatalejo.com
This art gallery is a space for
contemporary art, a place where we can watch
and reflect on new and old artistic tendencies.
Established in 1994, El Catalejo Art
Gallery is an extension of Galleria d'arte Il
Cannocchiale, opened in Milan in 1964. Top
artists have their works on the gallery's walls, for
instance, Picasso, Miró, Hartung, Afro,
Capogrossi, Morandi, De Chirico. But the gallery
is interested also on talented but less well-known
artists, who are brought closer to both European
and other global markets. The number and quality
of artists offered by El Catalejo is unique. This is
the reason why artists and art collectors from all
over the world want to meet in this space where
art and culture take the centre of the stage.
It combines the twentieth-century avant-garde
movement and more recent contemporary art
trends.
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Marbella
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The art gallery wants to focus its business activity
on quality art collecting from Marbella.
El Catalejo Art Gallery
Collumbrans Gallery
OLUMBRANS GALLERY
10:38
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XHIBITION HALL - MARBELLA CASINO
Marbella
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: CN-340A, km. 179. C.C. Tembo.
Bloque C, local 1
29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 906 948
Fax: (+34) 952 82 74 23
Web: www.pedropena.com
Address: Bajos Hotel H10 Andalucía Plaza
29660 Nueva Andalucía - Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 814 000
Fax: (+34) 952 812 844
Website: www.casinomarbella.com
Pedro Peña Art Gallery, inaugurated
in August 2001, has run numerous individual and
group exhibitions: Francis Bacon, Ciria, Anton
Lamazares, Mari Puri Herrero, Herminio, Jaume
Amigó, Eduardo Arroyo or Ximo Amigó. Its
collection includes work by Lucio Muñoz, Manolo
Valdés, Saura, Tàpies, Chillida, Chirino,
Genovés, Claudio Bravo, Barceló, Clavé, Úrculo,
and Fernand Leger.
Exhibition Hall - Marbella Casino
At the Casino, they do much more
than just gambling: exhibitions, tasting events,
music shows, dinners and much more.
HOURS
Open from 8:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m.
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Pedro Peña Art Gallery
EDRO PEÑA ART GALLERY
10:39
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RT GALLERIES IN
ACUARELA
Address: C/ Remedios, 7. Suite 1
Old Quarter
29601 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 859 065
Website: www.acuarelamarbella.com.ar
EL CATALEJO
Address: Avda. Príncipe Alfonso de Hohenlohe
Urb. Marbella Real
29602 Marbella
Tel. and Fax: (+34) 952 777 031
Website: www.galeriaelcatalejo.com
ARTE MARBELLA
Address: C/ Alonso de Bazán, 3
29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 822 345
ESPONA DIÓGENES HALL
Address: Plaza Joaquín Gómez Agüera
Edificio María II. Suite 4
29601 Marbella.
Tel.: (+34) 952 770 228
(+34) 606 599 641 (Ana Mª Muñoz)
PERDIGUERO STUDIO
Address: Avda. Arias Maldonado, 3
29602 Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 822 555
Website: www.pintorperdiguero.com
ROSA COLLADO STUDIO
Address: C/ Virgen de los Dolores, 3
Old Quarter
29601 Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 863 528
Website: www.estudiorosacollado.com
DIDEH ART GALLERY
Address: Marbella Club Shopping Area
29602 Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 859 396
LINDY G ART GALLERY
Address: C/ Ortiz de Molinillos, 8
Old Quarter
29601 Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 824 312
LIVIANA LEONE STUDIO
Address: Avda. Antonio Belón, 3
29602 Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 772 683 / +34) 952 860 260
Website: www.livianaleone.com
MESSEG DESIGN
Address: C/ Aluminio, 6
Polígono Industrial La Ermita
29603 Marbella
Tel. and Fax: (+34) 952 857 439
Website: www.messegdesign.com
RAMÓN VILA
Address: C/ Misericordia, 15
Old Quarter
29601 Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 776 786
Website: www.galeriasdearte-ramonvila.com
VAN GESTEL
Address: Plaza de los Naranjos, 11
29601 Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 774 819
VICTORIA
Address: Urb. El Rosario.
Edificio Yellow Car
29604 Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 830 487
MILA´S GALLERY
Address: Notario Luis Oliver
29602 Marbella
PEDRO PEÑA ART GALLERY
Address: CN-340A, Km. 179
Tembo Shopping Centre. Block C. Suite 1
29602 Marbella
Tel: (+34) 952 906 948
Fax: (+34) 952 827 423
Website: www.pedropena.com
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Marbella
Marbella
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D.B. BRITISH AND INTERNATIONAL FINE ART
Address: CN-340A, Km. 178
Urb. Marbella Real, 14. Suites 19-21
29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 866 721 / (+34) 659 228 887
Website: www.artdbworldwide.com
TOURIST BOARD &
Art Galleries
Art Galleries
COLUMBRANS GALLERY
Address: Avda. del Mar, 4
29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 858 221
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ARTE SAN PEDRO
Address: Avda. Marqués del Duero, 68
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 789 223
OLERIONI STUDIO
Address: Guadalmina Shopping Centre
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 885 989
COLORES DEL GIRASOL
Address: Los Halcones Shopping Centre.
Shops 17-18
Ctra. de Ronda, Km. 166
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 769 006
THE NORTON GALLERY
Address: Guadalmina Shopping Centre.
Shop 25
Block 2. Guadalmina Alta
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 880 463
SYTO OFICIO
Address: Guadalmina Shopping Centre
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 885 514
PÆgina 180
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RT GALLERIES IN
Nueva Andalucía And Puerto Banús
ART & GRÁFICA
Address: C/ Jesús Puente
Edificio Las Terrazas de Banús,
suite 21-A
29660 Puerto Banús
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 906 566
Website: www.art-graphica.com
HELLA MARIA HÖFER GALLERY
Address: Edificio Las Terrazas de Banús.
Suites 22 and 23
29660 Puerto Banús
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 908 123
FORNARA GALLERY
Address: Paseo Benabolá, 6-D
29660 Puerto Banús
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 811 449 / (+34) 617 400 142
Website: www.fornaragallery.com
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SAMMER GALLERY
Address: Avda. Julio Iglesias, 3
Edificio Las Terraza de Banús. Suites 10-16
29660 Puerto Banús
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 812 995 / (+34) 610 583 258
Fax: (+34) 952 815 969
Website: www.sammergallery.es
Puerto Banús
LECRIN GALLERY
Address: Conjunto Benabolá, 11-A. 1-2
29660 Nueva Andalucía
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 814 354
KYOMO AUCTION HOUSE
Address: Muelle Benabolá, 10
29660 Puerto Banús
Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 818 102
.
San Pedro Alcántara
San Pedro Alcántara
10:39
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Art Galleries
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TOURIST BOARD &
.
In spite of the extensive housing complexes that
have even reached areas far from the coastal
strip and despite the dubious taste of certain
buildings which don't match with the surrounding
landscape, old cork oaks, large pine woods and
some olive groves can still be found in the
region. These, along with the newly created
private gardens and the carefully kept golf
courses (of which there are fourteen in the
district), make greenery one of the basic
elements of Marbella's landscape and a key
attraction for the highly affluent tourists who
frequent the area.
Although the surviving remnants of the castle's
towers and walls date back to the Moorish
period, the lowest part of the construction is
certainly Roman, as are the foundations of some
of the buildings in the Plaza de los Naranjos, in
the heart of Marbella. Therefore, we could say
that the town was quite important in Roman
times. The Vega del Mar Paleo-Christian
Basilica, located near San Pedro Alcántara,
dates back to the Visigothic period and stands
out as one of the most remarkable constructions
built during that period in Spain.
The second most-populated town within the
province of Málaga, Marbella, was home to
Palaeolithic settlers -its first inhabitants,
centuries ago- as evidenced by weapons and
tools found at Coto Correa, in the Las Chapas
area, and in the Pecho Redondo Cave (in this
case, Neolithic) in the southern foothills of the
Sierra Blanca. There are no traces of other
civilizations here until the end of the
Carthaginian period, from which there are
remains that suggest the Carthaginians might
have built a factory in Río Verde, about 5 km
from Marbella.
The Romans left their mark on the region, as
seen in the Río Verde villa, the baths at
Guadalmina and other findings in the old
With the Moorish invasion, the city fell under the
control of various dynasties until the BanuMarins (Berbers) took power in 1274. Later it
became part of the Kingdom of Granada -as did
the rest of the region- until it was conquered by
Ferdinand and Isabella in 1485.
In the sixteenth century, the city began to
undergo a process of extensive renovation,
which started with the demolition of part of the
medina or old quarter to create a central plaza,
the present-day Plaza de los Naranjos. A street
was also built to connect this new urban area
with the sea. The name of the city changed from
Barbesula, in the Roman period, to Barbella
under the Moors, and finally became Marbella a derivation of the Arab name- with the arrival of
the Christians.
.
182
Population: Around 126.422
Name given to the local people: Marbellíes.
Location: It is situated in the centre of the Western
Costa del Sol, between the foot of the Sierra Blanca
mountain range and the coast. The city is 57 km from
Málaga. Its average annual rainfall is 630 l/m2 and the
average temperature is around 18º C.
What to see: Río Verde Roman Villa, Vega del
Mar Paleo-Christian Basilica, Roman Baths at
Guadalmina, La Encarnación Church, Arab
fortress, San Juan de Dios Hospital, Bazán
Hospital (Museum of Prints), Casa del Corregidor,
Santo Cristo de la Vera Cruz Chapel, Town Hall,
Santo Cristo Church, Cortijo Miraflores Museum,
Bonsai Museum, Santiago Chapel, Ralli Museum
and Roman Baths or Vaults.
Glorieta de la Fontanilla, s/n - 29602 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 774 693 / 771 442 - Fax: (+34) 952 779 457
Plaza de los Naranjos, 1 - 29601 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 823 550 / (+34) 952 773 621
Fax: (+34) 952 773 621
Arco de Marbella. CN-340A, Km. 183 - 29603 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 822 818 / (+34) 952 822 944
Fax: (+34) 952 822 944
In San Pedro Alcántara:
Marqués del Duero, 69 - 29670 San Pedro Alcántara
Tel.: (+34) 952 785 252 / (+34) 952 789 090
Arco de San Pedro - A-7 (CN-340A), Km. 170
Tel.: (+34) 952 781 360 / 781 359 - Fax: (+34) 952 781 359
In Puerto Banús:
Main entrance to the port - 29660 Puerto Banús
Tel.: (+34) 952 818 570 - Fax: (+34) 952 818 570
quarter. Some scholars have even entertained
the possibility that the site of present-day
Marbella was founded by the Romans, and
some go on to suggest that it could have been
the famous Iberian enclave of Salduba
mentioned by Pliny and Ptolemy. In any case,
the perimeter of the ancient town, which was
undoubtedly fortified, must have coincided with
what is now the old quarter.
Marbella
Marbella
USEFUL INFORMATION
The singular silhouette of the Sierra Blanca
range, visible from anywhere in the district, is the
defining geographical feature of the region. Its
northern reaches are mountainous -with some
peaks exceeding 1,000 m- and criss-crossed by
innumerable streams which continue to instil the
area with a natural beauty despite the rampant
spread of luxury housing developments carried
out over the past decades.
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Marbella
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In light of the city's present-day aspect, it's difficult
to imagine that nineteenth-century Marbella was
once a leader of the Spanish mining industry, with
blast furnaces to process iron extracted from the
Sierra Blanca mines. Within the span of a single
century, the city witnessed its own transformation
from an industrial centre to a world-class tourist
destination.
HOW TO GET THERE
By car, take the Costa del Sol AP-7 toll motorway
or the Autovía del Mediterráneo N-340 highway
(CN-340A). Both routes are well signposted.
WHAT TO SEE
Marbella boasts the highest concentration of golf
courses in Spain -and even much of Europe- along
with marinas, restaurants, a casino, luxury hotels and
very elegant shops, not to mention its excellent
beaches covering more than 20 km of coastline. But
this is not all, for the city also offers a historical-artistic
heritage of great interest, and its historic centre has
admirably withstood the "latest craze," which has
changed Marbella in so many ways.
The Roman Villa of Río Verde, discovered in
1962, was built between the first and second
centuries A.D. It is located about 5 km from the
city centre. The highlights of the site are the
mosaics, of great artistic quality. They depict
culinary motifs, whose structuring is considered
by some experts to be very similar to the art of the
twentieth century. The central figure of the
Medusa head is surrounded by birds, ducks, urns
and plant motifs in a variety of colours.
Marbella
The Church of La Encarnación, whose
ecclesiastical authorization dates back to 1505,
was erected in 1618. It features a magnificent
Baroque red-stone façade. The central nave (it
has three) ends in a semicircular apse crowned
by a vault. The main altarpiece, also Baroque,
184
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.
Next to the entrance archway of San Pedro
Alcántara lie the Guadalmina Roman baths.
Dating from between the second and third
centuries A.D., the complex was constructed
around an octagonal courtyard with a pool at its
centre. Seven interconnected octagonal
chambers surround the courtyard. The upper
area is situated at a height of nearly 5 m and is
crowned by a central dome that lets natural light
in to illuminate the pool. The remains of clay
pipes found here indicate that hot water or hot
air was possibly piped into the baths.
Marbella
The Vega del Mar Paleo-Christian Basilica,
discovered in 1915, is in the town of Linda Vista
Baja, next to San Pedro Alcántara. A necropolis
with more than 180 burial sites was also
uncovered during its excavation.
The basilica has been roughly dated to the fourth or
the sixth centuries, with different arguments in
favour of one or the other. It has a rectangular floorplan and three naves. It is also known that one of
the two sacristies was converted into a baptistery in
the sixth century (under Byzantine domination), for
which a 1.1 meter-deep baptismal font was
installed. Jewels, pottery, coins and inscriptions
corresponding to various funerary offerings have all
been found at this site.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Parts of the old Arab fortress, some sections of
the walls and a tower are very well preserved.
Roman materials were used in its construction
(ninth to tenth century), including the stone blocks
in the lower part of the walls as well as three Ionic
capitals that serve here as support stones.
The Santo Cristo Church, built between the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, is one of the
oldest buildings in Marbella. The Santo Cristo de
la Vera Cruz Chapel was built in the sixteenth
century and subsequently restored in the
eighteenth century. These two buildings are
interesting examples of the city's religious
architecture.
Marbella's museums are housed in five different
buildings and cover a variety of topics. The
Museo Cortijo de Miraflores (C/ Luis Morales
and Marín, s/n. Tel.: (+34) 952 902 714) is
located in an early-eighteenth-century building.
It underwent an extensive refurbishing to
accommodate several temporary exhibition halls
as well as its hallmark permanent exhibit: an old
olive oil mill and all the equipment used for
producing olive oil.
The peculiar Museo de Arte Mecánico (Museum
of Mechanical Art, C/ EI Ingenio de la
Morena, s/n. Tel.: (+34) 952 786 968)
exhibits machines made out of scrap metal,
while the Museo del Ralli (C/ Urbanización
Coral Beach, 5. Tel.: (+34) 952 857 923)
houses a collection of works, most of them
contemporary, by Latin American artists.
The Church of La Encarnación, whose
ecclesiastical authorization dates back to 1505,
was erected in 1618. It features a magnificent
Baroque red-stone façade. The central nave (it
has three) ends in a semicircular apse crowned
by a vault. The main altarpiece, also Baroque, is
adorned with an image of St Barnabas, the city's
The Museo del Bonsai (Parque Arroyo de
la Represa. C.P. 29601. Marbella Tel.:(+34)
952 862 926) is considered as one of the
best of its kind in all of Europe. Its
collection of wild olive trees is impressive,
as well as tiny Spanish firs, a native
species in danger of extinction.
Ralli Museum (Address: CN-340A, Km. 176.
Urb. Coral Beach - 29602 Marbella - Tel.: (+34)
952 857 923) The Ralli Museums belong to a
private non-profit international organisation
whose the main purpose is to draw the general
public's attention to the quality of contemporary
Latin American art. These museums were
created, funded and managed by Mr Harry
Recanati, a retired banker and art collector. So
far, five Ralli Museums have been established in
various countries, and admission to all of them is
free of charge.
The Ralli Museum in Marbella exhibits the most
important collection of Latin American paintings
across Europe. The works have been selected
only taking their quality into account, irrespective
of the reputation of the artists or market value.
Most of the eight-hundred artists whose work is
on display in the museum's galleries are quite
well known in their countries of origin, although
not generally famous internationally.
Also, museum-goers will find paintings by
Chagall, Max Ernst, Miró, Dalí, Henry Moore,
Wunderlich, and André Masson, among other
artists, and sculptures by European artists like
Dalí or Maillol.
186
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.
The Bazán Hospital, also from the sixteenth
century, is a peculiar building. It was
constructed on top of three old Arab houses,
giving its rooms a strange asymmetry. Just as
with the San Juan de Dios Hospital, the
remains of this building feature Renaissance,
Gothic and Mudéjar elements. It was formerly
the residence of Alonso de Bazán, the city's
alderman.
Inaugurated in 1992, the Museo del Grabado
Español Contemporáneo (Museum of
Contemporary Spanish Prints, C/ Hospital
Bazán, s/n. C.P. 29601. Marbella. Tel.: (+34) 952
765 741) stands out among Spain's museums.
Almost all the famed Spanish engravers have
one or more works on display on the museum
halls, including Antonio López, Picasso, Dalí,
Tàpies, Clavé, Equipo Crónica, Genovés,
Sempere, Palazuelo, Chillida, Barceló, Sicilia…
Temporary exhibitions and series of conferences
are also organised here.
Marbella
Marbella
The Renaissance, Gothic and Mudéjar styles can
be found in the San Juan de Dios Hospital, built
in the sixteenth century. The lower part of the
stone façade contrasts with the whitewashed bell
tower, painted in white after the old popular
tradition. The main entranceway is made of stone,
and the royal coat of arms, as well as that of the
Order of St. John of God, is carved into its
wooden door. A Mudéjar ceiling has been
preserved in the chapel.
Patron Saint. The choir contains the Organ of
Sol Mayor, one of the most important among
those manufactured in Spain over the past
twenty-five years.
CONVENTION BUREAU
is adorned with an image of St Barnabas, the
city's Patron Saint. The choir contains the
Organ of Sol Mayor, one of the most important
among those manufactured in Spain over the
past twenty-five years.
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FIESTAS
The cosmopolitan nature of Marbella has not
taken anything away from its festive traditions,
actually quite the contrary. Its festival calendar
has, however, become more diversified to
accommodate an ever more heterogeneous
population.
The Fair of San Bernabé, held close to 11 June,
is the celebration most deeply rooted in popular
tradition of all Marbella's fiestas. The fair takes
place in the historic centre by day and, at sunset,
it moves over to the fairgrounds. Regardless of
the venue, a noticeable Andalusian air
predominates, truly enjoyed by foreign visitors.
The pilgrimage to the Cruz de Juanar, a symbolic
place located in the mountain range of the same
name, takes place on 1 May.
Marbella's second city centre, San Pedro
Alcántara, celebrates four days in honour of its
Patron Saint around 19 October. The municipal
pavilion is the site of the most acclaimed
performances and is the centrepiece of the fair,
which also includes a procession of the Saint
through the main streets of the city.
As in most of the mountain towns in the region,
Marbella celebrates the traditional tostón (chestnut
roast) on 1 November, at the time of the All Saints'
Day festivities. Groups of young people spend the
day in the countryside collecting chestnuts, which
are then roasted and eaten, local brandy being the
perfect accompaniment to them.
One of the most spectacular and moving
moments of Marbella's Holy Week celebrations
occurs when the Maria Santísima del Calvario's
(Our Lady of Calvary) float is carried down from
its chapel on Holy Thursday.
FOOD
Pescaíto frito (small fried fish), popular in all the
coastal communities of Málaga, is certainly the
most requested of the typical dishes. Other
specialties include paella, gazpacho (chilled
MARINAS
One of the features contributing to Marbella's
pre-eminent position as a tourist destination is
the quality of its marinas. They are not just runof-the-mill marinas with all the usual services,
but true centres of leisure and recreation with
lots of commercial and social activity.
It could be said that it isn't that frequent for a
single community to have four marinas as
Marbella does. Here, visitors can choose
between La Bajadilla fishing port, the Marbella
or Cabopino marinas, or Puerto Banús, which is
without a doubt the most famous, not only
because of the large luxury yachts usually
moored here, but also because of the number
and quality of the leisure facilities, shops and
restaurants located nearby. It has got to the
point where a stay in Marbella isn't complete
without a visit to Puerto Banús. The four marinas
offer a total of about 1,729 moorings, more than
half of which are located in Puerto Banús.
188
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Marbella
The first documents that mention this religious
celebration in Marbella date back to the
sixteenth century and attest to the existence of
the Misericordia and the Vera Cruz fraternities.
Only scanty historical data point to the keeping
of this tradition throughout the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries, and it wasn't until the
1960s that it began to see renewed popularity.
There are eleven cofradías in Marbella, San
Pedro Alcántara and Nueva Andalusia, where
they feature a live re-enactment of Jesus'
entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
The walls of the old Arab castle provide an
impressive historical backdrop for the portrayal
of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem together
with Our Lady of Peace on Palm Sunday.
vegetable soup) and ajoblanco (chilled garlic
and almond soup). However, Marbella's
culinary tradition is much more varied than that,
and it's not at all surprising that the cuisine here
enjoys merited renown. Several of the most
acclaimed restaurants on the Costa del Sol are
located in Marbella, where international haute
cuisine combining tradition and innovation has
found a home.
Marbella
It is during Holy Week, however, that Marbella's
Andalusian character really comes to the fore.
This celebration not only coexists perfectly with
the customs and traditions of the thousands of
foreign residents, but has actually been
strengthened over the past decades by the
creation of new cofradías (fraternities).
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m
IJAS AUDITORIUM
Mijas
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
USEFUL INFORMATION
index. Mijas
Address: Jardines de la Muralla, s/n
29650 Mijas
Tel.: (+34) 952 590 380 (Mijas Council
Culture Department)
Fax: (+34) 952 590 380
.
THEATRES
Mijas Auditorium
Las Lagunas Theatre
page 191
page 192
Mijas Auditorium
.
page 193
page 194
page 195
.
Mijas Pueblo House of Culture / History and Ethnography
Museum / Popular University
Las Lagunas House of Culture
La Cala Cultural and Sports Centre
Patio de las Fuentes Exhibition Hall (Town Hall)
Tamisa Art Gallery
The Mijas Auditorium, located in the
Jardines de la Muralla, Mijas Pueblo, near the
bullring and the parish church, hosts innumerable
cultural events throughout the year, especially in
the summer. In August, the auditorium also hosts
the Villa de Mijas Theatre Festival
page 196
page 197
Mijas
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Mijas
AS LAGUNAS THEATRE
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PÆgina 192
m
IJAS PUEBLO HOUSE OF CULTURE / HISTORY
Mijas
AND ETHNOGRAPHY MUSEUM /
POPULAR UNIVERSITY
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Camino de Campanales, s/n
29649 Las Lagunas, Mijas Costa
Tel.: (+34) 952 590 380
USEFUL INFORMATION
Open since April 2006, Las Lagunas
Theatre is located halfway from the Sierra de
Mijas Institute and the Sports City.
This cultural space opened its doors
to the public in May 1995. The building, on De la
Libertad Street, was the Town Hall from 1912 to
1986, when the city authorities moved to a new
building in Virgen de la Peña Square. The façade
boasts two telamons or Hercules made in 1916
by the French sculptor Thomas Porres.
With a surface area of 3,000 sq m and a capacity
of 750, the theatre has a modern stage with a
state-of-the-art equipment, including moving
platforms and sophisticated sound and lighting
facilities. Visibility is perfect from every seat.
There is also a library in the premises, an
auditorium used for theatrical, music
performances, and classes. The Popular
University teaches courses in the building (Tel.:
(+34) 952 485 483 - 952 586 926). This
University, accessed from Muro Street, is the
oldest centre of the entire district, since it started
its activities in this building 23 years ago.
.
192
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.
Mijas
Mijas
.
Its interior has a beautiful central patio,
surrounded by all the rooms of the building. When
it ceased to be used as Town Hall it was
renovated and it became the present-day History
and Ethnography Museum.
Mijas Pueblo House of Culture
Las Lagunas Theatre
Address: Plaza de la Libertad, 2
29650 Mijas
Tel.: (+34) 952 590 380
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Mijas
L
A CALA CULTURAL AND SPORTS CENTRE
Mijas
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ San Valentín, s/n
Mijas Costa
Tel.: (+34) 952 590 380
Fax: (+34) 952 466 183
Address: Boulevard de La Cala, s/n
29649 La Cala (Mijas Costa)
Tel.: (+34) 952 587 750
This multi-purpose space has a
library and a classroom area for the different
workshops conducted by the Popular University.
Moreover, it is home to the main office of the
Popular University, Las Lagunas Centre for
Continuing Education, and the offices of the
departments for Development and Youth of the
Mijas Council.
Open since September 2005, the
cultural centre is divided into several areas.
There's an exhibition hall -the youngest of the
district-, library, classrooms where workshops
conducted by the Popular University are offered
(pottery, painting, dancing, Spanish as a foreign
language, English, computing…) and a space for
sporting activities (gym, body shaping, karate,
and yoga, among others)
There's a two-floor exhibition hall, the largest in
the district, which runs individual and group
exhibits, offers theatre plays, concerts and
lectures.
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PÆgina 194
La Cala Cultural and Sports Centre
Las Lagunas House of Culture
AS LAGUNAS HOUSE OF CULTURE
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p
t
AMISA ART GALLERY
Mijas
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Plaza Virgen de la Peña, s/n
29650 Mijas
Tel.: (+34) 952 589 000
Fax: (+34) 952 589 001
Address: Plaza de la Constitución - Edificio
Alcazaba
29650 Mijas Pueblo
Tel.: (+34) 952 485 215
Fax: (+34) 952 590 567
The modern Town Hall, built in 1987
by architect Antonio Herrezuelo, is the most
beautiful on the coast thanks to its Andalusian
style and a big covered patio. In the interior we'll
find the city offices, the auditorium (where they
offer concerts, lectures, and celebrate weddings),
and the Patio de Las Fuentes, which is used as
an exhibition hall.
The Tamisa Art Gallery, in Mijas
Pueblo, contains permanent collections of works
by different local, national or international artists
like Valentín Kovatchev, Michele L., Lorenzo
Quinn, or jewellers such as Carrera y Carrera.
This hall, on the underground level, hosts several
exhibitions all the year round.
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Tamisa Art Gallery
Patio de las Fuentes Exhibition Hall
ATIO DE LAS FUENTES EXHIBITION HALL(TOWN HALL) Mijas
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TOURIST BOARD &
USEFUL INFORMATION
Name given to the local people: Mijeños.
Location: In the Western Costa del Sol, the town
is situated approximately 430 m above sea level,
30 km from the provincial capital and 8 km from
neighbouring Fuengirola. Average annual rainfall
is 660 l/m2 and the average temperature is
around 17º C.
What to see: Virgen de la Peña Chapel,
Inmaculada Concepción Church, Bullring,
Carromato de Max, Casa Museo (House
Museum), Museo de las Torres Vigías
(Watchtower Museum).
Tourist Office,
Virgen de laPeña Plaza (29650).
Tel.: (+34) 952 485 820.
Fax: (+34) 952 486 694.
The district of Mijas is tucked between the
sea and its namesake mountain range. The
proximity of the highest peak (1,130 m) to the
coast at times makes for rather abrupt contrasts
in elevation. The many steep valleys, mountain
crests and rolling hills are still home to areas of
native vegetation, despite the spectacular
encroachment of housing developments
introduced into the area in recent years, which
has made it increasingly more difficult to
maintain the small pastures and olive groves
that provide such a scanty economic return
these days.
Even so, a certain general respect for the
surroundings, along with the powerful
landscape, has prevented golf courses and
construction projects from hiding the natural
beauty of the region. The mountains and the
people themselves continue to be the defining
features of the district. The coastline, on the
other hand, has been almost entirely developed
between Fuengirola and Marbella with the
exception of a few rocky stretches.
This district, like many others in the province of
Málaga, consists of several towns including
Mijas Pueblo, Las Lagunas and Cala de Mijas.
Mijas Pueblo is a typical, whitewashed,
Andalusian village of Moorish layout. It houses
most of the town's monuments and its
administrative centre. The majority of the
municipal services and some residential areas
can be found in Las Lagunas, while Cala de
Mijas, situated right on the coast, is entirely
residential and dedicated to "sun and sand" tourism.
The Moors took control of the village shortly after
landing on the Iberian Peninsula. By 714 they were
already governing it while allowing the inhabitants to
keep their possessions, religion and customs in
exchange for a certain percentage of their livestock
and agricultural production.
The good relations between Muslims and
Mozarabs were strengthened under the
leadership of Umar ibn Hafsun, with a cordial
relationship developing out of the two sides'
mutual need for one another. Upon the death of
Umar ibn Hafsun, Abd-ar-Rahman III
reconquered the area.
Mijas resisted Christian's harassment until the
fall of Málaga, in 1487. Upon hearing of the city's
conquest, the inhabitants of Mijas believed an
unconditional surrender would be the most
advantageous. They sent a delegation to
Málaga to agree on the terms of the surrender,
but they were imprisoned and some were even
sold as slaves. The distribution of the town's
lands among Old Christians took place in 1494
and, in 1521, the community was granted the
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Mijas
In Roman times, the area was called Tamisa,
and apparently, the economy was thriving here
because the town was next to the Appian Way, a
Roman road connecting the cities of Cádiz and
Málaga. The Arabs called the town Mixa, from
which the Christians then derived the presentday name: Mijas.
Mijas
Archaeological evidence points to Mijas as
belonging to the Turdetan culture, and other
remains attest the fact that the Phoenicians and
the Greeks settled in the area, trading the
mineral resources of the region. The first
historical reference to the town comes from
Ptolemy, a geographer at the School of
Alexandria during the second century A.D. He
most likely visited the area at the time or had
received information from those who knew it
well, given the accuracy of his descriptions.
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Mijas
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TOURIST BOARD &
Centuries later, on 2 December, 1831, Mijas
played witness to an important historic event as
General Torrijos landed on the beach of El
Charcón with fifty two of his companions. They
crossed the district of Mijas towards the
mountains and then travelled down to Alhaurín de
la Torre, finally taking refuge in a big farmhouse
belonging to the Count of Mollina. Some days
later, on 11 December, the General and his men
were executed by firing squad on San Andrés
beach, in Málaga for their opposition to Ferdinand
VII's absolutism.
HOW TO GET THERE
From the Costa del Sol, take Autovía del
Mediterráneo (AP-7; N-340). When heading from
Málaga to Cádiz, once you pass Benalmádena,
take the Mijas exit and then follow the A-368.
When coming from Fuengirola towards Málaga,
follow the Autovía del Mediterráneo, and then the
A-387 motorway. In both cases the routes are
clearly indicated by signs.
WHAT TO SEE
The Church of the Inmaculada Concepción,
dating back to the sixteenth century, was
constructed on the crown of a hill where a castle,
and later a mosque, once stood. The church's
interior is divided into three naves with the
central one conserving its Mudéjar coffered
ceiling. The tower was built on a square floorplan, and some experts believe it may have
belonged to the old fortress.
The original Bullring, located in La Muralla and
built in 1900, breaks all the architectural rules
usually seen in such buildings. Built on rock, it
features an oval inner ring set into a square
exterior. Ceramic tiles lining the walls recall the
great moments of the best bullfighters to have
graced the bullring over the years: Paquirri,
Palomo Linares, Niño de la Capea and Ángel Teruel.
The Carromato de Max (Del Compás Ave.) is
considered to be the world's first museum of
miniatures. Some of its most impressive pieces
include the "Our Father" prayer written on the
edge of a business card and a portrait of
Abraham Lincoln on the head of a pin.
Open to the public since 1995, the Casa Museo
(House Museum, Plaza de la Libertad. Tel.:
(+34) 952 590 380) displays traditional farming
equipment and tools that allow visitors to get a
feel for the rural lifestyle prevalent in the region
until but a short time ago. The first floor of the
building is dedicated to temporary arts
exhibitions.
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Although the Virgen de la Peña Chapel does not
stand out for its artistic value, it is the place
where the community's patroness is honoured.
This real centre of religious devotion was carved
out of the rock by monks during the second half
of the seventeenth century. Legend has it that
the image of the Virgin was found in the walls of
the old castle during the last third of the
sixteenth century, in a place where it had been
hidden eight centuries earlier to prevent its being
taken by the Muslims. The grounds of the chapel
are lined with carefully tended gardens that lead
to a viewpoint where an incredible vista, not just
of Mijas and Fuengirola, but also of a good
stretch of the Costa del Sol can be enjoyed.
Mijas
Upon arriving at Mijas Pueblo, visitors will
immediately notice the ambience of an Oriental
bazaar in the numerous shops in the old quarter.
This is not so much due to the kinds of goods
being sold -although this could almost be the
case- but because of the way in which small
shops line the narrow village streets. Alongside
this multicoloured hotchpotch, the alleyways and
busy plazas play host to the constant coming and
going of the famous donkey taxis, one of Mijas's
best-known and unique tourist attractions.
CONVENTION BUREAU
title of "village" as a reward for its fidelity to
Charles I during the Commoners' Rebellion. In
addition, Joanna the Mad declared the village
exempt from having to pay the alcabalas -a tribute on
all goods traded.
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FIESTAS
Each of the three population centres celebrates
its own fair. Las Lagunas launches its fireworks
first with its fair getting underway in the first two
weeks of June. The festival is celebrated at the
fairgrounds but kicks off with a grand parade
through the main streets. The municipal pavilion
and the youth pavilion are generally the two
liveliest locations thanks to the musical
performances held there. The celebrations also
feature equestrian exhibitions, fishing and radioham competitions. A fireworks grand finale brings
the festivities to a close.
Cala de Mijas waits for the second two weeks of
July to start celebrating. Festivities start off with
parade featuring cabezudos (large-head figures)
and giants accompanied by musical bands,
majorettes and the Queen of the Fair with her
ladies-in-waiting. Concerts are held all day long in
the official municipal pavilions, while costume,
flamenco singing, sand-castle building and fishing
competitions add to the fun. Various sports
competitions, including golf, discus, indoor
football and tennis, round out the festivities. An
impressive fireworks grand finale tops it all off.
There are many musical performances every
day, and a wide variety of competitions and
activities for children and adults alike. In the
Bullring there are horse-taming exhibitions,
horse races, and the "crazy rally." Both villagers
and visitors are careful not to miss the giant
paella cook-off or the popular dance
competition. A fireworks display finally marks the
end of the celebrations, which have to wait until
the following year to come back.
The Virgen de la Peña Plaza has played host to
the Día Internacional de los Pueblos
(International Peoples' Day) for the past years.
The festivities feature a multicultural parade,
folklore and ethnic performances, as well as jazz
and Celt music concerts.
Visitors cannot miss the opportunity to taste food
and drink specialties from all over the world
without stepping outside the fairgrounds, while
exhibitors take part in a competition where
prizes are awarded in a variety of categories.
FOOD
The large foreign population in the town has
exposed Mijas's food tradition to countless new
international recipes that were virtually unknown
in the region until recently. However, the town
does still keep its own cooking traditions,
featuring specialties like salmorejo (a soup
made with tomato and garlic) as well as other
types of soups including maimones (made with
egg and Spanish ham), cachorreñas, garlic, and
gazpachuelo (fish soup). Buñuelos (fritters) and
hornazos (sweet bread) are the town's most
popular baked products.
LEISURE
One of Mijas's most interesting contributions to
leisure and sports is the Costa del Sol
Racetrack, inaugurated just a few years ago and
already considered as one of the best in Spain.
In addition to the horse races, its fairgrounds
welcome live music performances and house
several restaurants. Races take place on
Sunday mornings during the winter and on
Saturday nights during the summer.
The Mijas Water Park has contributed to an
increase in family tourism in the area, offering
practically every sort of aquatic attraction you
can imagine (kamikaze, wave pool, labyrinth of
waterslides, soft slides, adventure river, and
water world for children). It also features a large
picnic area, beach volleyball courts, mini golf
and several game rooms.
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Mijas
streets on the opening day to the beat of music
played by bands. On the day of Our Lady of La
Peña, 8 September, the image of the patroness
is carried from the parish church to its chapel,
after being honoured with a floral offering.
Mijas
The fiestas in honour of the Virgen de la Peña are
held in Mijas Pueblo during the second week of
September. A spectacular cabezudos and giants'
parade makes its way through the town's main
CONVENTION BUREAU
The Museo de las Torres Vigías (Watchtower
Museum), in Cala de Mijas (Tel.: (+34) 952 590
380) houses a visitor centre offering information
on the watchtowers found in the Mijas district
(Torre de Calaburras, Torre Vieja, Torre Nueva
and Torre de Calahonda), and also features a
detailed account of Torrijos's landing on the Mijas
coast, as well as a display of the various local
fishing methods and their tools.
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c
AVE EXPLORING VISITOR CENTRE
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
Montejaque
USEFUL INFORMATION
index. Montejaque
Address: Avda Andalucía, 50
29360 Montejaque
Tel.: (+34) 952 167 196
Fax: (+34) 952 167 351
[email protected]
[email protected]
.
page 205
Cave Exploring Visitor Centre
Cave Exploring Visitor Centre
The district of Montejaque opened
the first Cave Exploring Visitor Centre of
Andalusia last year. The facility is also a learning
centre where teachers, students, experts and
speleologists do courses or offer lectures. The
centre has a privileged location, since
Montejaque is surrounded by limestone rock
formations.
.
By means of information signs, showcases and
videos, the centre shows the most interesting
facts about the karstic features of the mountains
that surround Montejaque, the caves and rocks,
the relation of men with caves, cave exploring
both as a sporting and a scientific activity, caving
techniques, underground photography and bat
protection measures. Moreover, the auditorium at
the Montejaque Town Hall hosts temporary
exhibitions.
Montejaque
.
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TOURIST BOARD &
USEFUL INFORMATION
Name given to the local people: Montejaqueños.
Location: In the western part of the Serranía de
Ronda highlands, the region to which it belongs.
It is 140 km from Málaga City, 21 km from
Ronda and only 2 km from Benaoján. The
village is almost 700 metres above sea level.
The area records an average rainfall of more
than 1,600 l/m 2, and the annual average
temperature is 16º C.
What to see: Parish Church of Santiago el Mayor
(St James the Great), Cueva de la Pileta (in
Benaoján), Hundidero-Cueva del Gato.
Tourist Information: Town Hall. Plaza de la
Constitución, 4 (29630). Tel.: (+34) 952 167 196.
Fax: (+34) 952 167 351.
The district of Montejaque stretches between the
Guadiaro Valley and the Sierra de Líbar mountain
range, and part of its territory goes deep into
Grazalema Nature Park. The district boasts
magnificent landscapes, enhanced by the emergence
of such peaks as Peñón de Mures (865 m), Cerro
Tavizna (899 m) and El Hacho (1,065 m).
Surprisingly, only 2 km from the village, between
the Montalate and Juan Diego mountain ranges,
the country opens up and broad plains with
grazing cattle appear. This area is quite different
from all the other areas in the district, whose
terrain is extremely uneven.
The village, sheltered by imposing rocks,
comprises two fairly distinct areas: the lower
part, with a rectilinear street layout, and the
upper one, from the Muslim era, with steep and
winding streets. The name of the place derives
from the Arabic language and is usually
translated as "lost mountain." There is no record
of any settlement prior to the arrival of the Arabs,
who apparently built a castle that commanded
views of part of the Serranía. After the Christian
conquest and the cession of Montejaque and
Benaoján to the Count of Benavente, the two
villages ceased to be considered as outskirts of Ronda.
Leave Ronda via the A-376, and 4.5 kilometres
farther, take the MA-555 to Benaoján. Then, take
the MA-506 towards Montejaque. Another way
to reach Montejaque is by the A-376 from
Ronda. Drive along 12 km and take the exit onto
the MA-505, which leads straight to Montejaque
without passing through Benaoján.
WHAT TO SEE
Montejaque's greatest asset is, undoubtedly, its
natural setting, since the only important
monument is the Parish Church of Santiago el
Mayor (St James the Great), located between
the village's upper and lower parts. It was built
back in the sixteenth century (late Gothic), but it
was rebuilt in 1773. It consists of three different
naves. The decoration of the Baroque chapel in
the Gospel side of the church is especially
worthy of note. Visitors who come to Montejaque
will probably go to Benaoján too, since it's only 2
km away. Benaoján has the La Pileta Cave,
which has been declared a Cave Art National
Monument, due to the quality of its paintings.
Cave explorers will find the Hundidero-Cueva del
Gato caves extremely interesting. The River
Guadares is literally swallowed by the cave system
and only re-emerges 4 kilometres ahead, at the
Cueva del Gato cave. Years ago, a dam
construction was started in the area to take
advantage of the abundant rainfalls but the attempt
failed because in the limestone that was to serve as
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Chronicles state that in the early nineteenth
century, during the War of Independence, a wellknown guerrilla named José de Aguilar
confronted the Napoleonic troops on 20 October
HOW TO GET THERE
Montejaque
Montejaque
During the Moorish uprising, unusual events
occurred in Montejaque: its Mayor, the Moorish
Mamad Idriz, was attacked several times for
openly collaborating with the Christians. His
decision to help the Christians bore fruit in the end,
since, with the Moorish population driven out, he
was given lands and even an annuity for a lifetime.
1810 on the River Gaduares bridge. José
Aguilar commanded a squad of about 250 men
from several nearby villages (Benaoján, Atajate,
Montejaque, Cortes and Jimera de Líbar) who
defeated 600 soldiers and 90 cavalrymen from
France.
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Montejaque
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TOURIST BOARD &
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a natural container numerous sinkholes occurred
through which water leaked out. The remnants of
the structure have been preserved as a remainder
of the lack of technical expertise. Nevertheless,
whenever a heavy rain falls, the reservoir fills with
water and the spot becomes exceptionally beautiful.
FIESTAS
The Virgin of the Conception festival takes place
from 15 to 17 May and also from 13 to 16 August,
which is when the celebration gathers a huge
crowd. There are competitions, verbenas (open air
celebrations), musical performances (including
flamenco) and the procession of the Virgin.
Montejaque
FOOD
The Virgin of the Conception enjoys deep
devotion in Montejaque. The story goes that
Ronda was being devastated by an epidemic
and its residents, aware of the miracles that
had been performed by the patroness of
Montejaque, asked for the Virgin to be brought
to their town so that she could stop the
epidemic from spreading. Those who carried
the statue of the Virgin noticed that as they
walked uphill exiting town, the statue became
heavier and heavier, until they could go no
farther and decided to return. The following day
news came from Ronda announcing that the
epidemic had subsided.
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The most traditional dish is stewed potatoes,
seasoned with one piece of every part of a pig.
LEGENDS
Montejaque
The unusual juego del cántaro (pitcher game) is
played in Carnival time. A pitcher is hurled from one
person to another in ever-widening circles, so that
the pitcher will most probably fall onto the ground.
Other ingredients on Montejaque's typical recipe
list are garbanzo, squash, peas, artichoke,
bacon, black pudding and kid, which make
delicious stews. Molletes (bread rolls) and
homemade marmalade are indispensable to any
Montejaque-style breakfast. The local must wine
is highly prized for its unique flavour.
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v
ILLA DE NERJA CULTURAL CENTRE
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
Nerja
USEFUL INFORMATION
index. Nerja
Address: C/ Granada, 45
29780 Nerja
Tel.: (+34) 952 523 863
Fax: (+34) 952 524 007
page 211
Villa de Nerja Cultural Centre
Mercado Hall
.
THEATRES
In this cultural centre, visitors can
enjoy theatre plays, dance performances,
concerts and films.
page 212
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Nerja
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m
ERCADO HALL
Nerja
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Granada, 45
Tel.: (+34) 952 523 863
Address: Plaza de la Ermita, s/n
29780 Nerja
Tel.: (+34) 952 520 190
Fax: (+34) 952 520 190
The site used to house an olive-oil
press dating from the dawn of the twentieth
century; then it was demolished and the Town
Council built and opened the Cultural Centre in
1998. The centre organises different activities,
such as folklore, dance, music, theatre
performances and workshops. It has a total
audience capacity of 335.
Nerja has transformed the former
town market into the city exhibition hall.
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Mercado Hall
ILLA DE NERJA CULTURAL CENTRE
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TOURIST BOARD &
USEFUL INFORMATION
Towards the interior, the territory of Nerja goes
up the Sierra de Almijara, which integrates with
the Tejeda range through a region of steep
ravines, gorges and crests, grooved by
numerous
watercourses,
forming
an
extraordinarily diverse mountain landscape. In
the areas closest to town, there are a large
number of housing developments that coexist probably not for very long- with terraced plots
where all kinds of subtropical fruits and
vegetables are raised.
In 1487, after Vélez surrendered, Nerja sent
its representatives to the town in order to
show respect for the Catholic Monarchs,
hence avoiding bloodshed. Shortly after that
visit, Pedro de Córdoba took possession of
the town on behalf of the Catholic Monarchs
Under Christian rule, the population began to
decrease, and in order to prevent further
dropping in population numbers, Joanna the
Mad ordered Nerja to be repopulated with Old
Christians from Vizcaya, Valencia, Galicia
and Málaga itself.
By the end of the sixteenth century, the first
sugar mill was set up in Nerja, and in late
eighteenth century, there was a paper factory
that took water from the De la Miel River. The
factory operated until the early twentieth century.
During the War of Independence, the English
tore down the fortress that used to be where now
the Balcón de Europa (Europe's Balcony) is,
together with the local port.
The name of the town derives from an Arabic
word: Narixa, Naricha or Narija, apparently
taken from a pre-Roman name. The translation
of "abundant spring" that some suggest for this
name is not very reliable, although there are
plenty of reasons to talk about water abundance
in this district.
HOW TO GET THERE
Nerja is situated on the Costa del Sol, therefore
you only need to take the Autovía del
Mediterráneo expressway (A-7, N-340) from any
point at the coast of Málaga and drive towards
Motril-Almería.
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The first remains of human settlement in this
district were found in the famous Cave of Nerja,
dating back to the Aurignacian, Upper
Palaeolithic period. There is no information
regarding other civilisations before the Roman
arrival, when apparently a small settlement
(Detunda) put down roots in current Maro. Maro
is another centre of population of Nerja, where
the cliffs and the Cave of Nerja itself are located.
However, the first historic document about the
history of Nerja appears in a writing by Ibn Said
Al-Mugrabi, the poet, written during the rule of
Abd-ar-Rahman III (tenth century). He refers to
this town as a farming community where fine silk
products were made. Old Narixa was built by a
fortress whose remains can still be seen in
Castillo Alto (High Castle), next to the old
Frigiliana turnoff.
Nerja
Nerja
Name given to the local people: Nerjeños.
Nickname: Morralleros.
Location: Nerja is located on the easternmost
side of Axarquía and, therefore, of the province of
Málaga, at the foothills of Sierra de Almijara.
Situated 30 m above sea level, the town is 45 km
away from Málaga. Nerja has an annual average
rainfall of 460 l/m2 and an average annual
temperature of about 20° C.
What to see: Old Quarter, Balcón de Europa
(Europe's Balcony), El Salvador Church, Ermita
de Las Angustias (Chapel of Our Lady of
Sorrows), Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas (Our
Lady of Wonders) Church (Maro), Acueducto del
Águila (Eagle's Aqueduct), Cave of Nerja,
Chanquete's Boat, Maro Cliffs-Cerro Gordo
Natural Site.
Tourist Office,
C/ Puerta del Mar, 2.
Tel.: (+34) 952 521 531
Tourist Office,
C/ Carmen, 1 Bajos Ayuntamiento
29780-Nerja. (Málaga)
Tel. 952-52.15.31
Fax 952-52.62.87
www.nerja.org
[email protected]
The eastern edge of the province of
Málaga is connected with the province of
Granada by the district of Nerja. This town is not
only the most important tourist centre in Eastern
Costa del Sol, but also has the most appealing
coastal landscape throughout Málaga's coast,
since the sides of Sierra de Almijara wildly burst
into the sea in a way that is unusual in this
Mediterranean area, making up a highly rugged
seashore. This coastal environment has been
called Maro Cliffs-Cerro Gordo Natural Site and
has an array of little virgin coves which are
difficult to be accessed, but nevertheless worth seeing.
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Nerja
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WHAT TO SEE
If there is a town in Costa del Sol that looks at the sea
almost defiantly, that is Nerja. Its main avenue starts
in the old quarter of town and comes out directly onto
the metallic rail that overlooks the Mediterranean
Sea. But before going to this exceptional viewpoint,
you should take a walk down the city's old quarter.
With a layout designed in 1487 -and despite being
under international tourism pressure- the streets'
main decorative motif is still whitewashing, though it
can be seen that some spots have replaced their
picturesque features into on those of comfort and
functionality.
Built on the site of the fortress that was destroyed
in 1812 during the Independence War, lies the
famous Balcón de Europa (Europe's balcony), at
the end of a wide avenue lined in palm trees and
reaching a circular plaza from where you can
catch a panoramic view over the stunning
coastline of Nerja and the sea.
For years, it was said that when King Alfonso
XII visited the area after the earthquake that
shook Axarquía in 1884, he gave it the name it
is worldwide known by. However, there is much
doubt about the truth in this story. What is true
is that from that time onwards, former Paseo
de la Batería, named after the array of
canyons in the fortress, started to be known as
Balcón de Europa.
Nerja
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.
.
Nerja
The Iglesia de El Salvador (Church of the
Saviour), whose construction was ordered by
Joanna the Mad in 1505, was finished in 1697,
and some time later (in the eighteenth century) it
was renovated. The church has three naves. The
central one has a Mudéjar framework and the
side naves are covered with quadrant vaults and
the crossing is topped with a semi-spherical
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dome. The Gospel nave's Lady Chapels are
decorated with eighteenth-century fresco
paintings belonging to the School of Granada,
and the Annunciation mural, painted by Vélezborn Francisco Hernández, stands out. The plain
façade is topped with a triple bell tower.
The Chapel of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias
(Our Lady of Sorrows), from the first third of the
eighteenth century, has a single nave and is
topped with a semi-cylindrical vault. The chancel
has a semi-spherical dome with paintings from
the School of Granada (eighteenth century).
In Maro, you'll find the Parish Churdh of Nuestra
Señora de las Maravillas (Our Lady of Wonders),
finished in the seventeenth century. Its single
nave is covered with a wooden frame that was
restored in the nineteenth century. Its exterior is
very simple, but the tower, topped with a
pyramidal spire and a belfry, is spectacular.
El Águila Aqueduct) was built over the Maro river by
Francisco Cantarero to supply water to the San
Joaquín sugar refinery. It has four brick arcade
storeys that make up the 37 semi-circular arches.
Right in the centre, there's a shrine that reads "Pure
and Immaculate Conception." Together with the
Cave and Europe's Balcony, the aqueduct is one of
Nerja's landmarks, and it's funny how some unaware
visitors can take it for a Roman work. It does make
some sense, though, since it can be glimpsed from
one small stretch of the N-340 and the bricks are not
noticed at first sight.
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218
.
.
Nerja
Discovered in 1959 at the foothill of Sierra de
Almijara, the Cave of Nerja is the most important
natural cavity of the area, not only because of its
dimensions, but also because of its beautiful
stalactites and stalagmites and the richness of its
archaeological remains. This is why it was
Nerja
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Amongst the cave paintings, the most
outstanding are the roaring deer, the ibex, the
pregnant mare and the so-called Dolphins
Sanctuary. The Cave of Nerja is the most
important monument in the province of Málaga in
terms of number of visitors (over 500,000 a year).
The Cave of Nerja Festival (late July-early
August) is the oldest one in Costa del Sol. It
has been staged for more than 30 years, and
has an international scope both because of the
magnificent venue (the Ballet Room within the
cave) and the prominent figures who
participate in it. The Queen of Spain herself
once attended the Festival to listen to
Rostropovitch's recital. Other relevant figures
who have participated in this festival are José
Carreras, Montserrat Caballé, Alfredo Kraus
or Kiri Te Kanawa, among others.
Nerja
.
Another spot worth visiting is the old quarter of
Maro, whose architecture is popularly traditional.
FIESTAS
Patron saint's day in honour of St. Michael the
Archangel and Our Lady of Sorrows, established
in 1804, is celebrated from 8 to 12 October,
when many people from nearby towns come to
participate in the festive atmosphere created by
Nerja's residents. After the patrons' night
procession, all kinds of activities take place,
from a flamenco festival to sports competitions,
open-air dances and all sorts of concerts.
The Virgen de las Maravillas (Virgin of
Wonders) fair is held in Maro around 8
September, when the Virgin goes all over the
town streets, and neighbours do the
deafening coheteá (fireworks), its importance
depending on their money availability.
Traditional music and moragas (typical meal
and food, which consists of grilled nuts and
dried fruit, sardine and other type of fish) are
the heart of the celebration that dates back to
the sixteenth century.
Nerja
Index
Maro hosts a celebration honouring (St. Anthony
the Abbot on 16 and 17 January. As in days gone
by, on the first day many bonfires are started to
invoke protection of animals against illnesses.
On the following day, there is a Mass and later a
lively traditional open-air dance.
On May 15, St. Isidore's Procession takes
place. It is a massive event where not only
locals go but also many foreigners who live in
the town. After a verdiales service at the
Church of El Salvador (Our Saviour), where
the saint is presented with vegetable products
from Nerja, the chariots leave the Balcón de
Europa and head towards the Chapel of
Santo en La Mina, next to the Cave of Nerja,
where the celebration starts. There's dancing,
singing and amazing amounts of food.
Nerja's love of the sea is displayed on 16 July,
Virgen del Camen's Day. The celebration starts
with a great traditional moraga, and in the
afternoon, after Mass, the Virgin of El Carmen is
taken on a boat and there she starts the journey
through the waters of Nerja, escorted by several
vessels in one of which there is a display of
fireworks after the sunset.
The Sanjuaneo (Eve of St John, on June 24) is
also a celebration associated with the sea.
.
220
If visitors want to include a curious attraction,
they should see Chanquete's boat, La Dorada,
used when shooting Verano Azul (Blue
Summer), a series broadcast by TVE (Spanish
Television Network). This series helped make
the town popular throughout Spain. The boat is
in Parque Verano Azul (Blue Summer Park),
named after the television series.
Cruces de Mayo (Crosses of May), celebrated in
early May, has a long-standing tradition in Nerja.
With the passing of time, this tradition has been
changed but never lost, hence what used to be
gallantry among young people is nowadays a
popular celebration based on colourful floral altars
placed in different streets and which are the starting
point for singing, dancing and buying of traditional
products. Around 30 crosses are set up around.
Some of them are so popular that it is necessary to
block off the streets because of the crowd.
Nerja
There are other interesting caves in the district of
Nerja that have been overshadowed, such as the
ones in Alto del Cielo (1,505 m), known as Caves
of Civila and Sima Zárate. Other important caves
are Del Muro, Sima Espartal, Sima de la Cuesta
and Cueva Pintada, where archaeological
ceramic remains were found.
One should not forget that this district has about
16 km of coast with 12 beaches (some are
coves), ideal for sea bathing. The most popular
ones are Burriana (the largest one), Playazo,
Torrecilla and Calahonda. Except for the coves
of Maro, where stalls are forbidden, all the other
beaches are fully fitted out.
CONVENTION BUREAU
declared National Historic-Artistic Monument.
The cave has four rooms that are open to the
public: the Bethlehem Room, where you will find
the ceramics and the Cro-Magnon museum; the
Ghosts Room, named after the ghostly shapes of
the stalactite formations; the Ballet Room, where
music and dance festivals are held; the
Cataclysm Room, called this way because
apparently an earthquake broke one of the
columns whose remains are scattered over the
ground. It is the Cataclysm Room where the
biggest column in the world stands (18 m thick
and 49 m high). The column is included in the
Guinness Book of Records.
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Activities include the ritual of burning júas (large
rag dolls filled with sawdust), moragas, and
jumping over the embers and going into the sea
on the beaches of Burriana, Torrecilla and Playazo.
Both in Nerja and in Maro, Holy Week is
characterized by the simplicity and respect shown
by the public attending the procession parades,
but this doesn't mean that the cofradías
(fraternities) are not popular -quite the opposite,
though-, and popular devotion for them is openly
voiced during the procession.
Nerja's fondness for Carnival is not new, but it
was in recent years that the celebration gained
unprecedented relevance, surprising even those
in charge of the organisation, since almost the
entire town takes part. The number and variety of
costumes is striking. They can be seen at the
election of King Momo and the Nymphs. The
Burial of Chanquete is a sympathetic and
somehow irreverent funeral procession.
FOOD
The Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs Natural Sites begins
where the foot of Sierra de Almijara drops off into
the Mediterranean . It was declared a Natural Site
by the Environmental Agency in 1989. Covering
an area of 375 ha and reaching one kilometre out
to sea, it is an area of great ecological
significance, as much for the diversity of species
as for the variety of substrates and unique pattern
of ocean currents, which allow for a rich marine
flora and fauna.
In the area of the cliffs, there are numerous coves
of great natural beauty including the large and oftvisited Cañuelo, which is accessed by a short
(less than 1 km ) road that leaves the N-340
highway 400 meters past kilometre 302. The El
Pino coves are sandy and located quite near to
one another, being separated by some immense
rocks. One of the largest coves is Alberquillas; it
is joined to Molino de Papel Beach by the remains
of an ancient watchtower. It can be accessed by
a road that turns off at Km. 299 of the N-340.
In the westernmost part of the park are the easilyaccessible Maro beaches, along with La Caleta ,
tucked in between the cliffs and the lowlands. The
Department for the Environment has started an
all-terrain transport service to facilitate access to
these coves.
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.
Nerja
NATURE
Nerja
Sea and garden products combine deliciously in
Nerja's food, resulting in a rich and varied
gastronomy. The great tourist wave into the town
has also favoured the opening of top quality
hotels, also making a diverse offer as far as
international cuisine is concerned. The most
traditional dishes are pepper with fish and clams,
fish and pasta casserole, ajoblanco with grapes
(creamy soup made with grapes, almonds, bread
crumbs, garlic, olive oil and vinegar), ajo colorao
(vegetable and fish dish), Burriana grilled red
bream, cabbage, fried pumpkins with sardines,
choto or calf meat in almond sauce and, certainly,
pescaíto frito (fried fish), served in any restaurant
on the Costa del Sol.
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y
ELMO CINEPLEX
Rincón de la Victoria
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
USEFUL INFORMATION
index. Rincón
de la Victoria
Address: Rincón de la Victoria Shopping
Centre - Ctra. Totalán, s/n
29730 Rincón de la Victoria
(+34) 952 978 707
Fax: (+34) 952 978 693
Website: www.yelmocineplex.es
.
CINEMAS
Yelmo Cineplex Rincón de la Victoria
page 225
page 226
page 227
Disabled access
Air conditioning
Parking
Bar
Tiered seats
Children's seats
Youth card
Student card
Morning show
Late show
Numbered seats
Surround sound
Online ticket sales
.
SERVICES
Audience Day: Monday
Yelmo Cineplex
Bezmiliana Fortress
Mare Nostrum Hall
DESCRIPTION
.
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m
ARE NOSTRUM HALL
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Avda. Mediterráneo, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 403 923
Address: Paseo Marítimo Blas Infante, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 075 173
Fax: (+34) 952 408 607
E-mail:
[email protected]
The Bezmiliana Fortress is a
defensive stronghold built in the eighteenth
century. It has been restored recently and at
present it runs exhibitions and organises cultural
activities. The building structure is quite simple,
with a square floor plan and a masonry outer wall.
The two-level building has two towers and a
defensive ditch.
The railway linking Málaga and
Vélez-Málaga started operating on 23 January,
1908. The railway stretch, running along the
eastern coast, was 36 km long and its main
stations were Rincón de la Victoria, Torre del Mar
and Vélez, and its unstaffed stations were El
Palo, La Cala del Moral, Benagalbón, Chilches,
Benajarafe, Valle Niza, and Almayate. Sixty years
later, this line was no longer operative.
Mare Nostrum Hall
.
A "living evidence" of the railway facilities are the
Rincón de la Victoria train station and the
unstaffed stations of Torre de Benagalbón and La
Cala del Moral. The latter has been refurbished
as city exhibition hall -Mare Nostrum. They open
new exhibitions every last Thursday each month.
.
Bezmiliana Fortress
EZMILIANA FORTRESS
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.
.
The renovation works in La Cala were essential to
recover a token of the district's recent history
which otherwise would have disappeared.
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USEFUL INFORMATION
The district of Rincón de la Victoria is
bounded by the bed of the Totalán stream to
the west and the San Millán stream to the east.
In addition, the Granadillas and Benagalbón
streams also run across the district, but they
only carry water on a seasonal basis. As it
climbs from the coastal strip towards the
inlands, the terrain becomes hilly and is
covered with vineyards or olive groves,
almond, and carob trees, making up the typical
Axarquía's landscape. Despite the hills, the
region is rather low in general, with the Salazar
Hill, its highest peak, only reaching 512 m.
There are several built-up centres in the district,
including Benagalbón (located 5 km inland), La
Cala, Torre de Benagalbón, Aguirre, Los Millares
and a few less populated ones. Nearly all of
them -especially Rincón de la Victoria and La
Cala- have undergone spectacular growth over
the past twenty years, mainly due to their
proximity to the capital of the province of Málaga
and to roadway improvements. As a result, what
was formerly a second home for many Málagaborn people, has today become their place of
permanent residence. Furthermore, Rincón de
la Victoria is not just a continuation of Málaga although it has benefited from its proximity to the
capital- but has its own way of life, as well as a
great deal of tourist and commercial activity.
According to the information currently available,
this region was one of the first in Málaga to be
settled by humans. It features one of the best
documented Prehistoric settlements in the
Axarquía region thanks to the Cueva del Tesoro
(cave). Here, Palaeolithic paintings and stone
fragments were found. Just as interesting are
the remains found in the nearby Cueva de la
Victoria, which date from the Bronze Age. It is
also known that around 550 B.C., a PunicPhoenician town was founded near the
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.
.
Population: 31,000.
Name given to the local people: Rinconeros.
Location: The town is 12 km from Málaga City, in
the southwestern part of the Axarquía region, on
the Eastern Costa del Sol. It has an average
rainfall of 480 l/m2, and the average temperature
is around 18º C.
What to see: Bezmiliana Fortress, Nuestra
Señora del Carmen Church, Nuestra Señora de
la Candelaria Church (Benagalbón), watchtowers
at El Cantal and Benagalbón, Cueva del Tesoro
(cave), Cueva de la Victoria (cave).
Town Hall, Plaza Al-Andalus, 1
(29730) Rincón de la Victoria
Tel.: (+34) 952 402 300.
Fax: (+34) 952 402 900.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Rincón de la
Victoria
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Benagalbón Hill and that, later, the Romans
settled in the area, as evidenced by the remains
of mosaics and Roman baths found nearby. The
archaeological evidence corroborates Pliny's firstcentury description, in which he mentions a
fortress built as a defence against invasions
coming from the sea. It is quite possible that the
Moors established the town that was later named
Rincón de la Victoria around this ancient fortress,
calling it Bezmiliana - probably a derivation of an
earlier Roman name for the town.
According to an eleventh-century description by
El Idrissi, the old Bezmiliana (Bizilyana), of which
virtually nothing remains today, boasted a fishing
port, a medina or citadel, a mosque and a
protective wall, the scanty remains of which are
still visible in the area of El Castellón, on the road
to Benagalbón.
HOW TO GET THERE
Because of its location right on the coast, the only
way to arrive at Rincón de la Victoria is via the
Autovía del Mediterráneo (A-7, N-340), which forks
upon entering the town, although both routes lead to
the city centre. Take the direction Motril-Almería
when coming from the Western Costa del Sol and
the direction towards Málaga-Cádiz when coming
from the Eastern Costa del Sol.
230
.
.
In 1776, construction of the Bezmiliana Fortress
began near the Bezmiliana ruins, aimed at
defending the entire coastal zone against the
English. Under the protection of the fortress,
small communities began to spring up and they
quickly blossomed into towns whose inhabitants
devoted to fishing. Soon the region became an
annex of Benagalbón, a town that was the
main centre of the district until 1906. By that
time, the number of residents in Rincón de la
Victoria had greatly exceeded that of
Benagalbón. Even so, it wasn't until 1950 that
the Town Hall was officially relocated to Rincón
de la Victoria, a name that originates from the
fact that the town is situated on land once
belonging to the Convent of La Victoria.
Some chroniclers tell us that the Moors left the
area before the arrival of the Christian troops
because when the latter reached Málaga on their
way from Vélez-Málaga, they found the village
deserted. About 120 people came to the area in
late fifteenth and early sixteenth century to
repopulate it; however, even before the Moorish
rebellion (1569), the new residents also left the
area, possibly due to the outbreak of an epidemic
disease. There was also constant unrest among
the area's Moorish population due to their harsh
subjugation by the Christians and the endless sea
invasions.
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Although the town's seafaring tradition is far from
lost, the old fishing houses erected helter-skelter
between the beach and the main road have
become trapped -those that have been keptamong modern buildings. In spite of this, the town
still maintains the unmistakable air of an
Axarquía's coastal village, having achieved a rare
balance between the eclectic housing
developments of recent years and the traditional
popular architecture.
A magnificent view of the entire Málaga Bay can
be enjoyed from the broad beachfront
promenade, where the lion's share of the hotels
and restaurants are located. Near the housing
developments that have recently spread towards
the inlands, new recreational facilities have been
established, including an eighteen-hole golf
course in Añoreta.
The Cueva del Tesoro (Treasure Cave), also
known as the Higuerón or Swiss Cave, is
located on the hill of El Cantal, between Rincón
de la Victoria and La Cala. The existence of the
cavern has been known since the seventeenth
century. Cave paintings (heads of goats), pottery
fragments (earthen bowls and pots, spherical
and oval cups), stone fragments and bones
ranging in from the Palaeolithic to the Bronze
Age have all been found within the cave.
The path through the cavern, with a total
surface area of approximately 3,000 m2, is
about 500 m long. The cave is divided into
four chambers: the Chamber of Noctiluca (the
Phoenician fertility goddess), the Chamber of
the Virgin, the Chamber of Marcus Crassus (it
is said that this Roman politician, who was a
member of the First Triumvirate along with
Pompey and Julius Caesar, hid in this cave
while fleeing after his father's assassination),
and the Chamber of the Lakes.
FIESTAS
Rincón de la Victoria's seafaring tradition is best
represented by the celebrations on 16 July, Virgen
del Carmen Day. The image of the Virgin is taken in
procession from its sanctuary to the seashore in the
accompaniment of the most fervent outpouring of
devotion that the town people can muster. Once on
the beach, the image is placed on a boat that
carries it on its sea procession. This is a tradition
cherished in nearly all the coastal villages in
Andalusia but it is of special significance here, in
Rincón de la Victoria. The town fair also coincides
with this celebration, so dear to the hearts of the
townspeople. It features a flamenco singing
contest, an antique car show, the jábegas boat race
(an ancient type of Mediterranean boat that has
kept the same structure throughout the centuries),
evening concerts, sports competitions, parades,
musical performances and fireworks, to name just a
few of the activities organised on these days.
The festival of Las Cruces, in May, has grown
in popularity in recent years and, as in
decades gone-by, altars adorned with
flowers, Manila shawls, fans typical of the old
days, beautiful bedspreads, flowerpots and
other valuable domestic items can again be
seen lining the streets of the town. Corpus
Christi is also celebrated with a similar show
of town decoration.
232
.
.
The Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, the
patroness of sailors par excellence, was
constructed in 1892. A very simple structure -in
keeping with the popular architectural style of the
time-, it consists of three naves, with a bell tower
The military watchtowers at El Cantal and
Benagalbón -both quite well preservedbelonged to a defence system which, towards
the end of the Middle Ages and beginning of the
Modern Age, protected the entire Málaga coast
against the constant sea invasions that
threatened the area's inhabitants over the
course of several centuries.
The Cueva de la Victoria, not so widely known
as the Cueva del Tesoro, was discovered in
1939 and, according to studies, held remarkable
archaeological artefacts dating from the Upper
Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age. The find,
however, was unfortunately destroyed when
farmers entered in search of bat guano for use
as fertiliser. Visits from some "amateur"
archaeologists and curious tourists haven't
helped with the conservation of the site either.
The Bezmiliana fortress, also referred to as the
Bezmiliana stronghold or castle, is Rincón de
la Victoria's foremost monument. It was built in
1766 according to the plans by José de la
Crane to defend this area of the Málaga coast
when Gibraltar was taken by the English.
Constructed on a square floor plan with
cylindrical towers on two of its corners, its
austere architectural lines leave no room for
doubt as to the purpose it was built to serve quite different from the one it currently fulfils
since being restored in 1992. The fortress now
houses a prestigious exhibition hall along with
other areas dedicated to cultural activities.
adjoining the Gospels nave. Nuestra Señora de
la Candelaria Church, in Benagalbón, was
erected in the sixteenth century but today only
the walls remain from the original structure. Its
interior features murals by the internationally
renown painter from Vélez, Francisco
Hernández. These include "The Ascension," in
the central section of the church, Nativity, and
Jesus appearing at the temple on the sides.
CONVENTION BUREAU
WHAT TO SEE
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TOURIST BOARD &
chickpeas and rice, ajoblanco (garlic and
almond soup), noodle casserole, and monkfish
soup, for which only the head of the fish is used.
IMPORTANT FIGURES
Although he was born in Málaga, Manuel Laza
Palacio (1909-1988) can truly be considered a
son of Rincón de la Victoria, since he devoted a
good part of his life (thirty-eight years) to study
the Cueva del Tesoro. After the Spanish Civil
War, he was jailed for having worked in the
Institute for Agrarian Reform during the Second
Republic. In prison he studied Classical
Philology and, once released, he worked as a
teacher until he was called before the Tribunal
for the Repression of Masonry. He is the author
of Gárgoris y Habidis, a text on which Sánchez
Dragó based years later to write his book of the
same name, El tesoro de cinco reyes, and
Escritos malagueños, among other texts.
LEGENDS
There are several legends told about the
Cueva del Tesoro, and two of them have to do
with a supposed hidden treasure that has, of
course, never been found. One of these
legends is recounted in detail by Manuel Laza
Palacio in his aforementioned book, El tesoro
de cinco reyes (The Treasure of Five Kings). In
the book, he describes how five Muslim kings
buried a fabulous treasure somewhere in the
cave before fleeing the area. It is interesting to
note that in the late 1950s, while a study of the
cave was being conducted by Laza Palacio, he
found six gold dinar coins dating back to the
twelfth century there. A second version
suggests that the treasure was sent from Oran
by Caliph Texufin Ben Ali, belonging to the
Almoravids, who arrived on the coast of
Málaga after fleeing a revolt at which he would
surely have perished.
CONVENTION BUREAU
The fair in La Cala, adjoining Rincón de la
Victoria, takes place the first weekend of July. It
features all sorts of festive activities for young and
old alike but the jábegas boat races and the
impromptu flamenco performances are the
highlights. The weekend closest to 2 February
sees the community of Benagalbón celebrate the
festivals in honour of its patroness, Virgen de la
Candelaria. Verdiales (a special type of flamenco
singing) groups form an integral part of the
festivities, giving performances over the course of
the celebrations. But the culmination of these
grand fiestas is the procession of the Virgin
through the streets, where, in keeping with
tradition, sugared almonds and hazelnuts are
thrown on the image's cape. This generates an
uproar of the little ones, determined not to leave
even a single candy on the pavement as the
sweets fall to the ground.
Torre de Benagalbón centres its festive days
around St. John Day (24 June), on the eve of
which the júas (Judas's images) are burned and
gatherings are organised on the beach.
Participants jump over bonfires with the most
resolute then bathing in the sea to fulfil the ritual
of purification by water and fire. Flamenco
performances, a Mass dedicated to the Virgen
del Rocío, sports competitions, outdoor concerts
in the evening and a variety of other activities
round out the celebrations.
FOOD
234
.
.
The undisputed king of the table in Rincón de la
Victoria is the pescaíto frito (small fried fish). This
is an umbrella name that includes a variety of
dishes: small sardine skewers and the famous
"Vitorianos" anchovies (Victoria-style anchovies,
the local accent makes the "c" disappear). In the
category of "dishes you eat with a spoon,"
specialties include cascote soup, made with
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r
ONDA CINEPLEX
Ronda
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
USEFUL INFORMATION
index. Ronda
Address: C/ Lauria, 95
29400 Ronda
Tel.: (+34) 952 190 918
.
CINEMAS
Ronda Cineplex
page 237
. THEATRES
page 238
Total audience capacity: 674
Ronda Cineplex
Vicente Espinel Theatre
DESCRIPTION
.
page 239
page 240
.
Ronda House of Culture
Unicaja Ronda Foundation
El Choque Ideal Art Gallery
page 241
Ronda
.
236
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Ronda
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ONDA HOUSE OF CULTURE
Ronda
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Alameda del Tajo, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 877 821
Address: Plaza de la Merced, 2
29400 Ronda
Tel.: (+34) 952 872 142
Located in the heart of Ronda, the
local House of Culture operates in a building used
exclusively for paintings, sculptures and prints'
exhibitions.
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Located in central Ronda, the theatre
boasts modern facilities where all kinds of
performances are offered all the year round.
Visitors can enjoy classical music concerts,
contemporary music shows, theatre plays for
children,
avant-garde
theatre
plays,
contemporary dance performances and flamenco
shows.
Ronda House of Culture
Vicente Espinel Theatre
ICENTE ESPINEL THEATRE
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L CHOQUE IDEAL ART GALLERY
Ronda
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Pedro Romero, 4
29400 Ronda
Tel.: (+34) 952 189 300
Address: Calle Espíritu Santo, 9
29400 Ronda
Tel.: (+34) 952 161 918
El Choque Ideal is an innovative art
gallery. Open since 2003, it has a coffeehouse,
fashion shows, art exhibits and a recording
studio. The building affords magnificent views of
the Serranía de Ronda mountains and starry
evenings.
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This space stages travelling
exhibitions and offers other artistic events.
El Choque Ideal Art Gallery
Unicaja Ronda Foundation
NICAJA RONDA FOUNDATION
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Ronda has a magnificent setting in a gorge of
the Guadalevín River known as Tajo de Ronda,
100 m in depth and surrounded by an
amphitheatre of rugged mountains, 750 m
above sea level. To the west the countryside
extends up to the mountains from which the
region takes its name.
The cave paintings in the Cueva de la Pileta
(Benaoján) are proof of human settlements back
in the Palaeolithic period, and Neolithic remains
have been found right in the urban area. It was
Pliny who mentioned the Roman city of Arunda,
inhabited by Celts, north of the present-day
Ronda, and Acinipo as founded by the Iberians.
The Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians and
Romans settled there for different periods of
time. The Romans, who named it Laurus, built
the Castillo del Laurel (castle), from which they
watched the warlike Celt-Iberian tribes. Acinipo,
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, Ronda
and Acinipo were invaded by Germanic tribes.
Acinipo was even occupied by the Byzantines,
who left it in the seventh century when the
Visigoths set foot on Ronda. Later, the Arabs
named it Izna Rand Onda. It was during the Arab
rule that the town gained political and economic
relevance.
At the turn of the tenth century, the entire
mountain range, and especially the city of
Ronda, witnessed Umar ibn Hafsun's uprising
against the Caliphate of Córdoba while setting in
Bobastro (Ardales). At the dawn of the eleventh
century, after the fall of the Caliphate, the
Berbers turned Ronda into a taifa or
independent kingdom whose great legacy was
the transformation and development of the city.
Ronda lost its independence in 1066, when it
became part of the kingdom of Seville, and was
ruled for the following four-hundred years by
tribes from northern Africa and eventually by the
Nasrid princes of Granada. Ronda went through
periods of boom and decay under Muslim rule
until it was conquered by Christian forces in
1485.
Muslims and Christians coexisted peacefully
only for a short time. The Moors rebelled -the
mountain region being particularly bellicose- and
finally were expelled in 1609. As any other
village in Málaga, Ronda had to face a
particularly bad period which lasted for years,
until the eighteenth century, when the city
extends towards the newer quarter, called the
Mercadillo, which lies on the other side of the
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When people get to Ronda for the first time, they
must have seen a postcard depicting some of
the town's typical monuments or spots but these
images will fade out as soon as they face the
real places. Ronda is one of those towns that
can only be included in a one-of-a-kind category,
and visitors can check this out when they go to
the old quarter and see its magnificent
architecture, which reveals the town's history
and legend making it unique and unforgettable.
however, was more important than Ronda, since
the latter boasted a mint, that is, an
establishment for making coins.
Ronda
Name given to the local people: Rondeños.
Location: In the northern part of the Ronda
region,surrounded by Sierra de las Nieves,
Grazalema and Los Alcornocales Nature Parks. The
village is 740 m above sea level, and 113 km from
Málaga City. The annual average rainfall is 650 l/m2,
and the annual average temperature is 15º C.
What to see: Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), House of
San Juan Bosco (Don Bosco), Church of Virgen de la
Paz (Our Lady of Peace), The Giant's House,
Mondragón Palace, Plaza Duquesa Parcent, Major
Church of Santa María de la Encarnación (Our Lady of
the Incarnation), Town Hall, Church of La Caridad
(Charity Church), Church of Espíritu Santo (Holy Spirit),
Puerta de Almocábar (Gate), Puerta de Carlos V
(Archway), Bandits' Museum, Hunting Museum, Lara
Themed Museum, Joaquín Peinado Museum, Minaret
of San Sebastián (St Sebastian), Marqués de
Salvatierra Palace, Palace of the Moorish King, Arco de
Felipe V (Archway), Sillón del Rey Moro, Puente Viejo
(Old Bridge), Fountain of the Eight Spouts, Church of
Padre Jesús (Father Jesus), Shrine of Virgen de los
Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows), Church of Santa Cecilia,
Church of Socorro (Succour), Bullring, Gardens of Blas
Infante, Church of La Merced, Reina Victoria Hotel,
Mozarabic Monastery of Virgen de la Cabeza (Virgin of
the Head), Arab Baths, Roman Site of Acinipo, Wine
Museum, Cave of La Pileta (Pool Cave), La Algaba.
Town Hall, Plaza Duquesa Parcent, s/n (29400).
Tel.: (+34) 952 873 240.
Fax: (+34) 952 875 441.
Tourist Office, Paseo San Blas Infante, s/n.
Tel.: (+34) 952 187 119.
If a writer like Rainer Maria Rilke, who is
regarded as one of the most important and
influential modern poets because of his
precise, lyrical style, describes Ronda as a
dreamland he must be right. Visitors will be
able to see for themselves and then
remember it as such a marvellous place that
it can only be part of their dreams.
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Ronda
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gorge, spanned at its narrowest point by a singlearch bridge, the Puente Nuevo, from which
magnificent views are obtained. The bullring was
also built in this century.
In 1810, the French troops, led by Joseph
Bonaparte, arrived in Ronda and touched off a
rebellion there. The whole region backed the
guerrilla bands, an effective movement that
survived even after Napoleonic troops left, in
1812. Many guerrilla men became bandits, wellknown in nineteenth-century Spain and
protagonists of a good number of legends and stories.
With the arrival of the railroad in 1891 and the
development of some roads, Ronda enters the
twentieth century amidst a remarkable social and
economic prosperity. In 1918, the city was seat to
the Andalusian Congress, at the request of Blas
Infante, who is regarded as the father of
Andalusia. The assembly decided on the
adoption of the Autonomous Community of
Andalusia's flag and emblem.
HOW TO GET THERE
From the Costa del Sol there are three ways to
access Ronda. From Málaga City, take the A-357
highway towards Campillos. 6 km past Ardales,
take the A-367, pass by Cuevas del Becerro and
you'll reach Ronda.
You can also take highway AP-7 (N-340), from
San Pedro Alcántara, which connects to highway
A-376. Follow it to get to Ronda. This is the route
most drivers follow from the Western Costa del
Sol, since it's maintained in good condition. It's a
scenic, winding route.
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Finally, also via highway AP-7 (N-340), take
highway A-377 to Gaucín and exit A-369 just 3 km
before Ronda.
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WHAT TO SEE
The city occupies an extraordinary site on a rocky
platform overlooking a deep ravine. The river
divides Ronda into two parts connected by the
eighteenth-century Puente Nuevo (new bridge),
offering an impressive view of the ravine El Tajo:
to the south the Ciudad, the old quarter, with its
concentration of sights of interest; and to the
north, the Mercadillo or old market area,
nowadays extended by the modern town. There
are three bridges that connect the Ciudad with the
Mercadillo, and there's a third quarter, San
Francisco, also to the south, whose origins date
back to the sixteenth century.
You can walk about Ronda departing from the
Plaza de España, in the Mercadillo quarter, where
the Parador Nacional de Turismo, formerly, the
Town Hall, stands. Cross the Puente Nuevo, the
best-known bridge in Ronda, to get to the Ciudad.
The bridge was built in the eighteenth century out
of the need to connect the older part of the city
with the new Ronda.
Although the bridge was completed in 1735 a
flood of the River Guadalevín turned it down
only six years later. The second project,
resulting in the bridge we can cross today, was
commissioned to Juan Martín de Aldehuela.
Work started in 1751 and ended in 1793.
Aldehuela was highly praised for his impressive
project -a bridge 98 m high that fits perfectly with
the steep gorge of El Tajo. The bridge floor lies
on three round arches, the central one over a
space that once served as a prison and currently
hosts a visitor centre.
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On the other side, to the left, is the Convent of
San Francisco, established during the Catholic
Monarchs reign. It served as the Inquisition office
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The next stop on the tour is Casa del Gigante, a
very well preserved house dating back to the
Muslim times. Historians believe it was built in the
fourteenth century, at least the plaster decorative
work is similar to that in the Alhambra, made
during Muhammad V reign. In the house's interior
stand out the central courtyard, the pool, the north
hall and the splendid decoration on the arches
that are on the way to the bedrooms.
The Palace of Mondragón, which nowadays houses
the Museo de Ronda y la Serranía (museum of Ronda
and the mountain range), used to be a mansion in the
fourteenth century. The legend goes that it was
inhabited by King Abomelik, son of the Sultan of Fez,
and later by the Nasrid ruler Hamed el Zegri. Following
the Christian conquest, it was owned by Melchor de
Mondragón. In 1501, Ferdinand the Catholic spent
some time in Mondragón's palace, when he travelled to
Ronda to deal with the Moorish rebellion. Some time
later it passed on to the hands of Fernando de
Valenzuela, Charles II's minister.
Built between the sixteenth and eighteenth
centuries above the town's former main mosque,
the Collegiate Church of Santa María de la
Encarnación's (Our Lady of the Incarnation) interior
is divided into quite distinct architectural styles.
Today, only a thirteenth-century horseshoe arch,
decorated with stuccowork from the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries, and a minaret remain from the
original mosque. The church was started in 1508, in
late Gothic style. The central nave was topped by a
Mudéjar ceiling, replaced by a barrel vault after the
earthquake that damaged the building's structure in
1580. The end of the temple, with seven chapels,
features Renaissance style and the choir, for
instance, is an example of Baroque architecture.
The choir stalls, made in walnut and cedarwood
in the first decades of the eighteenth century, are
particularly noteworthy. The Virgen de los
Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows) presides over an
altarpiece, and was carved either by Martínez
Montañés or La Roldana, but the authorship
remains uncertain. In any case, both were
excellent religious artists. On the exterior, the
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During Muslim rule, the Plaza Mayor, or main
square, was located on what is currently known
as Plaza de la Duquesa de Parcent, at the
highest point of the city. The main Arab buildings
rose here: the fortress, the mosque, the souk,
the jail... The Plaza's present-day layout is
based on a nineteenth-century project which
was enlarged and improved by the Duchess of
Parcent, who asked Jean Claude Forestier to
design a garden. Forestier was an engineer and
landscape designer who also developed the
Bois de Boulogne (Paris) and María Luisa Park
(Seville) projects. The park boasts the statue
honouring the musician and writer from Ronda
Vicente Espinel (1550-1624).
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Successive restorations have hidden most of its
Arab features, but the structure still reveals an
incredible harmony of lines and volumes. The
elegant curved façade has Doric and Ionic
columns. The noble building is structured around
three beautiful interior patios, one of them being a
Renaissance courtyard.
CONVENTION BUREAU
for years. In Tenorio Street, to the right, is the
house of San Juan Bosco, in modernist style, its
gardens offering breathtaking views. In Beato
Fray Diego José de Cádiz Street you'll find the
seventeenth-century Church of the Virgen de la
Paz, the local patroness. Inside lay the mortal
remains of Fray Diego José de Cádiz in a silver
urn beneath the image of the Virgin, whose
chapel and late Baroque altar are worthy of note.
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Gothic façade features a sixteenth-century
double balcony, and there is also a square
Mudéjar tower. By the bell tower there's the
Casita de la Torre, a Mudéjar oratory decorated
with blind horseshoe arches.
In the square of the Santa María de la
Encarnación Church (Our Lady of the
Incarnation), where the Laurel Castle used to be,
there rises the Salesian School of Sagrado
Corazón. The Laurel Castle was a fortress built
by Scipio Aemilianus back in the second century
B.C. The Arabs turned it into an "Alcazaba" or
Arab fortress, which was later taken by the
Catholics and, in the nineteenth century, by the
French troops. On leaving the fortress in 1812,
the French blew it up.
The former Militia Headquarters -the presentday Town Hall- lies on one side of the
above-mentioned square. It's a huge building
whose upper floors feature open arcades. Built
between the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, the building's interior boasts a
Mudéjar coffered ceiling over the stairs and the
assembly hall. There are also two religious
buildings in the same square: the Caridad
Church and the Santa Isabel de los Ángeles
Convent, both from the sixteenth century.
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From the Duquesa de Parcent Square, we can
take Escalona Street and then Armiñan Street, the
latter connecting with Cuesta de las Imágenes,
where we'll find the Espíritu Santo Church (Holy
Spirit), in the place the Almohad watchtower was
back in the days when the town was under
Christian siege. Construction work ended in 1505.
The exterior stands out for its simplicity, its fortresslike buttresses and tall walls. The church interior
features a single nave combining Gothic and
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Renaissance elements. The main chapel's Rococo
altarpiece hosts a painting called "La venida del
Espíritu Santo" and a "Virgen de la Antigua,"
showing Byzantine-like features.
To the south of the church there is the Puerta de
Almocábar (gate), whose name recalls the old
necropolis of the area, since al-maqabir stands for
cemetery in Arabic. The church was built between
the end of the thirteenth century and the beginning
of the fourteenth century. Its robust structure is
flanked by two semicircular towers and features
three horseshoe arches. To the left, there's the
Puerta de Carlos V, a Renaissance gate crowned
by the Habsburg royal family's coat of arms.
Past these gates there's the Alameda de San
Francisco, on which we find the Convent of the
Nuns of the Order of St. Francis. The convent,
founded in 1664, was rebuilt in the twentieth
century. Walking along San Francisco Street, we
reach the convent bearing the same name, which
was built on the site the Catholic King established
his camp. The Convent of San Francisco,
completed in the sixteenth century, combines
Gothic and Mudéjar features. Despite the
renovations carried out after the Napoleonic
invasion and the Spanish Civil War, the convent
has kept a magnificent Isabelline gate.
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To the east of the Ciudad district there's the
Palace of the Marquis of Salvatierra, which
was renovated in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. The façade boasts
Corinthian columns and a magnificent forged
iron balcony. In the interior, we can admire
the gardens, chapel, furniture and the curb of
a well in the yard.
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Where Armiñán and Marqués de Salvatierra
streets meet there's the minaret of Saint
Sebastian, in a fourteenth-century mosque that
was transformed into a Christian church devoted
to the above-mentioned saint. The temple,
however, no longer exists. The minaret has a
square floor plan and a horseshoe arch beneath
a lintel and voissoir. On the brickwork you can
see some decorative tiles that have remained in
place. The upper level was built later, when the
tower started to be used as a bell tower.
Ronda
On Armiñán Street, we can go to three museums:
the Museo del Bandolero (Museum of the Bandit),
exhibiting one of the most characteristic stories of
nineteenth-century Ronda, which inspired so
many writers; the Museo de la Caza (Hunting
Museum), displaying a long-lasting tradition of the
mountainous region; and the Museo Temático
Lara, in the Condes de la Conquista palace,
which displays a notable antique collection and
several works of art.
The Joaquín Peinado Museum will make us turn
off, because it's located in the palace of the
Marquises of Moctezuma (Plaza del Gigante,
s/n). There are some 200 pieces: oil paintings,
watercolours, drawings and prints by this
Ronda-born artist within the School of Paris.
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A 60m-high stair carved out of the rock connects
the gardens with the De la Mina Spring, which
flows toward the Guadalevín River. Muslims must
have used the spring because water is scarce up
at the height Ronda is located. This Arab
structure was essential to the Moors at the time
Ronda was under siege by Christian forces.
bullfight Pedro Romero and Pepe Hillo, two
bullfighting stars, participated.
The bullfight museum, under the terrace seating,
exhibits sumptuous costumes and various
mementoes and photographs of generations of
Ronda matadors including those from the
Romero and Ordóñez families.
We can go up along Santa Cecilia Street and
we'll find the Shrine of the Virgen de los Dolores,
built in 1734. It's home to an altarpiece featuring
a painting that depicts the Virgin Mary. There are
four paintings representing public executions, a
normal practice centuries ago.
Near the Bullring are the Blas Infante Gardens,
where the Espinel Theatre, chair of the
Andalusian Assembly of 1918, was located
years ago. This green space stretches over a
plain 200 m above the Guadalevín Valley,
offering breathtaking views of the Ronda region.
The gardens reach the Alameda del Tajo,
passing by De la Merced Church, which keeps
St. Therese's incorrupt hand, included by
Francisco Franco in his reliquary.
In Los Descalzos square, at which you arrive
through Los Dolores Street, there's Santa
Cecilia Church, built in the seventeenth century.
Its Baroque front, though, dates back to the
eighteenth century. Walking along Carrera de
Espinel Street we'll reach Del Socorro Church, a
big Neo-Baroque structure built after the
previous eighteenth-century one was destroyed.
On Real Street there's the Fuente de los Ocho
Caños (eight-spout fountain), a simple stone
structure boasting the city's emblem on one side.
Besides the eight spouts, there's a water trough on
the other side. Adjoining the fountain there rises the
The bullring, dating from 1785 and with a
capacity for 5,000 spectators, is one of the
oldest and most beautiful arenas. It is entered
through an elegant gateway and is
surrounded by fine arcades. In the opening
Some 2 kilometres from the village there's the
Mozarabic monastery of Virgen de la Cabeza, a
complex including dwellings for nuns, cells for a
small religious community and a church,
excavated out of the rock by Christians under
Muslim rule in the ninth and tenth century. The
church has three naves, the main one with the
altar at one end. There's an altar at the end of
another nave which has a hole beneath that
opens to the crypt. The third nave acts as a sacristy.
The Arab Baths, built at the end of the thirteenth
century, and the ruins of the settlement of
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Across the Puente Viejo, built in 1616 and
restored in 1961, we can get to Real Street and
walk towards the old quarter of the Mercadillo
district, raised outside the village to avoid the high
taxes merchants had to pay within the city limits.
Eventually, the area was the most important
business zone in Ronda.
The Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda,
the first Royal cavalry arsenal set by Phillip II to
train noblemen, was located first in the Plaza
Mayor. Two centuries later, Martín de Aldehuela
designed the bullring and the Puente Nuevo
(new bridge). The bullring Neoclassical front
boasts two Tuscan columns and the royal coat
of arms. All these elements are framed by an
elegant forged-iron balcony featuring
bullfighting motifs.
Here we find the Reina Victoria Hotel, dating
from 1906. Lord Farrington, a pioneer of tourism
from Britain, built it. The poet Rainer Maria Rilke
stayed in one of the guestrooms in 1911 or 1912.
The room has kept the original décor, some
pictures and letters written by the poet, who
dedicated some of his writings to Ronda.
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When the new bridge collapsed, the old bridge's
access was renovated, thus becoming the main link
between the Ciudad and the Mercadillo district. The
Puente Viejo Gate was replaced by a Neoclassical
gate named Arco de Felipe V. By the arch there's the
Sillón del Rey Moro (Moorish King's Chair), offering
magnificent views.
Padre Jesús Church, with a beautiful Renaissance
bellfry. The church was built in the sixteenth century,
but the interior plasterwork decoration dates from
the eighteenth century. The Convent of Madre de
Dios, attached to the church, was built in the
sixteenth century too. It features GothicRenaissance and Mudéjar elements.
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On Santo Domingo Street, adjoining the Palace
of Salvatierra and the Convent of Santo Domingo,
there's the Casa del Rey Moro (House of the
Moorish King), on whose front there's a
decorative tile depicting a Muslim king. The
building dates from the eighteenth century,
although it was renovated by the Duchess of
Parcent in the first decades of the twentieth
century. The amazing gardens were designed by
Jean Claude Forestier.
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Acinipo, a few kilometres from Ronda, are a
must-visit. The Arab Baths, located in the judería
or Jewish district, were built in late thirteenth or
early fourteenth century. In spite of its
architectural value, they were neglected because
the practice of public bathing didn't fit Christian
morality. In addition the floods from the
Guadalevín River ended by covering the baths.
When the Duchess of Parcent started some
works in the area, the first remnants appeared but
they were ignored until the state bought the site in 1935.
FIESTAS
The May Fair, in the second half of May, is one
of the oldest cattle fair in Andalusia, since the
Catholic Monarchs declared it an official festivity
in 1487. On the first day, the tapas' fair is held,
and the following days there are goat milking
shows and exhibitions of different breeds of
livestock. There are events to test the fighting
qualities of young bulls, olive oil samplings, the
annual dog show at Llano Margarita, and the
"Ciudad de Ronda" purebred Spanish horse
show followed by a dressage exhibition.
Only the theatre (first century B.C.) has remained
from the old city. The cavea, carved out of the
rock, part of the stage and the terraces have been
preserved. The stage is made of granite.
Remains of a Roman bath, two houses and a
temple have been found as well.
The Roman pilgrimage takes place at the second
weekend in June in Puerto Sauco. This is in fact a
Roman-style fiesta that the villagers attend dressed
in costumes from that era. There is a parade and
the presentation of the goddess Ceres, followed by
competitions, games and theatrical performances
such as those in ancient Acinipo.
The Virgen de la Cabeza pilgrimage is held on
the second Sunday in June in the Mozarabic
sanctuary of the same name. The pilgrims carry
the image of the Virgin from the Santa María de
la Encarnación church to the chapel, where
there is a grand feast with songs, dances and
delicious food.
Ronda's most international fiesta is without a
doubt the Pedro Romero Fair in early
September. There is an excellent Cante Festival
(typical Andalusian songs) as well as the horse
dressage and folklore shows. Traditional
Corridas Goyescas, fights in period costumes
from the time of Goya are held annually. This
bullfight programme has achieved such renown
that every year people attend it from the world
over, including celebrities who attract a swarm of
photographers.
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The ancient Roman settlement of Acinipo has
been wrongly called Ronda la Vieja, as people
thought this was the first siting of the city of
Ronda itself, but then evidences proved the
theory was not correct. Acinipo is 21 km away
from Ronda, on a plain 980 m above sea level,
affording panoramic views of the region.
According to Pliny and Ptolemy, Acinipo was part
of Celtic Beturia, but in the Roman period it
became one of the main cities of the Roman
administrative area known as Baetica.
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The excavations made so far have uncovered
three rooms topped with barrel vaults and
illuminated by star-shaped lunettes that filtered
light so that users could enjoy a relaxing
atmosphere. Part of the heaters and water piping
have been conserved. Experts consider these are
one of the best-preserved Moorish baths
throughout Spain.
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FOOD
The mountainous character of Ronda can be
savoured in local foods such as Ronda-style
rabbit, Sierra-style gazpacho, artichoke soup,
fried lamb, pork loin stuffed with mushrooms, or
pork leg stews. We can also taste migas
rondeñas (local variety of a dish made with fried
bread crumbs) seasoned with local chorizo
sausage; Ronda-style partridge, Ronda-style
omelette, mountain-style trout, squash soup and
mountain-style chestnut soup. Cold cuts made in
Ronda are widely known for their high quality. As
for confectionery, yemas del Tajo (a pastry made
from egg yolks) are delicious. Products made by
cloistered nuns, especially by those in the Order
of Mercy or St. Francis are also excellent.
NATURE
FAMOUS PEOPLE
Many famous persons have made history in
Ronda, and to just list them all would overflow
the small amount of informational space directed
at visitors. Some of them must not go
unmentioned, however, because of their
contributions on the national level.
The first dynasty of Ronda bullfighters, which
was to create a school of bullfighting, was
founded by Pedro Romero (1754-1839), who
was a son and nephew of bullfighters and the
inventor of the muleta (bullfighter's red cape).
It is said that he was never wounded in a
bullfight, which is extraordinary if one takes
into account that he killed more than 5,000
bulls. After his retirement from the ring he was
named by Fernando VII as director of the
School of Bullfighting of Seville, and since the
mid-twentieth century the famous Goyesque
bullfights of Ronda have been celebrated in
his honour.
Vicente Espinel (1550-1634) was from a very
different time and environment. He was a
teacher, musician, priest and soldier. He is
credited with adding the fifth string to the
Spanish guitar. In his role as a poet he created
the "décima" or "Espinela", in the opinion of
some the most perfect type of "arte menor"
(short verse) poetry in the Spanish language. As
a writer he is responsible for the work "Vida del
Escudero Marcos de Obregón" (Life of the
Squire Marcos de Obregón), a picaresque novel
that is considered one of the best of the Siglo de
Oro (Golden Age). He includes autobiographical
data and numerous references to Ronda in this work.
The list of personages who were not born in
Ronda but who passed through this town and
left their mark here is truly endless, from the
ancient Pliny and Ptolemy to modern-day
personalities. It was the romantic travellers,
however, who made Ronda known
throughout Europe in the nineteenth century.
Carter, Richard Ford, Merimée, Gautier,
Doré, Lorca, Alberti, Hemingway and Rilke,
among many others, contributed, through
their works, to spreading and divulging the
beauty, legends and myths of this city over
more than half the world.
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Ronda
The Sierra de las Nieves Park, with an area of
19,000 hectares, contains the largest extension of
Spanish firs (a species of fir from the Tertiary Era) in
all of Mediterranean Europe. In addition to this
exceptional feature there is its wealth of animal life
with such examples as the royal eagle and the
mountain goat. Its karst terrain is remarkable for
great heights and for deep chasms formed by the
abundant water over the space of thousands of
years. The GEMS should be noted among these
chasms. It is one of the biggest on the planet, and
so far has been explored to a depth of 1,100
metres.
It was Cayetano Ordóñez, "The Child from La
Palma" (1904-1961), who in the twentieth century
founded the second dynasty of Ronda matadors.
Five of his sons were bullfighters, but the one who
achieved the greatest fame was Antonio Ordóñez,
who formed a kind of team of rivals with his
brother-in-law Luis Miguel Dominguín. For years
the two were the greatest bullfighting figures in
Spain, and Antonio Ordoñez' art attracted
personalities of the stature of Orson Welles and
Ernest Hemingway to Ronda.
Ronda
The natural heritage of the Ronda highlands is
extraordinary for the wealth and variety of its
ecosystems and its impressive geological
formations. In this area there are the Nature Parks of
Los Alcornocales, known as the last jungle on the
Mediterranean; Sierra de Grazalema, which records
the heaviest rainfall on the Peninsular and thus has
tremendously spectacular scenery, and Sierra de
las Nieves, part of whose area is within the
municipal boundaries of Ronda.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Due to its rugged terrain, the region has had an
underdeveloped road network. On the one hand
this has been a hindrance to the area's economic
growth, while on the other it has protected Ronda
from losing its centuries-old traditions. This can
be seen in Ronda's Holy Week, a celebration that
has been held since the fifteenth century. Thus,
Holy Week festivity in the district is very original
and unique, although it depicts essentially the
same history as those in other villages. There are
numerous and colourful processions which have
a number of images of great artistic value, all
against the unique backdrop of Ronda's urban layout.
Ronda
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RÍNCIPE DE ASTURIAS AUDITORIUM
TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
Torremolinos
USEFUL INFORMATION
iMálaga,
ndex. Torremolinos
Sun and Culture
Address: Fairground - Plaza de España, s/n
29620 Torremolinos
Tel.: (+34) 952 379 520
Fax: (+34) 952 379 518
page 261
Torremolinos House of Culture
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Centre
Artgea Art Gallery
Exhibition Hall at Torremolinos Town Hall
page 262
Príncipe de Asturias Auditorium
.
THEATRES
Príncipe de Asturias Auditorium
This auditorium hosts national and
international shows and exhibitions. Some live TV
shows (El Club de la Comedia or 5 hombres.com)
are broadcast from the site.
page 263
page 264
page 265
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ABLO RUIZ PICASSO CULTURAL CENTRE
Torremolinos
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ Oracio Lengo, 3
29620 Torremolinos
Tel.: (+34) 952 370 585
Fax: (+34) 952 379 518
Address: C/ de la Cruz, 42
29620 Torremolinos
Tel.: (+34) 952 053 835
The local House of Culture runs
temporary exhibitions featuring works by national
and foreign artists. It also has a library.
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Centre
The former Railway Workers'
Orphanage has been refurbished by the local
Town Council and is now used as a cultural
centre. The edifice was built between 1933 and
1936. The Government of Andalusia declared this
Modernist building as a Cultural Asset.
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Torremolinos
Torremolinos
.
The two-floor premises cover a surface area of
7,000 sq m. The building is home to the Culture
Workshops, the Hospitality and Travel School
(depending on the University of Alcalá), theatres,
cinema screens, exhibition halls, library, and
archive. It opened on 12 November 2001.
.
Torremolinos House of Culture
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XHIBITION HALL AT TORREMOLINOS
Torremolinos
TOWN HALL
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: C/ de las Mercedes, 28. Site 2
29620 Torremolinos
Tel.: (+34) 952 051 887
Fax: (+34) 952 388 782
Address: Plaza Blas Infante, 1
29620 Torremolinos
Tel.: (+34) 952 379 512 / 952 379 537
Fax: (+34) 952 379 521
The Town Hall, located in the Blas
Infante square, contains the offices of the public
officials of Torremolinos. In addition, it houses an
exhibition hall.
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Torremolinos
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.
In this art gallery, visitors can see
contemporary art works, mainly paintings,
collages, and sculptures.
Exhibition Hall at Torremolinos Town Hall
Artgea Art Gallery
RTGEA ART GALLERY
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TOURIST BOARD &
USEFUL INFORMATION
Name given to the local people: Torremolinenses.
Location: Torremolinos is located in the Western
Costa del Sol region. Its main centre is situated
50 m above sea level, 12 km from Málaga City
and 5 km from Pablo Ruiz Picasso International
Airport. Average rainfall in the area is 500 l/m2
and the annual average temperature is
approximately 18º C.
What to see: San Miguel Street, Pimentel Tower,
Casa de los Navajas, Molino de Inca,
Torremolinos Sports Centre, La Carihuela,
Palacio de Congresos (Conference Hall),
Príncipe de Asturias Auditorium.
Town Hall, Department for Tourism,
Plaza Blas Infante, 1 (29620).
Tel.: (+34) 952 379 511.
Fax: (+34) 952 379 551.
Tourist Office,
Plaza de la Independencia, s/n.
Tel.: (+34) 952 374 231.
The district of Torremolinos is located
between the Sierra de Mijas mountain range and
the coast, in a land of gently rolling hills that
slope gradually down to the sea. A former
neighbourhood of Málaga City, Torremolinos has
been an independent district since 1988. The
extensive green areas that descend to the foot
of the mountains run right into the multi-coloured
and labyrinthine urban sprawl of the town, giving
the locality a rather unique appearance (it has
four very distinct population centres: El Calvario,
El Bajondillo, La Carihuela, and the most
traditional part of the town, with its maze of
winding streets).
Roman era is a small necropolis discovered
while construction was taking place in the
Cantabria Square.
The first humans settled in the area around
150,000 years ago. Nine Prehistoric human
skulls were found in the caves that once existed
at Tesoro, Tejones, Encanto and Tapada, in
Punta de Torremolinos, in the present-day Santa
Clara Castle, which is now situated on the site,
where clay vessels, axe heads, necklaces,
bracelets, and rings were also found, together
with Neolithic remains (ca. 5000 B.C.). These,
according to historian Juan Temboury, belonged
to a people from Mesopotamia who settled in the
area - an area where they found an excellent
climate, abundance of water, game and fish, as
well as natural shelters.
Shortly after the conquest of Málaga, Ferdinand
and Isabella granted Torremolinos's springs to
the capital city, a decision that was supported by
Joanna the Mad again in 1511. As a result, the
watermills constructed by the Moors slowly
ceased to function over the course of the years
due to water shortage.
The harassment of the Málaga coast by
privateers was incessant, so in order to defend
the coastline of Torremolinos, Antonio Jiménez
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Torremolinos
The first resident of Torremolinos whose name
appears in an official document was a man
named Alonso Martín. He was hired as a tower
guard whose mission was warning the town of
impending sea attacks, one of which took place in
1503, as shown in a document found in the
Málaga Cathedral Archives. Martín was paid 25
maravedíes (old Spanish currency) a day, but,
since his duty was to keep a careful watch over
the coast, he was not allowed to have a dog or a
fishing pole, nor was he allowed to play games. In
the event that he did not fulfil these requirements,
he could have been sanctioned with two months
without pay or even be dismissed.
Torremolinos
In Roman times, Torremolinos was very well
connected with Málaga and Cádiz by means of
a road which the Romans had constructed to
unite the cities. And it was probably thanks to the
good road system that three fish salting factories
were established here (mainly specialising in the
production of garum, a sort of sauce derived
from fish that was essential in Roman cuisine),
although only scanty remains of one of them
have been conserved in the area of the
Campamento Benítez. Also dating from the
The Arabs, with their eternal reverence of water,
did not hesitate to take advantage of the stream
that flowed down from the springs area to the
beach. They built several watermills along its
course. Around 1300 A.D., at the height of the
Nasrid period, the construction of a defensive
tower began at the end of what is now San
Miguel St. to try and deter invasions from the
sea. The city's name came about as a reference
to this tower (torre) and the mills (molinos) built there.
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Mesa, a Royal Army engineer, suggested that a
castle or a cannon battery should be built. The
project started in 1770 on the site where the
Santa Clara Hotel stands today. The fortress
housed quarters for cavalry and infantry, a
chapel, residences and warehouses. It was
equipped with a battery of six twenty-four-pound
cannons with a range of approximately 6 km. The
enclosure was a military base up until 1830, when
it was adapted as headquarters for police officers.
Years later it came into private hands and some
remains of the fortress still survive today in the
area known as La Batería.
In 1923, two projects were implemented to route
water from Torremolinos to Málaga, given the
population increase in the capital of the province,
which only had limited water resources at that
time. This initiative brought about the conversion
of the town of Torremolinos into a neighbourhood
of Málaga.
Sir George Langworthy, a peculiar British
citizen who settled in Torremolinos at the end
of the nineteenth century, bought the Castle of
Santa Clara and, in 1930, turned it into a hotelresidence. It was the first tourist property not
only in Torremolinos, but practically on the
entire Costa del Sol. Shortly thereafter, Carlota
Alessandri turned "Cucazorra," her rural
house, into the Parador de Montenar. The
following decade the La Roca Hotel opened its
doors and, at the end of the 1940s, El Remos
Restaurant and Ball Room in Carihuela began
operating. The rest is well-known history!
Directly from the airport or from anywhere
else on the Costa del Sol just follow the signs
to Torremolinos; you can't miss it. The
Autovía del Mediterráneo and the old N-340,
whose stretch across the city centre has been
converted into a boulevard, are the access
routes for this major tourist destination.
Due to its proximity to Málaga and its having
been just a "suburb" of the province's capital for
so many years, Torremolinos doesn't have many
notable old monuments, with the exception of
the Torre Pimentel (Pimentel Tower). It does,
however, offer some of the most complete
leisure services on the entire Costa del Sol, with
excellent sports and cultural opportunities,
charming neighbourhoods, a wonderful
beachfront promenade and, of course, the
beaches, whose quality has kept the town a
leader in tourism year after year.
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HOW TO GET THERE
WHAT TO SEE
Torremolinos
Since the inauguration of the Los Nidos Hotel
and the Pez Espada (the first luxury hotel in
the area) in the 1950s, the name
Torremolinos has been inevitably associated
with tourism. Now, over fifty years later, the
peaceful town, which arose under the
protection of its watchtower and with the
help of watermills that took advantage of the
abundant water supply from its springs, is
known all over the world and a leader in the
international travel industry.
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TOURIST BOARD &
been built on its grounds. The garden features
more than 150 palm trees of fifty different
varieties, 300 trees of 60 different species, and
400 shrubs coming from several parts of the
world. Four viewpoints have been strategically
built to allow the mill and gardens to be admired.
The Torremolinos City Sport Complex, located in
the extended area of Torremolinos, between the
city centre and Los Manantiales, offers
numerous facilities such as El Pozuelo grass
football field, the Palacio San Miguel multi-sport
centre, the Virgen del Carmen Olympic-sized
swimming pool, athletic tracks, dirt football
fields, and tennis and paddle-tennis courts. It is
one of the most fully equipped sports complexes
of its kind in Andalusia, and many international
teams use it as a training facility, especially in
winter, when the weather in their countries is so
inhospitable that outdoor sports cannot be
practised.
La Carihuela district, to the west of the town, is
a paradise for lovers of the famous pescaíto frito
(small fried fish) and without a doubt one of the
Costa del Sol's most famous restaurant areas.
Despite the throngs of tourists coming to the
district, it has been able to keep its traditional
charm with narrow streets, small tranquil plazas
dotted with plants and flowers and, above all, a
unique maritime character. The beachfront
promenade connects the area with Bajondillo
and Playamar, where, just as in La Carihuela,
the beaches and the food live up to their fame.
El Molino de Inca, located in the Los Manantiales
area, is the oldest of all the watermills that once
existed in the district (in 1923 there were 19) and
the first to receive water from the mountains. The
watermill, once used to mill grain, has now been
renovated, and a 40,000m2 botanical garden has
The Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de
Torremolinos (Torremolinos Conference and
Exhibition Hall) is situated very close to the city
centre on a small hill that affords an excellent
panoramic view of the coast. It features twenty
two halls with a capacity for between 12 and 900
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The Casa de los Navajas (C/ Las Mercedes, s/n)
is a beautiful extravagance of a Churriana
resident who, in 1925, decided to build a mansion
in Neo-Mudéjar style. This architectural style
unabashedly set out to imitate the buildings
designed by the Muslims who continued to live in
Spain after the Reconquest in the fourteenth to
sixteenth centuries. The Neo-Mudéjar style
became widely popular after the IberianAmerican Exhibition, held in Seville in 1929.
Torremolinos
Torremolinos
On a stroll down this street towards the sea, you'll
find the Torre Pimentel, which people used to call
Torre de los Molinos, Torre Molinos or Torre de
Molinos. Much historical information exists about
this monument, dating back as far as 1490. Its
name, the repair work done on it, the people who
worked in it and other minutiae are painstakingly
detailed in a number of historical documents.
Juan Temboury believes the tower was erected in
the fourteenth century; he describes it as "a
rectangular prism with a base measuring 7.2 x 6.1
m, a top measuring 6.63 x 5.05 m and a height of
about 12 m."
CONVENTION BUREAU
Before the unstoppable "tourist boom" took place
at the end of the 1950s, San Miguel St. was
already the heart of Torremolinos. What at first
glance may appear to be just another crowded
pedestrian zone like that of many other coastal
towns turns out to be a street with its own unique
character, a boisterous cosmopolitan atmosphere
and other hard-to-define nuances that make it
really one-of-a-kind.
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The Verdiales Day, a celebration dedicated to
the native folklore of Málaga, is held near the
San Miguel Chapel in the pine grove of Los
Manantiales between the beginning of March
and the beginning of April. It features
performances in three distinct flamenco styles:
Comares, Almogía and Montes. The singing and
dancing is also complemented by a cooking
demonstration.
FIESTAS
Clubs, associations, fraternities, and other social
groups all play a very active part in the Cruces
de Mayo (Crosses of May) celebration.
Traditional ceramic and copper pottery, fancy
Manila shawls, and many beautiful plants and
flowers are used to decorate the altars, always
worthy of the praise they receive from the many
onlookers.
As a first-class tourist destination, Torremolinos
offers a never-ending festival calendar. The first
engagement is the Retro Dance Competition,
held at the Príncipe de Asturias Auditorium the
last week of February. Couples over 50 come
from all over Europe to participate in this unusual
competition that draws large crowds of spectators
to the auditorium every day. Tango, waltz, paso
doble, salsa, rock & roll or twist are the styles of
choice in this competition that also sees dances
that aren't part of the official contest taking place
in other parts of the city. The competition begins
with a special parade through the main streets of
the town. Two records have been broken in this
parade: the largest gypsy dress and the largest
wedding dress in the world.
Torremolinos
The procession, which includes many
extravagantly adorned carriages and an even
greater number of horseback riders, leaves from
the centre of town and heads towards Los
Manantiales amidst cheerful exclamations by
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The Carmen Fair attracts thousands of people to
La Carihuela in mid July, especially on the day
when the image of the Virgin is placed on a boat
to complete a maritime procession around the
district. The heart of the celebration is the El
Remo Plaza, where a wide variety of music and
dance performances are held.
By the end of September, Torremolinos
celebrates the pilgrimage of its Patron Saint, St
Michael, in the nearby pine forest of Los
Manantiales. Based on the number of people
who participate every year (more than 200,000),
it ranks as the second largest pilgrimage in
Andalusia, after that of El Rocío.
Torremolinos
Carnival (the first two weeks of March) takes on a
special significance in Torremolinos due to the
large popular participation in the fiesta and
because of the quality of the groups participating
in the competitions of chirigotas, murgas and
comparsas (humorous songs and popular
performances), which take place in the Municipal
Auditorium. There is also a costume ball and a
colourful Carnival parade on the promenade in La
Carihuela along with competitions to choose King
Momo, the Nymph, and the best costumes.
The celebration of La Noche de San Juan (The
Eve of St. John), on 23 June, is a longstanding
tradition throughout the area. But the grand
festivities organised by the Hermandad de
Marineros de la Virgen del Carmen (Virgen del
Carmen Sailors' Fraternity), and those that take
place in the suburbs of San Juan and
Cantarranas enjoy the greatest degree of
popularity. In keeping with the tradition, bonfires
are lit in different places and young people
participate in the most dangerous jumps. The
procession of the Saint takes place on 24 June
after a Mass sung by the choir named Coro
Rociero de San Juan.
CONVENTION BUREAU
people. The Príncipe de Asturias Municipal
Auditorium is one of the town's most important
cultural facilities. The building covers 6,500m2
and can accommodate 1,790 people seated and
another 5,500 standing. Built for virtually any type
of event, it often houses musical performances
(opera and zarzuela), theatre plays, and dance
shows, and less frequently, multitudinous
banquets.
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TOURIST BOARD &
A few days later, the San Miguel Fair begins and,
as in other towns in Málaga, celebrations take
place in the city centre during the day and then
move to the fairgrounds in the evening. Here,
practically all of the clubs and associations in
Torremolinos set up their own stand, and there
are many private ones as well. Despite the
throngs of tourists who come for the festivities,
the Fair has managed to keep its undeniable
Andalusian character; even more so in recent
years due to the firm decision and efforts made
not to lose local traditions.
The town also gets turned upside down on the
first Thursday of September, Tourist Day. Starting
several years ago as way of thanking visitors who
choose Torremolinos as their vacation spot, it
features traditional performances, food tasting,
and the selection of the "Tourist of Honour."
Torremolinos
FOOD
Pescaíto both from La Carihuela and
Bajondillo-Playamar is star dish in the district.
Its quality is based on the way in which the fish
is fried. However, it has managed to cross
borders and has become Torremolinos's most
sought-after and well-known culinary treat. In
addition to this specialty, the town offers an
extremely varied selection of local and
international cuisine in its over 250 restaurants,
with a wide variety of prices.
LEISURE
The Aquapark water park (C/ Cuba, 10. Tel.: 902
114 996) is an excellent complement to the
beach for many visitors. Every water park
attraction you can imagine can be found within
its 70,000 m2 of recreational space, including
everything from the 24m high "kamikaze"
waterslide, to the pirate boat, the castle, the
water dart, or waterfalls, rapids, Jacuzzis, minigolf and extensive gardens of trees and
vegetation where a pleasant day can be enjoyed
by adults and children alike.
The recently inaugurated Parque Cocodrilos (C/
Cuba, 14. Tel.: 639 169 347) covers 16,000 m2
.It features a bamboo forest, whose specimens
were brought from Malaysia and Borneo, a large
6,000 m2 lake with five small crocodile islands, a
monkey shelter, a museum, a film screen, and a
viewpoint area. Visitors can see more than 300
different crocodiles, South American caimans
and American alligators.
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Holy Week was not celebrated in Torremolinos
until rather late, as compared to other towns in
the province. In 1924, the first fraternity was
established, Nuestro Padre Jesús and María
Santísima de los Dolores, headquartered in the
Parish Church of Madre del Buen Consejo. The
fraternity sets out in a procession on Good
Friday.
Torremolinos
Torremolinos knows that pescaíto frito (small
fried fish) is one of the town's major attractions
when it comes to promoting tourism. This is why
the first Thursday of October is celebrated as
"Pescaíto Day," on which local restaurant owners
hand out free rations of pescaíto to residents
and tourists alike.
CONVENTION BUREAU
tourists, who don't hesitate to ask about just what
it is that they are witnessing. The pilgrims camp
next to San Miguel Chapel, which is then
completely overrun by the number of people
trying to hear the Mass inside the shrine. Once
the religious ceremony is over, the party begins
and goes on until the sun goes down. Singing,
dancing and excellent food are the key features of
this popular fiesta.
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index. Torrox
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CULTURAL CENTRE AND EXHIBITION HALLS
Torrox House of Culture
page 278
Hoya Exhibition Hall
page 279
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OYA EXHIBITION HALL
Torrox
USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Edificio el Convento - C/ Almerida,
47
29770 Torrox
Tel.: (+34) 952 538 730 / 952 539 513
Fax: (+34) 952 539 513
Address: Plaza de Hoya, s/n
29770 Torrox
Tel.: (+34) 952 538 730
The House of Culture's goal is to
foster the cultural life of Torrox through exhibitions
and other cultural events.
Hoya exhibits national painters and
sculptors' works.
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Hoya Exhibition Hall
Torrox House of Culture
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USEFUL INFORMATION
Name given to the local people: Torroxeños.
Nickname: Hocicones.
Location: Torrox is located in the southern part of
the Axarquía region, at the foot of the Tejeda and
Almijara mountain ranges. The town is 145 m
above sea level, 40 km from Málaga City and 20
km from Vélez-Málaga. Average rainfall in the
region is 530 l/m2 and the average annual
temperature is about 19º C.
What to see: The Torrox Lighthouse Roman
Archaeological Site (Roman villa, baths,
necropolis, etc.), Parish Church of Nuestra
Señora de la Encarnación (Our Lady of the
Incarnation), Chapel and Convent of Nuestra
Señora de las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows),
Church of San Roque, Casa de la Moneda.
Town Hall,
Plaza de la Constitución, 1 (29770).
Tel.: (+34) 952 538 200.
Fax: (+34) 952 538 100.
Tourist Office:
Centro Internacional, Block 769,
ground floor (29793).
Tel.: (+34) 952 532 155.
Fax: (+34) 953 530 225.
The rugged landscape of the area seems
to be in open opposition to uniformity, greeting
visitors with an endless succession of gullies
and hills. Since it is near the sea, the terrain
doesn't reach high elevations, and Cocoja Hill
and the Rábita de Torrox -its highest peaks, 700
m high- are blanketed with lowland vegetation.
The Torrox Stream, also called the Patalamara,
De la Plata or Argentino by the local people,
flows southwards across the district. The
stream's water is put to maximum use for
irrigation purposes before it empties into the sea
at Punta de Torrox. The district boasts 9 km of
sandy beaches next to Torrox Costa and El Morche.
Cultivation fields dominate the countryside,
whose slopes made it necessary to set terraces
so as to extend the surface area of arable land.
These terraces have become a defining feature
of the landscape in the area and are ideal for the
cultivation of subtropical fruit.
In Los Casarones, about 2 km north of the town,
a Neolithic polished axe was found, attesting to
the presence of human settlers in the area back
in that period. Later, the Carthaginians or
Phoenicians probably settled in the area, an
assumption based on the fact that the
archaeological sites of Trayamar and
Mezquitilla, in Algarrobo Costa, are located near
Los Casarones, but this is only a hypothesis,
since no other remains have yet been
discovered in the district.
The conquest of Vélez by Christian troops in
1487 dealt such a blow to the region that many
towns gave themselves over without resistance
to avoid further bloodshed. Torrox surrendered
on 29 April, 1487, just two days after Vélez was
recaptured by the Christians.
In 1488, however, the Moorish leader El Zagal,
recaptured the village for the Muslim cause,
though he only held it for a few months before it
once again fell to the Christians.
When a Moorish rebellion took place in 1568,
about half of the population was made up of Old
Christians and the rest, of Moors, many of whom
took part in the insurrection at Peñón de
Frigiliana. Through 1571, at least twenty two
Moors who were dwelling in Torrox were tried by
the Tribunal of the Holy Office in Granada, and
documents relate how members of the Quilat
family were burned at the stake, accused of
continuing to follow the principles of the Islamic
faith. The enthusiastic participation of the local
Moors in the uprising led to a brutal repression
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Some historians have identified Torrox as Hisn
Turrus, the place where Abd-ar-Rahman III
defeated Umar Ibn Hafsun -who had become
the leader of the rebels in the provinces to the
south and west of the Caliphate of Córdoba- in
914. Then, Torrox became a jurisdiction under
Frigiliana's domination. During the long period of
Muslim rule, the village was an important
producer of silk and white mulberry trees were
grown in its fertile meadows.
Torrox
Without any doubt, though, there is evidence of
Roman presence. In the area known as Faro
(Lighthouse) or Punta de Torrox, remains have
been found from the ancient city of Caviclum,
believed to have been established in the first
century and to have remained active until at
least the eighth century. And it was in this
century that the Umayyad Abd-ar-Rahman
settled in Torrox, after having landed at
Almuñécar. Some time later, he was to establish
an independent Caliphate in Córdoba.
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by the Christian rulers, followed by the Moors'
abandonment of the eight Arab towns within the
district: Alhandiga, Almeida, Arcos Benamayor,
Cajauja, Lautín, Lugarejo and Periana (not the
present-day Periana). During the eighteenth
century, the town's economy was based on sugar
cane production and more than eighty percent of
the arable land in the region was used to growing
it, and there were two sugar refineries. The ruins
of the Torrox lighthouse were discovered in 1773,
a time when the town had a population of about 3,000.
At the dawn of the nineteenth century, in 1804, an
epidemic of yellow fever decimated Torrox
population. A few years later, Napoleon's troops
occupied the town, and in 1812 they took their
leave of Torrox by blowing up the village castle.
Some decades later, however, the region saw an
unexpected economic boom. Records indicate
that at that time the town boasted two olive oil
mills, two pottery factories, three flour mills, and a
brandy distillery, as well as the sugar refinery
belonging to the Larios family.
HOW TO GET THERE
On the Autovía del Mediterráneo (A-7, N-340), in
the section between Vélez-Málaga and Nerja, the
exit to Torrox is clearly indicated; no further turnoffs are necessary.
WHAT TO SEE
Torrox
In the sixteenth century, Franciscan monks
founded the Chapel and Convent of Nuestra
Señora de las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows).
The church is laid-out in the form of a Latin cross
with naves and side chapels, a presbytery, a
choir, and a belfry. It also features an
exceptional Mudéjar coffered ceiling. The
convent, adjoining the chapel, consists of two
levels. It has a cloister, an interior courtyard and
stables. The cloister rooms were used in the
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One of the highlights within Torrox is the Church
of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación (Our Lady
of the Incarnation), whose original building was
erected in the seventeenth century on top of an
old mosque. The church, which underwent
reconstruction in 1889, has a floor-plan in the
shape of a Latin cross composed of three naves.
The main chapel is covered by a barrel vault,
while the side vaults are oval. Rising above the
exterior is a square tower divided into three
sections, the last of which is capped with a
pyramidal spire.
Torrox
Set on a hilltop, Torrox had to adapt to the uneven
terrain in an almost whimsical fashion. The
uniform whitewash of the houses is highlighted by
the splashes of colour offered by their flowerpots,
and the hidden nooks and crannies of the old
quarter can take visitors back to the time when
the Moors used to live here.
The historical importance of the Roman
archaeological site at the Faro de Torrox (Torrox
Lighthouse) makes it a must see. Several
historians agree that this was the site of the city
of Mansio Caviclum cited in Antonine's
"Itinerary." It is a big settlement which was active
from the first through the fourth century. A villa, a
fish salting factory, baths, an oven and a
necropolis have been found.
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nineteenth century as storage space for fruit, and
later served as barracks for the Civil Guard, a
function they held until the 1970s.
The Church of San Roque, not presently used for
religious celebrations, was built in Neomudéjar
style on top of a building originally constructed in
the sixteenth century. It consists of a single nave
with the main chapel topped by a semicircular
vault. Its brick exterior, painted in a rather
inappropriate red, features an graceful belfry.
The town houses other interesting historic
buildings, such as the Palacio de la Aduana
(Customs Hall), also known as Casa de la
Moneda. Situated on Baja St., it dates from the
eighteenth century and later it was converted into
a private residence. The nineteenth-century
palace that today houses the Cultural Centre
(Casa de la Hoya) lodged Alfonso XII when he
came to the town in 1885.
FIESTAS
The October Fair (from 4 to 8 October) kicks off
with a parade by the students at the Municipal
Academy of Music, who are followed by a
procession of cabezudos (a kind of Carnival
figures with a large head) and giants. In the
evening, the lights are turned on at the
fairgrounds. The public can enjoy musical
performances and participate in sports activities,
but the emotional highlight of the celebrations
occurs when the images of the town's patrons,
Nuestra Señora de las Nieves and San Roque,
are carried from the Parish Church to the Saint's
Chapel, a journey that takes place to the
accompaniment of a prolonged fireworks display.
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El Morche celebrates its big day, on 15 August, as
a tribute to Virgen del Carmen. The celebration
was moved back from 16 July to August because
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As to the Carnival celebration, it has become quite
popular in the town, and today is one of the festivals
that draw the highest numbers of participants. The
amusing and fiercely-contested street musician and
parade competitions are followed with great interest
by the local people, who also take part in the street
parades.
In May, the "Cruces" (Crosses) are celebrated.
The crosses here are adorned with flowerpots
and not just flowers, a peculiarity of this
festival in Torrox. An amazing variety of
decorations are placed on the main stepped
altar, though the most impressive are the
embroidered shawls and lace doilies. The
altars are normally placed in the courtyards
and the festivities, during which traditional
food is served, are organised around them.
St. John's Eve (23 June) is of special significance
in Torrox. The traditional burning of the júas, the
bonfire jumping, and a series of other rituals all
come together with water playing a central role.
The rituals are almost always aimed at
discovering whether amorous relationships will
have a happy ending or not.
Torrox
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Migas are, of course, the town's most popular and
traditional dish, whose list of ingredients is
surprisingly short and simple: flour, garlic, olive oil,
pork scratchings, bacon, and know-how on the
part of the cook! Despite the simplicity of the
recipe, the resulting dish is exquisite and is often
accompanied by an equally famous salad made
with codfish, olives, chives, orange and olive oil.
The star dish at Christmastime is the traditional
Christmas vegetable soup, while garlic and bread
soups and pumpkin stews are popular throughout
the year. In summer, gazpacho and ajoblanco
(both are chilled vegetable soups) are commonly
eaten, and in coastal areas fish brochettes are
very popular. With respect to sweets, special
mention must be made of the arropia, a candy
whose recipe was passed down by the Arabs,
made with honey. Hornazos (rolls) on St John's
Day, and roscos (rolls), at Christmastime, round
out the typical Torrox pastries menu.
IMPORTANT FIGURES
Al-Mansur or Almanzor, whose full name was
Muhammad ibn Abu 'Amir al-Mansur, was born in
Torrox in 939, according to some historians, right in
the town castle. Serving as Regent of Seville and
Chief of the Armies, he conquered Zamora and
León and on, 3 July, 997, Santiago de Compostela
-a city in which he showed respect only for the tomb
of the apostle, to which he assigned a special
guard. Using captive Christians to transport them,
he sent the bells of the cathedral and the gates of
the city to Córdoba, where they were placed in the
mosque as trophies. This would all prove to be a
work in vain, as, years later, Ferdinand III, the Saint,
returned the objects to their rightful owner,
Santiago, and he used captive Muslims to transport
them! According to some chroniclers, Almanzor
became overly proud and he was defeated by
Christian troops in the Battle of Calatañazor in 998.
He died in Medinaceli in 1002.
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Torrox
On the Sunday before Christmas Day, Torrox is
literally invaded by thousands of out-of-town visitors
who come to celebrate the Migas Day (migas is a
typical dish made with breadcrumbs), without a
doubt the town's most outstanding celebration.
Parades, folk music, fandangos and other traditional
performances serve as a backdrop to the frantic
activity that takes place when the people of the town
start preparing their famous specialty: migas. Migas
are then eaten with true delight by the thousands in
attendance at this grand festival, in which the locals
show their kind hospitality.
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more visitors are likely to come. Fishing contests,
musical performances and, of course, a sea
procession of the Virgin are all part of the festivities.
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INESUR EL INGENIO
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USEFUL INFORMATION
iMálaga,
ndex. Vélez-M
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Sun and Culture
Address: Avda. Juan Carlos I, s/n
29700 Vélez Málaga
(+34) 952 540 571
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CINEMAS
Cinesur El Ingenio
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page 290
Morning show
Late show
Numbered seats
Student card
Youth card
Tiered seats
Venue hire
Online ticket sales
Air conditioning
Disabled access
Parking
Buffet
page 291
page 292
page 293
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SERVICES
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DESCRIPTION
Cinesur El Ingenio
THEATRES
Del Carmen Theatre
Beniel Palace (María Zambrano Foundation Headquarters
and Department of Culture)
Exhibition Hall - Exile Study Centre
Exhibition Hall - Unicaja
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ENIEL PALACE (MARÍA ZAMBRANO
Vélez-M
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FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS
AND DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE)
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Plaza del Carmen, s/n
Tel.: (+34) 952 507 106
USEFUL INFORMATION
The theatre building dates from the
fifteenth century. Formerly, it was a convent and
church, whose coffered ceiling was kept after the
renovation of 1995. There is a multi-purpose hall
that presents exhibitions and organises different
kinds of cultural events (theatre plays, dance,
ballet, classical music shows). Its total audience
capacity is 330.
The Beniel Palace is the most
important civil edifice in Vélez-Málaga. Its beauty
and magnificence have had an impact on the
local architecture over the years. It was built in
early seventeenth century by Don Alonso de
Molina y Medrano, an influential figure during the
reign of Philip II. In the nineteenth century and
nearly all throughout the twentieth century, the
building housed the courts and the town hall. At
present, it is home to the María Zambrano
Foundation's headquarters.
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The exhibition hall adjoins the theatre.
Beniel Palace
Del Carmen Theatre
Address: Plaza Palacio, 1
29700 Vélez Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 500 244
Fax: (+34) 952 549 036
Department of Culture
Tel.: (+34) 952 507 401
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XHIBITION HALL - UNICAJA
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USEFUL INFORMATION
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address: Palacio de Beniel - Plaza Palacio, 1
29700 Vélez-Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 507 401
Address: C/ Las Tiendas, 49
29700 Vélez-Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 138 615
Fax: (+34) 952 138 667
The space is used as an exhibition
hall and auditorium today, but in the future it will
host the Exile Study Centre. Adjoining the María
Zambrano Foundation premises, it will be the first
of its kind in Spain. It will carry out research,
surveys, and other related activities. It will feature
two libraries, one of them containing publications
about exile, and an archive that will have
documents, collections of letters or other
elements that can be used by researchers on this
subject.
The exhibition hall, in the historic
district of Vélez-Málaga, opens from Monday to
Friday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. (closed on public
holidays). This is one among the many exhibition
halls framed within Unicaja's social work
programme, and a fundamental tool to bring
culture close to the residents of and visitors to the
province.
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Exhibition Hall - Exile Study Centre
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At the foot of the Toscanos hill, right next to the
former inlet (nowadays covered by mud), a
storehouse was found containing Phoenician,
Greek and Etruscan pottery, an evidence of the
Remains of smelting furnaces and metal shavings
have been found in the nearby Peñón hill,
confirming the existence of industrial activity in the
area. A little further to the north, at the Alarcón hill, a
rectangular building has been discovered that might
very well have been a fortress, while at Cerro del
Mar, more than 30 graves dating from the seventh
century B.C. have also been excavated. In addition,
the Jardin Necropolis, with more than 100 tombs
dating from the sixth to the fourth centuries B.C. is
located just to the north of Toscanos.
At Cerro del Mar -the ancient maritime city of
Maenoba, located opposite Toscanos- research
has confirmed the existence of an industrial fish
salting factory which was used predominately for
the production of garum, a kind of sauce
originally introduced by the Phoenicians that
enjoyed great popularity among the Romans.
Yet, the city of Vélez-Málaga proper wasn't
founded until the tenth century A.D., when the
Muslims settled around the fortress. Later, the
town spread quickly over La Villa district, the
heart of the old Arab medina. Between the
eighth and fifteenth centuries, this medina was
one of the most important in the Nasrid
Kingdom. It was not a very big city but it was
very well fortified and defended by a solid set of
walls. As the number of inhabitants increased,
the walls were no longer able to accommodate
the entire population and some neighbourhoods
were set up on the outskirts, on what today are
the district of Arroyo de San Sebastián and the
San Francisco and Constitución Plazas.
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This chief district of the Axarquía region -a name
derived from the Arabian word as-Sarqiyya
meaning Orient or the eastern side)- has a long
and eventful history that begins with the first
Phoenician settlements on the Toscanos hill -on
the right bank of the River Vélez- around the
eighth century B.C. In ancient times, the mouth
of the River Vélez formed an inlet between the
Peñón and the Mar hills, which served as an
anchoring spot for ships. From there,
transportation via the Boquete de Zafarraya into
the interior of the Axarquía region was relatively easy.
trading activity of the enclave at Toscanos. A
population of about 1,500 has been estimated,
quite large for that period. Some historians
believe that this settlement could have been the
ancient city of Mainake, founded by the Greeks.
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Population: Over 60,000.
Name given to the local people: Veleños.
Location: Vélez-Málaga is the capital of the
Axarquía region. The town is 60 m above sea
level and about 28 km from Málaga City. The
average rainfall is 470 l/m2, and the average
annual temperature is approximately 18º C.
What to see: Real Convento de Santiago or San
Francisco (Royal Convent of St James or St
Francis), Palacio de Beniel (Beniel Palace), Casa
de Cervantes (House of Cervantes), Nuestra
Señora de los Remedios (Our Lady of Good
Remedy) Chapel, Cruz del Arrabal (El Arrabal
Cross), San Sebastián Chapel, Church of San
Juan Bautista (St John the Baptist), the old
granary, Fountain of Ferdinand VI, Virgen de la
Piedad (Our Lady of Mercy) Chapel, Nuestra
Señora de Gracia Monastery; Monastery of
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, medieval walls, Puerta
Real de la Villa (Royal Gate), Santa María de la
Encarnación (Our Lady of the Incarnation)
Church, Fortress (Alcazaba), San Juan de Dios
or San Marcos Hospital, Cruz del Cordero (Cross
of the Lamb).
Town Hall,
Plaza de las Carmelitas, s/n (29700).
Tel.: (+34) 952 559 100.
Fax: (+34) 952 504 616.
Tourist Office:
Avenida de Andalusia (Torre del Mar).
Tel.: (+34) 952 451 104.
Vélez-Málaga is the largest and most
populated district of the Axarquía region. The
River Vélez -formed by the Benamargosa and
Guaro watersheds- makes up most of its land
area. These watercourses irrigate an extensive,
fertile lowland though, on the whole, the region
displays the typical more arid landscape
features of the Axarquía region, with much of its
terrain situated at moderate elevations (the
highest point is Veas, on the eastern slope, 703
m above sea level). Due to its large size (it
covers one-seventh of the region of Axarquía)
and to the fact that it contains the most fertile
lands in the region, the district of Vélez-Málaga
includes several populated areas, including
Torre del Mar (the most highly developed and
popular with tourists), Benajarafe, Triana,
Trapiche, Almayate (Bajo and Alto), Cajiz and
Chilches, among others. There are also
numerous holiday apartment buildings on the
coast and scattered farmhouses in the interior.
In fact, the city of Vélez-Málaga only makes up
half of the district's total population.
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Vélez-Málaga's fate changed when Ferdinand the
Catholic left Córdoba in April 1487, heading towards
the Axarquía to recapture its capital city. Many
townspeople and nobles joined his entourage along
the way and, by the time he was approaching VélezMálaga, he had an army of about 50,000 men on foot
and 12,000 on horseback, according to the accounts
of Hernando del Pulgar, who chronicled the
Conquest of Granada. Meanwhile, the fortress at
Bentomiz, practically the only place from which
Vélez-Málaga could expect any help, surrendered to
the Christian troops. In spite of El Zagal's attempts,
setting out from Granada to aid the town, VélezMálaga had no other option but to give up.
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A similar urban planning policy was followed in
the seventeenth century, and more churches
and convents were erected. So much so, that
some have called Vélez-Málaga "the City of
Convents." This phenomenon wasn't exclusive
to Vélez-Málaga though; it was also witnessed
by many Andalusian towns, and the largest
public plazas came to serve as celebration
areas for important religious manifestations like
Holy Week or Corpus Christi.
The following century began with a bad omen
though: a bubonic plague outbreak in 1804
decimated the population (it claimed the lives of
more than fifty percent of the town's inhabitants).
The town council also suffered the consequences
of the epidemic and a military man had to take
the local government into his hands. Following
the invasion of Napoleon's forces, a government
sympathetic to the French principles came to
power, which divided the population into the two
sides that would fight over the government of the
town throughout the nineteenth century. Several
epidemics of cholera followed, the phylloxera
infection destroyed the vineyards, and an
earthquake in 1884 capped off a disastrous
century. The only positive factor was the
expansion of sugar cane cultivation fields
fostered by the Larios family.
Meanwhile, the port of Torre del Mar enjoyed
such a trading boom that its expansion was
proposed in the eighteenth century to improve
grape and citrus exports to the north of Europe.
During the War of the Spanish Succession,
Vélez-Málaga supported the Bourbon dynasty
and the naval battle, called by some the Battle of
Málaga, and by others, the Battle of VélezMálaga, took place just off the coast of the city.
This historic event took place on 23 August,
1704, when the French-Spanish fleet, which lost
1,500 men in the battle, confronted the AngloDutch fleet, which lost 3,000. A total of 146
ships, 3,577 cannons and more than 46,000
men took part in the fighting. Historians tend to
believe the outcome of the battle didn't really
favour either side, although some studies
suggest it was favourable to the French-Spanish
coalition to some extent.
Vélez-Málaga
HOW TO GET THERE
The Autovía del Mediterráneo (A-7, N-340) must
be taken in the direction of Málaga when
travelling from Nerja or Torrox, or in the direction
of Motril-Almería from anywhere else on the
Costa del Sol. The old N-340 highway passes
through the centre of Torre del Mar and from
there, on to Vélez-Málaga, a 4km stretch that is
very well signposted. The signs for the VélezMálaga highway exit off the Autovía del
Mediterráneo are also very clear.
.
The town's new governors wanted to make VélezMálaga distinct from what it had looked like under
Muslim rule. With this aim in mind, they began an
architectural renovation that included a new
arrangement of public spaces and the
The eighteenth century was especially positive
for the city, which grew in almost every aspect:
churches and public buildings were constructed
or repaired, city infrastructure was improved and
access ways were embellished. The ideas of the
Enlightenment even began to arrive, mainly
brought by the Sociedad Económica de Amigos
del País (Economic Society of Friends of the
Country), established in 1783.
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Eventually, on 26 April, 1487, the city's last
Muslim Mayor, Abul Cacim Venegas, sent an
envoy to agree to the conditions of surrender, and
on the following day, Vélez-Málaga capitulated.
The Muslims were even forced to prepare the city
for the arrival of Ferdinand and Isabella, which
took place on 3 May.
construction of civil and religious buildings. Their
plan was hindered by the uneven terrain, so the
effects of the urban renovation were only seen in
a few public spaces (Plaza de la Constitución
and the San Francisco district), some mansions
belonging to noblemen, and some churches and
convents. This is why the sixteenth century
would be remembered for the construction of
new religious buildings.
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There is evidence that several rural settlements whose inhabitants engaged in farming activitiesexisted in the area as early as the thirteenth
century, including those at Almayate,
Benamocarra, Benajarafe, Iznate and Cajiz, to
name just a few. These would eventually go on to
become the towns bearing the same name. The
importance of Vélez-Málaga between the twelfth
and sixteenth centuries is reflected in the accounts
by El Idrisi, Abulfida, Ibn Batuta and Abd al-Basit,
an Egyptian historian who, in the middle of the
fifteenth century, made reference to the trading
activity at the port of Mariyya Ballis (Torre del Mar).
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It is advisable to begin with a tour of the city's
monuments. The old quarter was declared a
Historic-Artistic Site in 1970. The area around the
San Francisco Plaza, which features a maze of
streets and alleyways inherited from the Arabs,
makes a good starting point. This district is also
where the first examples of Vélez civil architecture
stand, although the building around which this
quarter was shaped is the Real Convento de
Santiago (Royal Convent of St James).
In 1498, the Real Convento de Santiago,
sometimes called "Convento de San Francisco,"
was established in a mosque that Ferdinand and
Isabella consecrated as a Parish Church. During
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, it
underwent such thorough refurbishing that
nowadays the coffered ceilings in the cupola of
the main chapel are the only remains of the
original Mudéjar church.
On the south-western side of the Beniel Palace
the Plaza de la Gloria opens up, from which the
San Cristóbal hill can be accessed. The Chapel of
the Virgen de los Remedios (Our Lady of Good
Remedy), the local patroness, nestles on the hill,
which affords beautiful views of the countryside.
The chapel was built in the middle of the
seventeenth century and was renovated later. Its
floor-plan is laid out in the shape of a Latin cross
and its has barrel vaulted naves. The chapel of
the Virgin -whose floor is square and whose walls
and ceiling are richly ornamented with Rococo
work- houses murals depicting, among others,
Philip V and Marie-Louise of Savoy.
From Cruz del Arrabal, Arroyo San Sebastián St.
leads to the Chapel of San Sebastián,
established in 1487 by Ferdinand and Isabella
as a tribute to the royal stableman, Sebastián
Fernández. The story goes that the man saved
Ferdinand's life in a battle against the Muslims
while the King attempted to capture the city.
Whether the story is true or not, the VélezMálaga emblem portrays the scene, with the
main character in the story appearing on the
ground while the King is defending him from
atop his horse. All that remains of the chapel's
original structure is a pointed arch set on top of
massive pillars in what was once the main
chapel. From the Cruz del Arrabal or from the
House of Cervantes, you can head to the Plaza
de la Constitución, known as the Plaza de San
Juan, where the Church of San Juan Bautista
(St John the Baptist) lies. The Church of San
Juan Bautista was founded by the Catholic
Monarchs and subsequently enlarged in 1499
and in 1564. It features a basilica plan,
consisting of three naves with transepts;
however, only its imposing bell tower and part of
the exterior still remain from the first GothicMudéjar construction. The church underwent a
thorough renovation in 1853, which resulted in
much of the intricate coffered ceiling being
covered with false vaults and the Gothic arches
transformed into round ones. The church's
dimensions are truly monumental and, although
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The Beniel Palace is located quite close to the
Franciscan convent. It is without a doubt the town's
most outstanding civil building. Its construction was
ordered in the early seventeenth century by Don
Alonso de Molina y Medrano, who died before the
From San Francisco Plaza, walking along San
Francisco St., you will arrive at the House of
Cervantes, a traditional mansion with a lintel
above its entranceway and an inner courtyard
featuring a gallery of triple pointed semicircular
arches on top of brick columns. Tradition holds
that Miguel de Cervantes stayed in this house in
1591 when he came to Vélez-Málaga as a tax
collector. Fray Alonso de Santo Tomás, who is
believed to be an illegitimate child of Philip IV
and who later was Bishop of Málaga, was born
in this house in the seventeenth century.
Returning to the House of Cervantes once
again, you can then go down Cilla St., which
leads to the Cruz del Arrabal (El Arrabal Cross),
a votive chapel dedicated to the Holy Cross and
commemorating Ferdinand the Catholic's
entrance into the city on 3 May, 1487. It is a
small shrine, about 8 m tall, whose front opens
in a round arch. The interior, crowned by a
cupola, contains only a cross.
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Actually, the building we can see today has
resulted from renovations made in the
eighteenth century. The highlight of the interior
is the Buen Pastor Chapel, currently occupied
by the Cofradía de la Caridad (Fraternity of
Charity). The chapel is actually like a small
church within the main one, since it has a nave,
a choir, a presbytery and a cupola. It is
extravagantly adorned with Baroque elements
including garlands and fruits, mirrors, paintings
and golden plasterwork. Only one of the
original two cloisters remains, noteworthy for
its arcades and Mudéjar pillars.
work was completed. His nephews inherited the
building and, after being used for a variety of
different purposes, the Town Hall, for instance, for
years now it has been home to the María Zambrano
Foundation. The building's architecture is a
hotchpotch of Mudéjar and Mannerist styles with
some Renaissance elements. Its interior is laid out
around an elegant patio with arches resting atop
Tuscan columns, while the exterior features a
marble façade with the Molina Medrano family
coats of arms, cast iron balconies, and an upper
gallery that originally featured two towers.
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WHAT TO SEE
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some of its chapels are Baroque, its overall
structure is quite classical. The paintings by the
Vélez-born painter Francisco Hernández are
valuable works of art.
Located near the Church of San Juan is the
building known as the pósito, an old structure
where they used to store grain, mainly wheat. The
pósito was erected in the middle of the eighteenth
century, and consists of two stories: the upper
one was used as a granary and the lower one, as
a marketplace. Attached columns divide the
façade into several sections. After a period in
which it wasn't used, the building was converted
into several houses by walling over the arches. At
present, it is unoccupied and awaiting renovation.
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was founded in 1503 in a building that obviously
was not big enough, since the religious
community later moved to its present building in
1555. The new premises were renovated after
the Lisbon earthquake in 1755, and the
Andalusia earthquake in 1884, which seriously
damaged the building.
The cloister and the church are the most
interesting from an artistic perspective. The
former, dating from the sixteenth century, was
built on a square floor, surrounded by a two-level
gallery with round arches resting atop a series of
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Continuing down De las Tiendas St., you end up
at the small plaza where you'll find the Chapel of
the Virgen de la Piedad (Our Lady of Mercy). Built
in the middle of the eighteenth century, the
chapel is framed by a huge round arch, flanked
by Corinthian pilasters that support a curved
pediment. The façade is surrounded by a gallery,
which appears to have been used in religious
processions. The building is crowned by a small
cupola, and the images of Nuestro Padre Jesús
El Rico (Father Jesus the Rich) and Nuestra
Señora de la Piedad (Our Lady of Mercy) have
been added recently. From De las Tiendas St.,
you can take De las Monjas St., which leads to
the Convent of Nuestra Señora de Gracia (Our
Lady of Grace), better known as Las Clarisas. It
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The tour continues along De las Tiendas St.,
where the perimeter of the old city walls can be
observed. All that remains of them now are a few
fortified towers. Further ahead is the Fuente de
Fernando VI (Ferdinand VI Fountain), which was
formerly located in the Plaza de San Juan. It's a
marble fountain with four spouts of water spilling
from the faces of mythological animals. The
fountain bears an legend that reads: "Reinando la
católica magestad del señor don Fernando el
Sexto…1758." ("Reigning is his Catholic Majesty
the lord Don Ferdinand the Sixth… 1758."). But
there is one curious detail that throws doubts on
the fountain's date -one of the coats of arms
belongs to Philip II. This, along with its classical
structure and certain decorative elements, points
to the fact that it was designed in the sixteenth
century rather than in the eighteenth century,
during which the above mentioned inscription
might have been added.
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Returning again to the Plaza de la Constitución,
you can continue past the Puerta Real de la Villa
and arrive at the neighbourhood that bears the
same name. From here, you can walk by the
medieval walls. Only a few sections of the walls
still remain, not all of which feature their original
building materials because different restorations
have been done to prevent their being lost
completely. The walls, which originally
surrounded the whole Moorish medina, were
equipped with towers, evenly spaced along their
Near this church, at the town's highest point
(137 m) stands the Fortress or Alcazaba, now
surrounded by the Villa and Arroyo San
Sebastián neighbourhoods. Archaeological
evidence confirms that construction of the
fortress began in the tenth century. However,
it was only in the thirteenth century that it
started to take on considerable significance
(it is mentioned in the treaty signed by the
Nasrid King Al Hamar and Ferdinand III), and,
during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries,
In the eighteenth century, the building was
unoccupied, remaining so until the time of the
French invasion, when the Napoleonic troops
used and left it in very bad condition. At the
beginning of the twentieth century, the
Fortress, by then virtually neglected, served
as a kind of quarry to supply materials for
other buildings until the 1960s, when the
Town Council initiated a timid attempt at
renovation, reconstructing the Torre del
Homenaje (Keep) and some stretches of wall.
Still awaiting a deep renovation project, the
Fortress currently offers a pseudo-romantic
vision of its glorious past, in ruins, and of
course, the best views in the city.
Granada St. leads down to the San Juan de Dios
Hospital, also known as San Marcos. It was
founded by Ferdinand and Isabella and ceded to
the Order of St John of God in the seventeenth
century. The church has two naves; one of them
features a vault and a small eighteenth-century
chapel. Despite having been restored on
numerous occasions, the beautiful brick Mudéjar
courtyard still survives with its low gallery of
round arches. The building presently serves as a
residence for the elderly.
Leaving the old hospital, the tour can be
continued along Tenerías and Cruz del Cordero
Streets -the old road to Granada that leads
towards the Cruz del Cordero (Cross of the
Lamb) Chapel, a commemorative shrine like that
Cruz del Arrabal. It is a very simple brick
building, which houses a plain wooden cross.
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The interior is very simple, consisting of a single
nave with a niche at its front, where the image of
the Virgen del Carmen sits. It is also here in the
niche where the decorative elements become
more intricate and extravagant, in typical Baroque
style. Other highlights are the frescoes from the
eighteenth-century School of Granada. The
convent also houses a very odd relic: a small
wooden skull carved by Saint John of The Cross.
Also known as Santa María la Mayor (St Mary
the Great), the Church of Santa María de la
Encarnación was built on top of an old mosque
between the end of the fifteenth century and
the beginning of the sixteenth century. The
church boasts three naves separated by
rectangular pillars that support round arches.
The naves are covered with Mudéjar-style
coffering. The Renaissance altarpiece of the
main altar is the most outstanding feature of
the church's interior and the Cristo de los
Vigías (Holy Christ of Lookouts) is found here.
The square tower is detached from the church
the same way as minarets were built separate
from mosques. A gallery of columns and
horseshoe arches -affording magnificent
panoramic views of the city- can be accessed
from the nave of the Epistle.
it played an even more important role. After
being conquered by the Catholic Monarchs,
the fortress was used successively as the
Royal House, military headquarters, prison
and the Town Hall.
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Moving on to Plaza de las Carmelitas, you'll see
the Convent of Jesús, María y José, also called
the Convent of the Carmelites since the nuns
living there belong to the Order of Our Lady of Mt.
Carmel. The convent building comprises two
parts: the church and the convent proper. In its
interior are two different courtyards: the Patio de
las Flores (patio of the flowers) and the Patio
Principal (main patio). The church was built
between 1738 and 1745 and its façade is
Mannerist, despite the fact that this style had
fallen out of use in the early seventeenth century.
length. They had four gates, of which only one
has survived: the Puerta Real de la Villa (Royal
Gate of the Town). It was given this name after
Ferdinand and Isabella entered Vélez-Málaga
through it in 1487. It consists of a rectangular
brick tower accessed through round arches.
After zigzagging north through this quarter which was the former town centre- you'll find the
Church of Santa María de la Encarnación (Our
Lady of the Incarnation).
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columns. It is, however, off-limits to visitors, as its
residents belong to a cloistered religious order.
The church, erected during the second half of the
eighteenth century, is Baroque and, despite a
simple architectural layout, its walls are adorned
with a profusion of different decorative elements.
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FIESTAS
Vélez-Málaga's Royal Fair of San Miguel (St
Michael), which takes place around 29
September, has its origins -like many others of its
kind- in a livestock fair started to be held back in
1842. By 1915, the festivity had become an
evening outdoor festival and, today, it is one of
the Axarquía region's most important
celebrations. By day, the fair takes place in the
streets of the historic centre and features
performances by flamenco and choir groups,
sports competitions, food tasting and practically
every other fun activity one might expect from a
fiesta like this. The Axarquía Food and Drink Fair
(Agroalimar) is held at the same time. It was
inaugurated in 2004 with the backing of the
Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry of the
Government of Andalusia.
The Día de la Cruz (Cross Day, on 3 May)
attaches a special significance to the
neighbourhood of Pilar. Residents decorate the
streets with altars and crosses, and organise a
popular evening festival near the Cruz del
Cordero, which is always very lively.
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Around 15 May, the pilgrimage of the Virgen de
los Remedios (Our Lady of Good Remedy) takes
place. It begins with a Mass offered in the Cerro
Chapel and then proceeds to an olive grove on
the Camino de Torrox, where pilgrims and
carriages gather. The pilgrimage is becoming
increasingly crowded every year as pilgrims'
communities from other villages have begun
participating in the celebration. On the day of the
pilgrimage, food and drinks are handed out and
there are dressage shows.
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On 16 July, the city organises the Veladilla del
Carmen, which has become Vélez-Málaga's
premiere summer fair. It features an international
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Highlights include the Virgen del Carmen
procession, which takes place both through the
town's streets and in the waters along its beach.
The festivities are rounded out with modern and
traditional music performances in the stands
lining the fairground, a variety of competitions
and the celebration of the Day Fair on the
beachfront promenade.
Carnival has always been one of the city's most
popular celebrations, as attested to in the agreement
issued by the local assembly on 4 February, 1877.
The document refers to the celebration as "the
popular custom of the masks," and warns that "the
authorities will keep watch to ensure no abuses are
committed." Nowadays, competitions of street
musicians and costume groups take place at the
Teatro del Carmen (Del Carmen Theatre).
Not only the residents of Vélez-Málaga, but also
many from all over the Axarquía region and
elsewhere come to participate in the Holy Week
celebrations in Vélez, considered as one of the
best in Andalusia. The city's time-honoured
religious tradition, marked by the construction of
numerous convents and churches since the end
of the fifteenth century, naturally led to the
creation of some outdoor rituals best exemplified
by the Holy Week.
The district of Vélez-Málaga has many villages, and
each one offers a different festival. In Cajiz and
Triana, the Day of St Joseph of Nazareth is
celebrated on 19 March. There's a Mass and a
procession of the Saint, and finally different shows
are offered.
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Since the district boasts coastal and inland
areas, it naturally offers a wide range of dishes.
In the coastal villages, the most traditional
speciality is, of course, pescaíto frito (small fried
fish) in all its varieties. This doesn't mean that
the cooking traditions along the coast are
Among the many important people born in Vélez
Málaga, the most well-known internationally is Maria
Zambrano (1904-1991), considered as Spain's
greatest philosopher and thinker of the last decades. A
follower of Ortega y Gasset, Maria Zambrano became
a relevant scholar early in her career, but was forced to
abandon her University position because she had to
live in exile during the Civil War.
In Spain, she used to meet some of the most
important poets of the time, including Jorge Guillén,
Emilio Prados, and Miguel Hernández. Once in
exile she used to visit Albert Camus, in Paris, and
Octavio Paz and León Felipe, in Mexico. Among
her most important works are Pensamiento y
filosofía en la vida española (Thought and
Philosophy in Spanish Life), Filosofía y poesía
(Philosophy and Poetry), El hombre y lo divino
(Man and the Divine), Los sueños y el tiempo
(Dreams and Time) and Persona y democracia
(Person and Democracy).
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On the Days of Santiago and Santa Ana (St
James and St Anne, 25 and 26 July), Torre del
Mar celebrates its five-day summer fair.
FOOD
IMPORTANT FIGURES
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The big day in Torre del Mar is St John's Eve (23 June).
Júas (Judas' figures) competitions, popular nighttime
parties and performances are held here around this
date, which sees residents carrying out the ritual of
washing their faces with sea water or going under nine
waves, following in the tradition. On the second
Sunday of June, this populous urban centre of VélezMálaga celebrates the pilgrimage of the Virgen del
Carmen. Pilgrims follow the route of Las Viñas where,
after the Mass, there is a series of traditional
performances topped off with an evening festival.
Fraternities (called cofradías in Spanish)
established long ago and others created later go
on parade over a few days that the city devotes
almost exclusively for its processions. The
popular fervour unleashed with the passing of
some cofradías is so contagious that even the
most sceptical of onlookers often end up
participating with authentic enthusiasm. It
wouldn't be fair to highlight any individual
cofradía because all of them, with their
ornamental magnificence and their many
devotees, contribute to making Holy Week in
Vélez-Málaga an unforgettable experience.
dedicated exclusively to seafood. In any of
coastal towns, it's very common to find recipes
based on ingredients from the upcountry and,
similarly, inland towns normally serve excellent
fish. The most traditional local recipes here
include berzas (green beans, potatoes, chickpeas, eggplant, pumpkin and meat), ajoblanco
(garlic and almond soup), ajobacalao (garlic and
codfish) and ajoporro (leek), as well as soups
such as maimones (made with egg and Spanish
ham), gazpacho (chilled vegetable soup) and
chambao (chopped tomato, peppers, onion and
cucumber with a dash of olive oil). The
mostachones (sweet buns) and oil cakes are the
speciality pastries. The district of Vélez-Málaga
is also one of the great tropical fruit producers in
Spain, and mangos, custard apples, papayas,
and avocados are all very good.
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chess tournament as well as flamenco and
contemporary music shows. The third Sunday of
October sees the image of the town's patroness,
the Crowned Virgin of Good Remedy, carried in a
procession from the Cerro Chapel to the Church
of San Juan, where it remains until the second
Sunday of November. Then, a procession takes
the image again to its shrine.
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She returned to Spain in 1984, and was awarded the
Príncipe de Asturias Prize and the Cervantes Prize,
among others. Her legacy is kept in the María Zambrano
Foundation, whose headquarters are located in the
Palacio del Marqués de Beniel, in her hometown.
LEGENDS
There are several legends about the city's
foundation. One of them tells that the original
village was located at the mouth of the River
Vélez as was, in fact, the case. It then explains
why the city was moved inland: on 31 July, 365, a
huge earthquake followed by gigantic tidal waves
destroyed the city. Before setting about with the
enormous task of rebuilding the town, its
residents decided to move the village to a safer
location, namely the hillock on which the Fortress
was later constructed.
Another legend has it that St Peter the apostle
was the founder of the town's old chapel, Santa
Maria -which served as the Episcopal
headquarters between the first and third centuries
(during the heyday of Roman rule). The story
goes that St Epeteno, a disciple of St Peter's, was
tormented on Los Remedios hill, where the
patroness's chapel currently stands.
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The patroness herself also have her own story: a
shepherd found the image of the Virgin on the hill,
but he thought the image was only a doll so he
decided to take it home for his daughter. On his way
home, he lost the doll, but found it again several
days later in the same place where he had first
seen it. Several times the man tried to take the doll
home and the same thing always happened: the
doll reappeared once and again in the same place.
The shepherd finally decided that something
supernatural was going on and construction of the
chapel soon began in the place that the image so
determinedly refused to leave.
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