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MALAGA
CAPITAL CITY OF
THE COSTA DEL SOL
You’ve never really "baked in the Sun" until you’ve been
at our beautiful beaches of the Costa del Sol, and what a better example than
Malaga, its capital city. Málaga is a vital part of Andalusia. With its
history, culture, university, archaeological and monumental richness dating as
far back as the Phoenicians traders (you see even they knew where to come to
relax), make this city a true jewel of beauty, fully opened to the world. That
is why Malaga is a center for international tourism; we’ve been doing it
for so long, we have a lot of practice! But! Do not be fooled, Malaga’s
history is deep, yet with its Technological Park and its splendid
communications; the international airport
Pablo
Picasso, an open door to the international tourism to the Costa del Sol make
ot this city a true modern marble.
All of the history, latest technology coupled with that special way of life, truly expressed during the Holy Week and the August fair, showing the philosophy of a people permanently and absolutely devoted to the full time enjoyment of life lets you sizzle in the Malaguenian feel; this is probably the closest you will ever get to the fountain of youth. Add to those reasons the mildness of its climate, its fantastic beaches, its great gastronomy, its popular culture and the friendship of its people, who convert everything into fondness, and will understand why everybody feel at home in Malaga. Do we need to say anything else?!!! What are you waiting for?
But seriously what is there to see in Málaga? Well, where or what era would you like to visit? Malaga is the abridgement of art and living together, with the birth place of so illustrious men such as Pablo Picasso, Cánovas del Castillo, Ibn Gabirol, Espinel, the Marquis of Salamanca, Manuel Alexandre (who though born in Seville, always lives in Málaga), and many other famous men who, for very long time spread the Malaguenian industry all over the world, though today is the tourism the most important industry for the whole area.
The Malaguenian Holy Week celebrations of processions of their monumental thrones through the town streets and squares. August feasts together with the bull fighting celebrations when the best bul fighters come to Malaga together with horses, wine, beautiful women dressed in the colourful Andalusian typical dress; a pure feast of the senses, transmitted through the air by the notes of the "verdiales", -the most typical Malagenian music-, with ancient resonance and deep feeling, and transporting us closer to that "Malaga cantaora", sometime immersing people into the history, and other time projecting them into the future. Hundreds of "Casetas"--original buildings constructed specially for this week--, where the clubs, associations, and groups of friends or families, welcome the visitors inviting them to drink and eat. From morning until early morning, the non-stop music, drinking and eating will take you to a type of festivities you could never have imagined.
It is truly a pleasure to enjoy during these festivities, but what is a party without food? So we would like to entice you with exquisite plates of the rich cuisine of Malaga good in any occasion, the soup of anchovies, Malaguenian soup, gazpachuelo, garlic soup, gachas, cabbage stew, stewinpan of vermicelli, the good wine from the Malaga Mountains, the fantastic Spanish Ham and of course, the typical Malagueñan fried fish -"Pescaito Frito"-. and many other delicacies.
Now let’s talk about what you may want to visit while you are in Malaga. The Alcazaba which is undoubtedly, the most important military fortification remaining from the Hispanic-Arabic period. This malaguenian fortress of Bobastro was built on the hillside of the Gibralfaro mountain (Yabal-Faruk, meaning mountain of the lighthouse) from where it is possible to watch the African coast. The Arabic historian Maqqari, assured that Badis el Ziri, king of Grenada, ordered its construction between the years 1057 and 1063, being the inside palaces remade by the following Nazaries kings copying the style of the Grenada Alhambra.
It had two walled enclaves with numerous turrets and several gates, which prevent the entry and added monumentality to the fortress. The most important of all the doorways is the Door of the Columns, so called because its jamb was constructed with two roman grooved pillars, one from the Arch of Christ and the other from the Arch of Grenada, and which is the entrance to the parade ground.
The Catholic Sovereigns lodged in the Alcazaba after the conquest of Malaga and the King Philip IV was also a guest of it. In 1931 it was stated national monument. At the foothill of the Alcazaba are the remains of the Roman Theatre, it is supposed to be a construction of Augustus’ epoch remodelled during Flavios mandate. Part of its stones where used by the Arabs for the construction of the Alcazaba.
After the conquest of the city by the Catholic Monarchs, they ordered the consecration and blessing of the greatest mosque, devoting it to Saint Mary of the Incarnation. In 1488, Cardinal Mendoza, through a bulla of the Pope Inocent VII, proceed to the construction of the Malaguenian Cathedral. In that same year, Don Pedro Diaz de Toledo, first bishop of Málaga, published the bylaws of the church. This same bishop command the opening of the Door of the Pardon, but it was not finished until the bishopric of Don Caesar Riario (1519-1540), according to the indications engraved in the shield built on it.
See a large image of the cathedral
New altars and chapels were also erected, being that of Saint Gregory the only one conserving some Gothic remains. As the temple was insufficient to cover the needs of the city, it was decided to build a new one. In 1528 being Don Bernardino de Contreras governing in behalf of the bishop Riario, it was decided to call the Toledian master Enrique Egeas and the stonecutter Pedro Lopez, so that they could revise and approve the plans. It is not known who accomplished these plans and they were accredited to different persons; Egea, Siloé, Hernán Ruiz, or Juan Bautista de Toledo.
In the year 1588 the Cordovan, Hernán Ruiz III, and four years afterwards, the Sevillian great master, Juan de Minjares, supervised the Choir to which a new design was given, by Francisco de Mora, in 1598. Ended in 1631, it was demolished thereafter.
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