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Sightseeing in Málaga
Sightseeing in Málaga
Alcazaba
Málaga would be visually unentertaining were it not for the Alcazaba riding the hill overlooking the city and port, with its terraced levels of battlements, towers and evergreens. King Badis, the zirí of Granada, was responsible for the construction of this fortified palace in the 11th century, though the site had served a defensive purpose long before. A partially excavated Roman amphitheater is visible at the base of the fortress, which has had a tunnel excavated beneath to facilitate transportation between the port and old city. The Museo Arqueológico inside houses a collection of Phoenician, Roman and Moorish artifacts, with an emphasis on the latter
Castillo de Gibralfaro
Castillo de Gibralfaro: Yabal-Faruk was renamed Gibralfaro when the Moors reinforced the previous site under Yusuf I in the 14th century. The name Gibralfaro is derived from the Arabic yabal (mountain) and the Greek faruk (lighthouse). The clear indication is that, at an earlier time when the Phoenicians claimed the port, the mountain of Gibralfaro already contained a castle and it must have possessed a lighthouse. During the Moors’ restructuring – no doubt hastened by the steadily encroaching Christians – the defensive wall known as the coracha terrestre was constructed, connecting the castle with the Alcazaba. It was one of the most imposing and impregnable Moorish fortress compounds in Spain.
After a 40-day siege in 1487 Málaga fell to the Christians, who quickly saw to it that all of the city’s 15,000 inhabitants were rounded up and auctioned into slavery.
An interpretation center inside the castle offers a grouping of glass displays that highlight the various centuries of the castle’s existence, along with models of what the city of Málaga would have looked like way back when. To reach the castle, catch bus #35 from the Paseo del Parque. (Open winter 9:30 am-5:45 pm, summer 9:30 am-7:45 pm; entry 1.80i, or 3i with access to the Alcazaba.)
La Catedral
La Catedral: Work on Málaga’s cathedral began in 1528 under the architect Diego de Siloé, but, as is often the case in Spanish architectural history, construction carried on well into the succeeding centuries. In fact, the building still isn’t complete. In the space where there should be a second bell tower there is only a small heap of pillars, construction having been halted in 1765 when funding dried up. The void has earned the cathedral its nickname, La Manquita (the one-armed one). The result is an odd but appealing mix of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque design. The Museo Catedralicio occupies annexed buildings adjoining the cathedral with a collection of religious art, including paintings by Cano, Coello and Morales. A trip up to the completed tower affords views of the old cityscape.
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