Malaga City

A large and bustling seaport, it is Andalucias second city, (after Seville), and first impressions are not encouraging.

The river Guadalmedina bisects the East and West of the city. Its main avenue is Avenida de Andalucia which eventually leads to Paseo del Parque.

You cannot fail to be impressed by the magnificent Alcazaba and Gibralfaro Castle which dominate the city and overlook the Casco Antiguo, (Old Town), with its typically narrow and winding streets.

Alcazaba

In the shadow of Gibralfaro lies a massive fortress started by the Moors in the 8th century. It was the residence of the Arab Emirs of Malaga who ruled over their kingdom after the break up of the Western Caliphate.

Its multifaceted construction, flower encircled arbours and leafy terraces are a pleasure to discover in the summer heat.

Just at the Alcazaba’s entrance stands a ‘Teatro Romano' (Roman Theatre) discovered in 1951 during the construction of the Casa de Cultura.

Excavations continue and the venue will eventually be used to stage outdoor events. This incidentally is the only visible Roman structure that remains in the city.

Gibralfaro

Above the Alcazaba and connected to it by a long double wall is the castle. One remnant of the city’s Islamic past with its vast ramparts.

Built by Yussef I of Granada in the 14th century the fortified walls, parapets and Moorish lighthouse provides stunning views of the city and port and the Costa del Sol stretching westwards.

Nothing much remains of the interior of the castle but its views are well worth the visit.

The Cathedral

Dominating the views from the castle is Malaga’s half finished cathedral. Built on the site of an old mosque it has been nicknamed ‘La Manquita’, (One armed lady), as it has only one tower.

Once inside it is easy to see why the project took over 200 years to complete.

The soaring interior, 40m tall, is distinguished by the alter made of Italian marble with agate columns and an enormous cedar-wood choir.

Casa Natal de Picasso

The house where Picasso was born holds the Picasso Foundation and is located in La Plaza de la Merced.

The foundation is a research centre and exhibition hall of contemporary art. It also boasts a small exhibition of personal memorabilia.


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