Monuments in Malaga

The Alcazaba

The Alcazaba was built on the site of an old Roman fortress. It is situated on the top of a hill from which it has a panoramic view of the city and sea. The construction of this defensive citadel was begun by the Abd al Rahman rulers of Cordova and finished in 1063 by Badis Ben Habbus, zirí king of Granada.

The monumental part was protected by three concentric walls, two of which remain today. It had 110 main towers and several smaller ones. Amongst the most important are the Torre del Homenaje ("Tower of Homage" or "the Keep") which was constructed during the reign of Abd al Rahman I.

The upper section of the Alcazaba is where they used to live, formed of 3 palaces of similar construction to that of Granada's Alhambra. The Alcazaba now houses the Archeological Museum.

Gibralfaro Castle

Behind the Alcazaba are the Gibralfaro Castle remains, standing on the mountain the moors called Jabul Faruk or Castillo del Faro ("Beacon Castle") from which its name derives. It was joined to the Alcazaba by a walled pathway.

It is thought that this castle already existed before the Roman conquest. Abd al Rahman III transformed it into a fortress and around 1340 Yusuf I extended it and made it the castle we see today. Inside were located the alcázar ("fortress") and mosque which unfortunately have not survived. After the Reconquest the Catholic Monarchs chose the Gibralfaro Castle as an emblem on the coat of arms they presented to the city in 1494.

Roman Theatre

In 1951, the tiers of a Roman theatre, built in the first century, were discovered under the west face of the Alcazaba. Subsequent studies showed that it fell into disuse in the third century and that part of its construction was used by the Arabs as material for the Alcazaba. Nowadays, the theatre serves as headquarters for the International Theatre Festival.

Cathedral

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The building took place in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries on what was the Muslims's main mosque. Such a long period of construction explains the mixture of styles in the various parts of the building - the floor is Gothic, the altar area and pillars are Renaissance, and the towers, roof and main façade Baroque. The work was abandoned in 1782, leaving the south tower unbuilt.

The cathedral has an impressive central nave and two laterals with 15 chapels, of which stand out the Santa Bárbara and Nuestra Señora de los Reyes chapels. In the central nave are the magnificent choir stalls, the work of Ortiz de Vargas and Pedro Mena, and two organs made by Julián de la Orden between 1779 and 1781.

Courthouse

The Courthouse is located outside the town centre on the promenade going towards the Caleta beach. In 1928 the building was inaugurated as the Hotel Príncipe de Asturias. During the civil war it was used as a hospital but was then converted into the Hotel Miramar until the end of the 60's.

The building itself is considered the greatest work of the Malagan architect Fernando Guerrero Strachan. The interior design has Arab motifs which mix fluidly with other styles such as Salamantine Plateresque or French Isabelline style. The exterior is of solid, noble design, set in extensive gardens. The façade's most striking feature is the multicoloured effect created by the mixture of ceramics, tiles, ironwork and wood.