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Sayalonga
To me
the name seems to conjure up images of the Marlon Brando
film Sayonara and on visiting its famous circular cementary I almost expected to
see the graves of Kelly and Katsumi, forever together after their final
Sayonara!
Leaving behind Hollywood of the 1950´s and zooming full
speed ahead into the year 2011 we discover that Sayalonga has stayed pretty much
as it was during Arab rule with the Mudejar-style Church of Santa Catalina,
which was built in the XVI Century on the site of an old mosque and the 90,000
litre water tank El Ventorillo del Aljibe.
One of the most important Arabic poets Mohamed Al-Hasmi, who wrote a poem
about Mecca, was born at the Arab settlement, Batahiz, the ruins of which can
still be seen beside this water tank.
Other
places of interest in this village that has been twinned with Piaggine in Italy,
are the Ermita of San Cayetano, situated next to the church. There is a statue of the saint inside the
Ermita which is thought to have been built around XVII. However, Sayalonga´s real claim to fame is
the aforementioned circular cemetery, possibly the only one of its kind in
Spain. Apparently it has more than 3,000
visitors a year making it one of the most visited architectural monuments in the
Axarquía. To find out more about this
incredible place, go to the Tourist Office and ask for the key to the
Interpretation Centre which can be found at the entrance to the cemetery, it
gives the history and origins of the construction. A good place to take a photograph of the
cemetery is from the Mirador, on the road leading down the hill at the beginning
of the village, you cannot miss it as
you drive down from the direction of Cómpeta.
Another fame to claim in Sayalonga is the street of La
Alcuza which is the narrowest to be found in the Axarquía at only 55cm at its
closest point! It is situated near the
Plaza de la Constitution by the tourist office and church. The village is quite small, so you won´t get
lost!
Before
you leave, do visit the Fountain of Cid.
It provided the main supply of water to the Arabs and was named for El Cid Campeador,
(real name Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar) a Castilian nobleman, military leader and diplomat who conquered and governed the
city of Valencia, but not before having drunk of the water in
Sayalonga!
The
village is situated just 9 kilometres up the hill from Algarrobo Costa, 41
kilometres east of Malaga, it is on the Axarquía route of Sun and Wine. A good day to visit, if you like the sweet
and sour Nispero (the paradise fruit of the Axarquía) is the first Sunday of May
when the fruit is harvested and a good time is had by all, or another festival is on 7th
October when the Patron Saint of Sayalonga, La Señora del Rosario, is given
thanks for the years harvest. Whenever
you visit the village you will be given a warm welcome by the locals and there
are plenty of bars and restaurants where you can sit and while away the
afternoon before saying Sayonara to Sayalonga and driving back down the mountain
to the motorway at Algarrobo.
Salto del Negro
This
small village has about 160 inhabitants and is situated next to Benamargosa and
below Cútar and Comares. In fact
folkflore has it that Salto del Negro was named when the Moors refused to
convert to Christianity and either jumped or were pushed off the top of Comares,
landing in a place thereafter to be known as Salto del Negro or Black Mans
Leap! There are other versions of this
tale, three of which are listed on a plaque in the village.
It is
90 metres above sea level and sits amongst lemon groves just above the
Benamagosa river facing the old mill by the bridge.
Sedella
At 689 metres above sea level we
discover Sedella, so named, according to the town hall website, because Queen
Isabella when told of the fight between Christians and Muslims at an area known
as Arroyo de la Matanza said, Sé de ella (I know about it)
At such an altitude you can be sure of
magnificent views and in fact on clear days you can even see the Atlas
Mountains! Closer to home are the
mountains of Bentomiz and the Sierra Tejeda.
To get to Sedella the best route by car
is is either via Canillas de Aceituno or from the autovia turn off at Algarrobo
and drive inland past Sayalonga, turn left for Archez, drive over the bridge and
then turn right following signs for Salares and Sedella. Having arrived at Sedella, continue driving
as if going on to Canillas de Aceituno and park the car where you can by the
last entrance to the village, one of the first places of interest is the public
laundry or wash house situated between three green trimmed arches, which before
the invention of washing machines was in constant use by the towns women.
Onwards and upwards to the main square and the most unique building in town, the
Casa del Torreón or Tower House, Mudéjar in origin and the former home of the
Mayor of Donceles , Lord of Sedella, it was built in the 16th century
in the Mudéjar style over a quadrangular floor plan. The tower has twin arches
on Renaissance columns with a beam supported hip roof. Majestically sitting at
highest point in the village up a flight of 12 steps is the church of San Andrés
with its square two part tower and octagonal belfry, the only vestige of the
original 16th century building.
If the climb up has made you thirsty you can take a libation in the Bar
just below the church.
Sedella borders with the municipalities of Canillas de
Aceituno, Canillas de Albaida, Salares, Arenas and Alhama de Granada and is one
of the 31 villages in the Axarquía that form the Ruta Mudéjar and as mentioned
above, the village is filled with examples of Mudéjar architecture and in cases
where new houses have been built you can often see how the original Mudéjar
design has influenced the design. (see photo!)
Like
many Axarquía villages Sedella suffered in the earthquake of 1884 but luckily
for the inhabitants only the buildings were damaged and there was no loss of
life.
Torre del Mar
At 28
kilometres east of Málaga you will find this charming sea-side resort that is
part of the scenic Axarquía route of sun and avocado. The main crop of this area used to be sugar
cane and the few fields that still lead down from the coast road to the sea
shore are testament to this. However, in
this ever changing and financially material world we live in the farmers find
that crops such as mangoes and avocadoes are much more economically
friendly! One of the few remaining
Osborne Bulls looms over the town from its high position above the naturist
beach at Almayate where the river divides the two towns and spews water and
other things onto the beach after heavy rainfall!
Sugar
cane was introduced to the area in the 10th century by the Muslims
and a Coruña Zagra named Ramon built the first industrial manufacture of sugar
cane in Torre del Mar on the site of an old mill. The Factory, (Ingenio Azucarero) called Nuestra Señora del Carmen de Torre del Mar, was active
in 1991 and went through several owners. The chimneys and sugar mill are still standing
today and can be seen in the middle of the town
If you
love peace and quiet the two days of the year to avoid visiting this bustling
town are its main festivals where the place is heaving. These are July 26th for the feast
day of its patron saints, Santiago and Santa Ana and of course the eve of the
feast of the Virgin del Carmen on July 15th when everyone camps out
on the beaches, lighting bonfires and jumping over them three times to cleanse
and purify their souls before dipping into the sea at midnight to bring good
luck for the coming year and wash away any lurking evil
spirits.
Like
many areas in the Axarquía, Torre del Mar dates back to the Carthaginians,
Phoenician, and Roman times and was used as a main port in the 10th
century when the town was called Miraya Ballis!
In the 15th century there was a castle that defended attacks
from pirates and foreigners. It takes
its new name, Tower of the Sea, from the many watchtowers that were all along
its coastline during Roman and Moorish times.
In the 19th century it was made up of four distinct Barrios or
quarters, Barrio del Castillo, Barrio de la Viña, Barrio de la Parroquia and
Casas Nuevas. In the beginning of the
20th century it had a train station and few spa´s and the town rather
than defending against foreigners actively sought them out but it wasn´t until
the 1960´s that tourism really came to town, when beach promenades and large
avenues were built to accommodate them and infrastructures like hotels were
built to keep them staying on!
These
days there is a new tram that links the towns of Vélez-Málaga to Torre del Mar and a lighthouse that stands
in the centre of the paseo de maritime.
There is an area on the other side of the road called El Copo which is
a 500 metres sretch of bars and
discotheques open until 6 am in summer and at weekends during winter. On the other side of the road during summer is
a street market open every day until 3 am.
It’s a fun place for old and young alike with plenty of ice-cream
parlours to tempt even the most jaded of pallets!
Torrox
Travelling 46 kilometres to the east of Málaga we
discover Torrox, which is reputed to have the Best Climate In Europe! There are
two distinct areas of Torrox, Torrox
Costa which boasts 3 kilometres of beach front with a beautiful Paseo Marítimo
to stroll along and Torrox Pueblo,
4 kilometres up the hill, which
like all the Pueblo´s Blanco´s of the Axarquía, has retained its Moorish
heritage with steep winding streets and archways.
Torrox
Costa has a lighthouse (Faro) and next to it is a Roman Necropolis which is now
protected by a look out point with a glass floor so that you can see the graves
without disturbing them. Even if you
didn´t realize there was anything of interest to see under the floor this
mirador stretches out to the sea and is an interesting place to visit in its own
right. The Paseo Marítimo has lots of bars and chiringuitos and is a great place
to catch the rays even on a winters day.
The
Pueblo, sheltered as it is by both the Sierra Almijara and Sierra Tejeda
mountains, is living proof of its claim of el Mejor Clima de Europa! You can often sit in the main square and
partake of a cool libation while Malaga and Marbella are hidden by grey clouds
and rain! Torrox is part of the Axarquía route of Sun and Wine and on the last
Sunday before Christmas it holds its Migas Fiesta. If you have never sampled Migas before then
this is the time to take your first taste.
It’s a traditional dish for harvest workers and is made from stale bread,
olive oil, water and garlic and any left over meat available. During this
festival the dish is cooked in large frying pans throughout the village and
whilst waiting to eat you can listen to music and watch the locals dancing in
the village square.
The
Mudejar style church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación can be found in the
centre of the village and as with most churches it is so huge that its difficult
to see the bell tower without bending over backwards! Although if you stand in the main square
opposite the town hall you can just catch a glimpse of the bell tower to your
right!
On the way out of the village down to the coast there is
a large Ermita y Convento Nuestra Señora de las Nieves which was constructed in
the XVIII century and was founded by the Friars of the Order of San
Francisco. As well as being used for
religion it was also a storeroom for fruit!
Totalán
Between the Axarquía and the Montes of Málaga is the
small village of Totalán, part of the scenic Route of the Raisin, 13 kilometres
inland from the coast at Rincon de la Victoria and 22 kilometres from Málaga, it
is approached from the autovia by coming off at the Centro Comercial Rincon de
la Victoria and then turning right and driving inland, winding up along and
above the dry river bed for about 300 metres until you approach the village
where the first thing you notice is the new Paseo de Salud, built by the town in
2009 to encourage its residents to take a healthy stroll. There are strategically placed benches where
walkers can sit and take a break whilst admiring the views, smooth mountains
full of almond and olive trees. Mind you
walking through the village itself might seem good enough exercise as it is very
steep and there are lots of steps to get the thighs in shape!
Totalán was apparently named for the Arab pastry Torta
and its most famous festival, of Provincial Interest, held in November each year
if the Chanfaina Fiesta which celebrates a popular and ancient dish named
Chanfaina, a kind of stew, made from potatoes, olive oil, offal, black pudding,
sausages, breadcrumbs, garlic, cloves, vinegar, salt, pepper and cumin. So with food very much at the forefront perhaps the town hall knew what it was
talking about when it wanted its inhabitants to go and
exercise!
One of
the first squares you find in the village itself is the Plaza de la Constitucion
where the 17th century church of Santa Ana, built in 1505 complete
with an Arab Arch dominates the skyline. You can also find a baker´s, a chemist,
a bank and one of the entrances to the town hall.
Totalán may be small but it has its claim to fame! Paco and María, the parents of the singer and
actor Antonio Molina, were both born in
the village and the main square, where you can easily park your car, is named
after him, Plaza Antonio Molina. There
is a plaque that says although he was born in Málaga he learned to sing in
Totalán. As did the flamenco singer Enrique Castillo who was also born in the
village.
When
you leave the village, instead of driving back the way you came from the Centro
Comercial, why not carry on, drive over the bridge and make your way back via
the village of Olías where you can stop for a drink before descending down the
steep and windy road that leads you back to Málaga. The views are spectacular!
Trapiche
At
just 6 kilometres from the coast, driving on the A-356 in the direction of Viñuela from Vélez-Málaga
is the Hamlet of Trapiche ( pronounced
Trapeechay) it is named after the Mill
that was once there and the old machinery is now on display in a garden with the
name TRAPICHE so you can´t miss it! Driving on the old road from Vélez you don´t
have to turn off at all and can just park in the street and take a stroll down
to the church and the old Apeadero or station house left over from the days of
the railway. The old Church or Ermita de San Ysidro Labrador is currently being
renovated and the inside was full of workmen when I took my photo. ! There is a monument, near the Apeadero, to Trapiche´s most famous son, the artist and
poet Juan Jurado Lorca, born on 15th June 1950.
Other
places of interest near Trapiche are the Leoni Benabu airport, or flying club
and the Buddhist Stupa further up on the mountain overlooking Trapiche. The farmers market, run by ex pats, is held
every Tuesday morning in the grounds of the flying club in the Jardines del
Trapiche which was once an old cortijo, La Palma. Here you can buy most things
from fruit and veg to second hand computers!
Triana
Turning left on the A-356 at El Cruce restaurant onto
the MA-3113 and driving past the airport the next village is Triana at just 6.5
kilometres from Vélez-Málaga. As
villages go, this one is extremely flat which is unusual in the Axarquía. It is also quite a new village with the first
houses being built in the late nineteenth century. At first, foreigners settled across the river
in La Zorilla ( which had once been inhabited by bandits and smugglers!) but the
river which in those days was often full of water, meant that there was no way
across and people were stranded for months on end. Also, up in the mountains in the areas known
as La Dehesa and Las Chozas, there was once a school for the farmers children
but that closed and the people came down the mountain to find work and build
houses and a new school. Citrus fruit was planted close to the river in the
valley and the area took on a lush, verdant look. Now the farmers have changed their crops to
the more lucrative mango and avocado so instead of driving over lemons as you
twist and wind your way along the road from Trapiche to Benamargosa, you
actually find yourself driving over avocados as they fall into the road. For leisure, a new swimming pool and
childrens playground has been built and the school gates are left open after
school hours for the kids to play football or roller skate. There are a few bars that do food, a
supermarket and a few small shops. There
is a plaque on the wall of a house, in the closest thing there is to a village
square, in honour of the singer José Beltrán Ortega, Niño de Vélez for the world
of flamenco, who was born in Triana on 9th April
1906.
The annual Romeria takes place in June and the Triana´s main festival is every
July. Just outside the village is a
small riding school where you can ride out along the dry river bed to one of the
many bars, tie up the horses and have a drink and tapas or for the more
adventurous ride up into the mountains where the views are
spectacular.
Vélez-Málaga
Vélez-Málaga is the capital of the Axarquía and is on the scenic
route of sun and avocado. It is situated just 1 kilometre inland from the coast
at Torre del Mar. After the Moors conquest of Spain they founded Vélez-Málaga,
naming it Ballix-Malaca (fortress of Malaga) It was one of the main cities of
the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada during the 13th to 14th century. As early as the
10th century 75% of the towns folk were Muslims, the rest were
Christians.
Ferdinand and Isabella on attempting to defeat Moorish rule decided
to capture Velez-Malaga so they could use the route through to Granada via
Zafarraya, they also needed to be able to use the port at Mariyya Ballix (Torre
del Mar) to bring in supplies. After their defeat of the town the Moors didn´t
leave immediately as the monarchy wanted to continue the production and export
of among other things the sweet Malaga wine, but they were eventually expelled
in 1584.
During the 15th and 17th centuries the Catholics decided to get rid
of the Islamic heritage that remained in the town and started to destroy many of
the old Moorish houses, building instead huge Churches, Monasteries and
Convents, to such an extent that the town soon became known as Cuidad Conventual
(Convent City). Santa Maria was one of the first to be built and today it
remains an interesting site with its Muslim Minaret. Also the Convent of San
Francisco which was built in 1488 can be found in the Plaza de San Francisco
next to the indoor market. The construction was funded by the Catholic
Kings.
The main square in the centre of town is the Plaza de las Carmelitas
where you can find the town hall on one side and the Convent of Jesus, Mary and
Joseph, also known as the Convent of Carmelitas on the other.
The old town was declared a historic
artistic monument in November 1970 and a must see are the beautiful paintings of
local artist Evaristo Guerra in the Hermitage de los Remedios, patron of Vélez.
A real work of love.
However, the real land mark of Velez
has to be La Fortaleza, built on a hill top in the 13th century. It was an
important fort in the 13th and 15th centuries for the Nazari Kingdom. It was
used as a general headquarters in 1487 when the Catholic Monarchs conquered the
city.
The Axarquía even has its own currency,
the Axarcos, which came into effect in 1988 when Antonio Gámez Burgos, a native
of Vélez-Málaga who in his desire to build a unified region, created this coin
which is in use in many bars and restaurants notably La Peña just behind the
town hall.
In the square in front of the Teatro
del Carmen is a statue of one of the towns famous inhabitants, Antonio Ortega
Escalona, better known as Juan Breva, who was born in Vélez-Málaga in 1844 and
became one of the most important flamenco singers in Málaga. He was the creator
of the Malagueños and Verdiales and he sang to the two Kings of Spain Alfonso
XII and Alfonso XIII.
The official fiestas of the town are
held on August 26th and September 27th. The feria is held mid July and the
Romeria mid May.
Vélez-Málaga is very much a bustling,
working Spanish town where you can still get a couple of tapas and a beer for 2
euros 50 cents from one of the bars overlooking the Parque de Andalucia where
you can take a stroll or just stand and admire the amazing bicentennial trees at
its entrance with their incredible huge trunks and roots.
Do take time out to visit Vélez-Málaga,
you won´t be disappointed!
Viñuela
The
name Viñuela these days makes people think of the Lake or Pantano and
surrounding areas but La Viñuela the typical little white Spanish pueblo is from
where the Pantano took its name. La Viñuela (the little vineyard) nestles in a
little valley, 131 metres above sea level, alongside a shady stream and as
villages go its long and thin in shape.
Its part of the Axarquía route of Olive Oil and Mountains and is just 19
kilometres from the coast at Torre del Mar.
Apart
from the 16th century parish church of San José the most notable building in the village is
La Venta La Viña which in days gone by used to be a watering hole for weary
travelers making their way up to Granada through the Boquete de Zafarraya. The sign outside the building says that the Inn was built at the crossroads of the
Granada and Antequera Cattle Routes to serve the Muleteers who used these
routes. It was one of the first houses
in the village. Now its been
completely renovated and enlarged and is a lovely new restaurant serving very good, wholesome food.
Even
though this area has proved to be one of the first for human settlement, as a
village La Viñuela is probably the newest in the Axarquía having been founded in
the 18th century. Lucas García del Rey was its first Mayor and he
took office in 1764.
The
easiest way to get to the village is to follow signs for Viñuela or Zafarraya
when you leave the motorway at Vélez-Málaga and turn right just before the
dam. Once on the road leading to the
Boquete de Zafarraya, which you can see
rising high above you, there will be a sign to La Viñuela. Don´t follow the sign to Hotel Viñuela as its
in the opposite direction!
I found the best way to explore the village was to park
in the shade of the trees by the stream and walk up through the main
street. Before going anywhere do visit
the park where you can use the adult exercise equipment or play Pétanque on the
pupose built sand piste, there is also a childrens playground and some old mill
machinery which is interesting to look at. Walking up the main street you find
women sitting in their doorways or on their steps chatting to each other or just
watching passers by. Further up is the
Church of San José situated in a little flower filled courtyard amongst some
houses, right opposite the new Venta La Viña.
The church itself would go unnoticed as you walk up the hill if it wasn´t
for its belfry tower which was added in the 18th century. Just behind the church is a fountain at the
entrance to a bar where the street widens a little. There are signs to different walks dotted
about the streets and the area attracts ramblers and bird watchers. Further up the street are the newly built
town hall and health centre.
Work
on building the lake or pantano wasn´t started until 1981 and contrary to
popular belief there is no submerged village complete with church steeple below
the water! Although a local man did tell
me his grandmothers house was down there!
Since it was first filled with water from the rivers Salia, Benamargosa,
Bermuza, Rubite and the Madre del Llano de Zafarraya stream, El Pantano has
become the largest reservoir in Málaga with a maximum depth of 230m. It has become so important to the local
community that it is now part of the municipal coat of arms and La Viñuela
village has built a new monument to it complete with fountain.
Zafarraya
Although (Ventas de ) Zafarraya is the Gateway to
Granada Province and not Axarquía at all, it is only just outside la Comarca and
finishes off my A – Z nicely! So I set
off to drive up through the Boquete de Zafarraya armed with my camera to share
with you the most outstanding views that you get when you drive back through the
pass and the Axarquía unfolds in front of you.
I wanted to share the Wow factor that awaits you as you leave the flat
roads of Granada province and pass through this Gateway where the vista drops
down in front of you from 906 metres to the sea shore at Torre del Mar. This view takes in everything, the peaks of
Tajo de la Cueva and El Morron de La Cuña, the Hamlets of Espino, Los Morales,
Los Cortijillos and Los Pavitos, little dots of white clusted amongst the yellow
Aulaga, Gayombas and Cardillos and the green Tomillo and wild Espárragos. The
larger village of Alcaucín and the Parque Natural, La Maroma which today is speckled with snow
and then the valley leading down to the lake and the sea beyond. But today is shrouded in mist and rain and my
camera cannot capture the beauty that awaits you on a clear day. So instead I
drive into the town that’s claim to fame these days is a Neanderthal jaw bone, teeth and tools
that were found in la Cueva del Boquete, a cave that was excavated between 1983
and 1992. This archaeologist find has
disproved the theory that Neanderthals were replaced by modern humans as these
bones were dated to 30,000 years ago
proving Neanderthals co-existed with modern humans in Western Europe for nearly
10,000 years.
There
are two Zafarrayas, the first one you
come across as you drive through the pass is Ventas de Zafarraya, named for the
Ventas (Inns) that served the many weary travelers who changed their exhausted
horses and took shelter and refreshment before travelling onto to Granada. The other Zafarraya is just 3 klms to the
left and the most significant building that towers above this small village is
its ruined church which is floodlit at night.
Destroyed during the earthquake in 1884 it has such a romantic feel to it
that I would imagine church services held here amongst the ruins would be
preferable to those held within the church that was built to replace it at the
end of the XIX century by general Narváez with money coming in from Cuba, which
was at that time a Spanish colony.
In the main square in Ventas de Zafarraya is the Iglesia
de Santa María de los Dolores.
Having
driven up to Zafarraya it’s a shame to just drive back again so why not take a
lovely walk along the disused railway line which in the glory days at the start
of the 20th century linked Periana to the Ventas de Zafarraya. Work
on the line started in 1911 but was not completed until 1922 and ran for only 38
years before being closed in 1960.
To get
to the Boquete de Zafarraya turn off the A-7 Autovia at Vélez-Málaga and drive
inland on the A-356 until just before the lake at Viñuela, before the dam turn
right onto the A-402 and you will see the pass looming up ahead of you. The road you are on is steep and winding and
the cars and lorries up ahead look almost like a model railway as they chug
along up to the clouds. There is a very
nice bar/restaurant on the right as you drive through the gates to Granada
province that as well as selling drinks and food has knives for sale behind the
bar. Imagine that being allowed back in
England!
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