Málaga’s Alcazaba is the city’s most important landmark and the best-preserved Moorish fortress palace in Spain.
It was constructed on the ruins of a Roman fortification during the reign of Abd-al-Rahman I, the first Emir of Córdoba, in around 756-780AD. It’s original purpose was for defence and its vantage point offered commanding views over the city, down to the Mediterranean Sea and across to Africa. Until the late 19th century, the sea reached the lower walls of the complex, which are no longer in existence today.
Although less famous, Málaga’s Alcazaba was already three centuries old when the more well-known Alcazar de Sevilla and the Alhambra of Granada were built.
The fortress was built of limestone, which crumbles easily and has therefore required frequent rebuilding throughout its existence. The most extensive of which was carried out by Badis Al-Ziri, the Sultan of Granada in the Taifa era, from 1040 to 1065AD. He fortified and enlarged it so extensively that some chroniclers considered him the original builder.
The fortified path linking the Alcazaba to the Gibralfaro was later constructed by Yusuf 1st in the 14th century, when most of the inner palace was also refurbished.
At one time, the Alcazaba was much more than a fortress. It is thought that, for a large part of its history, Málaga had two main areas, that of the Alcazaba and the lower area, which were well connected with streets and houses. Within the Alcazaba lived governors, courtiers and soldiers.
The entrance forms part of the city walls and features a Moorish ‘puerta en rocodo’, a defensive castle entrance designed to delay the arrival of attackers by placing a blank wall behind the entrance arch, forcing a sharp right turn in order to access the next part of the fortress.
In 1497, after a harsh siege which resulted in Málaga becoming part of the Kingdom of Castilla-Leon, the city was no longer directed from the Alcazaba. The fortress was reduced to a defensive role and governed by a mayor appointed by the king. A feature of particular historic interest within the Alcazaba is the Torre del Cristo (Christ’s Tower), where the first mass was celebrated following this victory of the town by the Reyes Católicos.
Over time, the complex fell into disrepair and became unusable until, in 1931, it was declared a National Monument. In 1933 major efforts to conserve and repair this important part of Málaga’s history began. Two of its original three walls remain, as well as over 100 towers and three palaces.
A number of the palace’s original defensive patios are now beautifully decorated with orange trees, fountains and benches. The palace’s courtyards, Patio de los Naranjos (courtyard of the orange trees) and Patio de la Alberca (courtyard of the pool) are very similar to some of the Alhambra de Granada’s most photographed spots.
There is a small archeological museum, which exhibits fragments of Roman pottery and statues of various sites around the province.
The Alcazaba is open from 9:00 to 20:00 in the summer (1st April to 31st October) and from 9:00 to 18:00 in the winter. It is closed January 1st, February 28th and December 25th. Entrance costs 3.50€ and a joint entrance for the Alcazaba and the Gibralfaro costs 5.50€.
SOURCES:
- https://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/alcazaba.htm
- Alcazaba de Málaga Ayuntamiento de Málaga information leaflet
