The Alcazaba: Malaga’s Unmissable Fortress.

The Alcazaba: Malaga’s Unmissable Fortress.

2016-2017.

In the spring of 2016 I relocated to the Spanish city of Málaga. Renting a small apartment in the centre, I settled into a gentle routine of writing, reading, watching films and jogging down to the beach each day before turning back through the warming streets.

To keep things ticking over I picked up a little teaching work, though it left me with plenty of time to explore. Slowly, almost absent-mindedly, I worked my way through Málaga’s sights.

And when friends or family came to stay — which happened more often than I’d expected — I found myself returning to many of those same places, seeing them again through fresh eyes.

My favourite sight was The Alcazaba, Malaga’s grand fortress, which bleeds seamlessly into the lofty ruins of Gibralfaro Castle. Over the course of my twelve months in the city, I came around a dozen times, and never grew bored of it.

In fact, I can still recall the first time I caught sight of The Alcazaba from Calle Alcazabilla during my first week in the city. The remains of an ancient Roman theatre sit snugly at the foot of the fortress by the main entrance. Discovered in 1951, historians say the theatre was built in the 1st century AD in the days of Augustus.

The Alcazaba, Malaga.

The Alcazaba stands at the foot of Gibralfaro Hill. The Berber King Badis ibn Habus ordered its construction, which took place between 1057-1063.

Although firmly in the shadow of The Alhambra in Granada, this is actually the best preserved fortress in Spain. I was spellbound from the moment I began my ascent through those first stone walkways, flanked by fragrant bushes and orange trees.

In 1279 Muhammed II Ben al-Ahmar conquered Malaga and soon set about transforming the fortifications into a Nasri Kingdom palace. It really is a joy to wander through what survives, including several rectangular patios with reflecting pools, trimmed hedges, stone columns and Moorish fountains.

Perhaps most endearing of all is the narrow water channel that runs from the top of the mountain down to the gardens. You can follow its trickling sound as you pass under the various horseshoe arches.

Malaga Fortress.

Even this early on in the hike, there are fine, ever-blossoming views of Malaga’s wondrous skyline. Like it or loathe it, people leave their mark on the stone ledges. A quick look usually reveals dates of visits, declarations of love and hasty doodles. From what I understand, local authorities clean the ledges every few months.

Further up, the ramparts provide a clear view over the Port of Malaga, very often decorated by an anchored cruise ship. To the right of the below photo, you can also see the gorgeous Gardens of Pedro Luis Alonso, next to the handsome Ayuntamiento (City Hall).

In order to enter Gibralfaro Castle, one has to follow the mountain path that snakes around the hill. The ruin that we see today was built by Yusuf I of Granada at the start of the 14th century.

Gibralfaro Castle.

Yusuf constructed it purely as a defence system for both The Alcazaba and indeed the city. Its name comes from a mix of Arabic (Jbel) and Greek (faro), which combine to form the Spanish word Gibralfaro. This translates into English as “rock of light”.

It’s certainly a fitting name, especially when I found myself quite literally blinded by spears of sunlight as I negotiated the castle’s restored, double walled pathway, La Coracha.

In 1487 the Catholic kings unleashed a relentless four-month attack on the city, known as The Siege of Malaga. After claiming the fortress and castle, King Ferdinand of Aragon turned the old joint into his private residence.

He went on to further strengthen both structures, building connecting corridors and tunnels from which the royal family could flee in the event of an attack.

There are several such corridors to explore. On one particular visit my niece Alice went running down one, but sadly it proved to be a dead end. She didn’t seem too concerned.

While it’s fun exploring the castle’s intersecting paths, the highlight is definitely drinking in the spectacular views. From the top you can see absolutely everything, from Malaga Cathedral and the Bullring (La Malagueta) to individual squares like Plaza de la Constitución.

The Alcazaba, Malaga.

By the mid-eighteenth century, both Malaga’s Alcazaba and its adjoining castle had fallen into disrepair. For a while it served as a military base, which closed in 1925. Since then, millions have been poured into restoring both structures and beautifying the entire area.

Photo courtesy of Fernando.

Take the forest of eucalyptus and pine trees, for example, added to the upper walkways in 2005. Moreover, a small museum, crafted within the former gunpowder stores, provides an in-depth historical overview.

Entry to the Alcazaba and castle is priced at 7 Euros each, though a combined ticket gets that down to 10 Euros. From April to October it opens from 09:00-20:00, while in the winter (November to March) the grounds close earlier at 18:00. For more info, it’s worth checking out the official website.

Like this? Why not check out more of my travel reports from Malaga.

To delve further afield, I’ve also written articles from across Andalusia and all over Spain.

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