This web page uses its own cookies and the third-party cookies to collect the information which help us make the service as good as possible. By no means is our intention to use it for gathering personal data.

Cookies policy

History of Algarrobo

Diputación de Málaga
Algarrobo

History of Algarrobo

The River Algarrobo flows through this village, which stretches across the mountains of the Axarquîa region to the east of the valley of the River Vêlez and down to the sea via the narrow coastal strip that runs from Mezquitilla to La Caleta de Vêlez.

The earliest evidence of urban settlement in the village, which dates back to the Bronze Age, was found at El Morro de Mezquitilla, though the most interesting findings were made at Trayamar Necropolis, where a series of tombs dating back to the 8th century before Christ stretch from Trayamar estate to a nearby hill. These are without doubt some of the most important historical-artistic relics in Europe as far as Phoenician civilisation is concerned.

Later the Arabs arrived, specifically the Berber tribe of the Beni Tumi who, in addition to lending their name to the Sierra de Bentomiz, stimulated the local economy and raised the profile of the area by cultivating raisins, figs and almonds, in addition to producing silk. They were also responsible for the winding streets and varying levels that still characterise the layout of the village today.

Towards the end of the 15th century, the village of Algarrobo fell into the hands of Doña Catalina de Ribera, who had to put down a rebellion by Moorish converts, subsequently expelling them and repopulating the area with Christian families. According to the historian Juan Jesús Bravo Caro, in an area of steep slopes (the south west of the Sierra Tejeda and Sierra Almijara), these events made agriculture, the main occupation of the time, extremely difficult. However, this rugged area was flanked by the valley of the River Algarrobo, an area suitable for the cultivation of even the most demanding crops.

The highlight of the village is the picturesque Plaza de la Gloria, from which a breathtaking agricultural landscape is visible on one side, while on the other, the centre of the village itself, which features San Sebastián chapel, Santa Ana church and the 16th century watchtower, can be seen.

In spite of its name, (Algarrobo means “carob tree”), the village is home to a variety of crops, including tomatoes, avocadoes, strawberries, vines and olive trees.